April 20, 2007
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Good Post of the Week
My friend Steve holds it down at http://www.xanga.com/WhiteKnight777/585159194/item.html?nextdate=last about how each small decision changes the entire playing field, give him a read.
EDIT
With blogger-haters being what they are, ha, I got some flack about how this sentence appeared to support a slippery slope philosophy. My sentence was merely a throwaway to avoid posting the link by itself sans input, but let me go into further detail.
I do believe in the slippery slope when you can clearly draw causation relationships or show it historically. After a certain age, if you're overweight, yes, it can lead to disease and death. It sounds like a radical, crazy slippery slope for just an extra piece of cake or two, but the links in the chain are verifiable. Or, yes, if you increase the speed limit on a highway, there's reasonable evidence that the number of accident deaths will go up. I do believe that Steve's comments about how kissing and sex lead to more kissing and sex are hardly the stuff of rocket science. (GP restrains ten inappropriate jokes by sheer force of will).
However, certainly a "slippery slope" technique can be applied incorrectly, by, say, our parents or friends to keep us from doing something. They don't want to put all their cards on the table, or have none, so we get far-fetched fear scenarios at times. So I agree that it can be a fallacy at times, and don't support Steve's post as far as it argues that any and all activities lead to some sort of parallel universe of slippery slopes in all directions. However, I do agree with his special cases. Phew, that's complicated.
END EDIT
Comments (10)
John John John...You better not disappear from my page!! I enjoy others opinions and outlooks on things. There is nothing wrong with having a guy as a friend. To be honest, I only have one female friend who I have known since 1st grade. The rest are guys mostly because guys are almost always honest with you. At best, girls candy coat the real truth because they are trying to save your feelings. I would much rather someone be honest and sting my feelings a little bit. I honestly do not know where my relationship will go. I learned that, even if you think you know what is coming in the future, it can be turned upside down at any moment. The point is, I like your outlook on life. I don't know if I will ever have the faith you have, but I need that influence in my life. Even if it is from someone I will probably never meet face to face. (Plus, you actually read my ramblings of 'whoa is me' and random things that pop in my head...and you even comment on them which I truly appreciate and I respect your opinion). I guess I can not control someone else's actions but I hope you continue reading my nonsense if you would still like to, Speaking of rambling, I better cut this off before it looks like I've posted on your page. By the way, I loved the link from today. Have a great weekend!
Ryc: lol! I was moved to write that at 3:30 AM last night, and here I am again at 3:30!
I never heard of the Golden Spiral until today but that certainly is an interesting way to look at it. It's kind of funny though, everybody seems to have gotten really hooked up on the kissing thing when sex and evangelism were also mentioned. Guess we like to stick to the new and the controversial?
wow, every one is assigning me reading this week! it was worth the read though. nice job knight. good luck keeping the mice out of your cookie jar.
While I admire your friend's resolve and why he's doing it, I find the way of getting to it a little scary.
The slippery slope as a logical fallacy: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slippery_slope]. And it's not biblical.
While I admire your friend's resolve and why he's doing it, I find the way of getting to it a little scary.
The slippery slope as a logical fallacy: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slippery_slope]. And it's not biblical.
On the slippery slope fallacy: here's a friend's article that can argue it so much better than I ever could:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/bc/2007/001/8.28.html
RYC: I did marry young. The first time I married (a "Christian" boy - we "waited"), I was barely 20. Nine months later we got divorced. And yes, I'm remarried, and I'm 24. Is 23 young to marry? Maybe, depending on who you ask. But the blog wasn't about the frivolity of marrying young. I have nothing against marrying young. I have a problem with marrying someone solely to have intercourse with them. And hey, it's a blog. I don't claim to have the answers. I just spout my opinions.
I live in a world where "blogger-haters" is a phrase. Incredible.
I think I've been avoiding you because every time I come here, it makes my head hurt. AHHH! Brain cell overload!
I'll start being coherent in... August?
My brother (galumphian sibling) will sometimes look at me and say, "don't be a hater, e".
And so I apologize. I don't mean to be a hater. In fact, most of the time, it sounds like we agree. ish.
The examples that you give are scientific and have a clear correlation. Causation is clear in those instances and can be empirically proven. The slippery slope, on the other hand, is used in moral situations to argue against something that cannot actually be proven to be the result a specific cause. That's why it's such a good rhetorical argument--you can connect the two in your head, strengthening the argument, but in reality, there's no proof.
RYC: Wow, talking to you after the school mess will be for... hmmm. A week in August. I'm drowning here! It was good to see that you stopped by, though. I'll attempt to be more intelligent, maybe you'll come back, right?
Comments are closed.