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Never judge a philosophy by its abuse
#1
Never judge a philosophy by its abuse
Some of you may recognize this title from the signature of Kingphil. I think it's an interesting concept with the potential to generate interesting thoughts and discussion.

For starters, there is precious little created by humans that somebody, somewhere has not figured out a way to abuse. So if we judge a philosophy by its abuse we might as well throw everything out the window. How then do we judge the value of anything?
The god who allows children to be raped out of respect for the free will choice of the rapist, but punishes gay men for engaging in mutually consensual sex couldn't possibly be responsible for an intelligently designed universe.

I may defend your right to free speech, but i won't help you pass out flyers.

Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.
--Voltaire

Nietzsche isn't dead. How do I know he lives? He lives in my mind.
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#2
RE: Never judge a philosophy by its abuse
Following.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly." 

-walsh
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#3
RE: Never judge a philosophy by its abuse
[Image: everything-is-shit_design.png]
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#4
RE: Never judge a philosophy by its abuse
In practice, there is often disagreement about what is abuse of an idea and even what the idea is.  This is particularly true in cases where the writer is not clear.  But even with good writers, there are often disagreements about interpretations.

Also, is what is logically entailed by a philosophy considered to be included in it?  Or is inferring such things an "abuse" of the philosophy if the philosopher never made the inference?

"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
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#5
RE: Never judge a philosophy by its abuse
Soooooo..........

Do we judge (prefer evaluate) the philosophy based on it's position on/of abuse? It's ability/propensity to be abused? The people(s) that claim it and then perpetrate abuse?

Value is subjective. To the believer/non abuser it may have great value, the same for the abuser. To the observer/receiver of the abuse, little value.

I choose to make my evaluation on the philosophies inherent value to me to and my world. Not how others may believe in it or use it for their purposes (abusing or not).
Being told you're delusional does not necessarily mean you're mental. 
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#6
RE: Never judge a philosophy by its abuse
(September 16, 2015 at 2:07 pm)Rhondazvous Wrote: Some of you may recognize this title from the signature of Kingphil. I think it's an interesting concept with the potential to generate interesting thoughts and discussion.

For starters, there is precious little created by humans that somebody, somewhere has not figured out a way to abuse. So if we judge a philosophy by its abuse we might as well throw everything out the window.   How then do we judge the value of anything?

Who is the judge of what is abuse or not?
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#7
RE: Never judge a philosophy by its abuse
.....Show me the radicals, and I'll show you what the religion teaches.
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#8
RE: Never judge a philosophy by its abuse
I'd say anyone who regularly commits logical fallacies is misusing philosophy. This covers theology for a start.

To abuse it, I suppose, would be to knowingly misuse it in ways you think you will get away with (in the present company) in order to further your argument. This covers every apologist ever. Well, the ones who have any understanding of logic, anyway. The rest don't even know they are misusing it.
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#9
RE: Never judge a philosophy by its abuse
(September 17, 2015 at 11:09 am)Napoléon Wrote:
(September 16, 2015 at 2:07 pm)Rhondazvous Wrote: Some of you may recognize this title from the signature of Kingphil. I think it's an interesting concept with the potential to generate interesting thoughts and discussion.

For starters, there is precious little created by humans that somebody, somewhere has not figured out a way to abuse. So if we judge a philosophy by its abuse we might as well throw everything out the window.   How then do we judge the value of anything?

Who is the judge of what is abuse or not?

On that subject I think I'll value Vorlon's opinion.
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#10
RE: Never judge a philosophy by its abuse
42
 The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it. 




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