I Accuse What Exit of Being a Liar

[pkd88]

@brazil84

Probably, although it’s somewhat unusual for anyone to argue for Position X in a thread and later openly admit that they have been convinced to abandon Position X.

However, for example, reading through this thread, I would say it’s likely that I changed ascenray’s mind about Guns, Germs & Steel. I would say it’s also likely that Shalmanese will – at a minimum – modify his argument about Guns Germs & Steel representing a scientific consensus.

I am not sure you changed any opinions at all.

Ascenray doesn’t seem to be very impressed with your position

@acsenray

This statement is so far from being true that it must be one of the following:

(1) a flat lie

(2) a complete misunderstanding of that portion of the book

Which is it?

Shalmanese apologized for an error he made but then asked you to back up what you have claimed.

@Shalmanese

Apologies, that was someone else.

Where are your cites? The extent of your argument seems to be that zebra aggression doesn’t make sense to you, ergo, it’s up to us to prove that zebras are more aggressive than wolves. But just because it doesn’t make sense to you doesn’t mean it’s prima facie absurd. Maybe the species of wolf that lead to the dog is far more docile than north american wolves. Maybe Zebras are ornier than you imagine.

It does matter who the author is because as far as I’m aware, he represents the scientific consensus. You’re not in possession of all the facts and neither am I but uhm… domesticologists who are in possession of all the facts don’t seem to be at all troubled by his statements so why would you have any reason to be?

Whether you have “respect” for him or not doesn’t matter. Unless you can produce cites which provide evidence that Diamond is wrong, then the default assumption should be that he’s done a fair and intellectually honest job of reviewing the existing literature.

Are you seeing posts that I am not?