What makes people irrational thinkers?

[Goosebump]

So is this a troll, dishonesty or something else?

Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence

So one vote for incompetence. You genuinely think Belacqua was just so unable to understand his own position and the text being discussed that he spontaneously called out Polymath for being dishonest? Yet the irony in this statement is dripping all over him.

"Anyway, I doubt your sincerity. I think you knew exactly what you were going to conclude before you picked up the book, and this (you think) gives you license to ignore what Hart actually said. At least that's the impression you give. 

I'm not going to twist your arm any more to try to make you do a competent analysis. You should have gotten these textual analytic skills as an undergrad."

So he's not doing it on purpose? He's just incompetent in what? Thought entirely?