# I alone am capable of reasoned debate **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 22, 2001, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837 "2001-10-22T10:11:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/41 "2001-10-22T22:11:39Z")
Can I be Alpha Pi? I’ll do a cheer for you. 😛 Al. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/42 "2001-10-22T22:19:04Z")
**Lib** , That you deigned to acknowledge my mere existence, much less address me, is greater edification than this, your humble sycophant, could have ever, within reason, expected. I possess neither the knowledge nor the ability to comprehend the breadth of thy wisdom. I am thy swine; throw pearls at your leisure. I pray thee one boon: the _Word._ What is _the Word_ by which I will be able to formulate my worldview and from which all of my undertakings shall be guided and directed? ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/43 "2001-10-22T22:23:37Z")
Having fun yet, **Lib**? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/44 "2001-10-22T22:24:28Z")
I laughed so hard at this thread, I broke the chair. **Lib** you are a genius or a madman, possibly both. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/45 "2001-10-23T02:21:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Waverly \* > \*\*This rant is diametrically flawed and aesthetically lacking in hyperbolic soliloquy. The quantum postulate is formative only in the subjective medium, rather than a lycanthropic finite element of the bimodal substrate. > > With all due respect > W \*\* Couldn’t you fix this by just recalibrating the main deflector dish? ---
**Author:** ![nerv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85e7bf/32.png) [@nerv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nerv)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/46 "2001-10-23T02:22:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nerv \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > > \*\*… even as I assail you with irrefutable logic. > > \*\* > > My irrefutable logic kicks your irrefutable logic’s ass! > > HA!!! \*\* See! You can’t think of any way to counter that one! Bow down before me! I am the MASTER OF IRREFUTABLE LOGIC, and your auntie wears polythene underwear! Feel I need a few more exclamation marks!!! ---
**Author:** ![croaker67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@croaker67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/croaker67)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/47 "2001-10-23T04:45:29Z")
Bring it on Lib. My cable is out and I need me some of that high faluten, real wrath of god (God, Dog, Lassie, hydrant) type stuff… (waving checkbook for that ticket to???) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/48 "2001-10-23T09:46:17Z")
> [@](#): > > That you deigned to acknowledge my mere existence, much less address me, is greater edification than this, your humble sycophant, could have ever, within reason, expected. I possess neither the knowledge nor the ability to comprehend the breadth of thy wisdom. I am thy swine; throw pearls at your leisure. Clearly, your ability to frame, in this instance, a correct assertion, derives from the gentle breeze of my words having caressed your countenance. All who hear me are blessed. > [@](#): > > I pray thee one boon: the Word. What is the Word by which I will be able to formulate my worldview and from which all of my undertakings shall be guided and directed? Vandalay. > [@](#): > > Having fun yet, Lib? Its jealousy is quaint, if unbecoming. How I long to gather it in my arms, and give it kisses of enlightenment. Come. Join the others and make my feet thy pillow. > [@](#): > > See! You can’t think of any way to counter that one! Bow down before me! I am the MASTER OF IRREFUTABLE LOGIC, and your auntie wears polythene underwear! We shall always allow a gnat one flight past our face, with nothing more than a gentle wave of our hand to remind it of its station. But when the gnat is so foolish as to approach once more, we give it no quarter. Marvel now as I refute your petty argument. Assume [sym]S[/sym] as a metaethic, and [sym]T[/sym] as an epistemology. We therefore have [sym] [[[S Ù T] Ù U ] Û [S Ù [T Ù U]]][/sym]. Given [sym][[S Ù [T Ú U]] Û [[S Ù T] Ú [S Ù U]]][/sym], we can derive [sym][[[S Û T] Ù [T Û U]] Þ [S Û U]][/sym]. Thus, we see that [sym][[S Û T] Û [T Û S]][/sym]. You may now die. Astroboy, please remove the corpse. > [@](#): > > Bring it on Lib. My cable is out and I need me some of that high faluten, real wrath of god (God, Dog, Lassie, hydrant) type stuff… (waving checkbook for that ticket to???) I cast upon you Nietzsche’s Zarathustra. And now we watch as you writhe and twist like a slug in a bed of salt. ---
**Author:** ![walor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@walor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/walor)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/49 "2001-10-23T12:06:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > > Marvel now as I refute your petty argument. > > Assume [sym]S[/sym] as a metaethic, and [sym]T[/sym] as an epistemology. We therefore have [sym] [[[S Ù T] Ù U ] Û [S Ù [T Ù U]]][/sym]. Given [sym][[S Ù [T Ú U]] Û [[S Ù T] Ú [S Ù U]]][/sym], we can derive [sym][[[S Û T] Ù [T Û U]] Þ [S Û U]][/sym]. Thus, we see that [sym][[S Û T] Û [T Û S]][/sym]. That’s one of the best refutes I can remember in a long time… could you just go through it one more time… just to clarify things for me… _P.S. Is it the sort of refute that could be used generally… you know, like when I’m under attack and need to hold-off the opposition really impressively? A sort of ‘universal’ refute. If not, do you have one?_ ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/50 "2001-10-23T12:43:23Z")
Silly. I alone am the universal refutation. There is no other. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/51 "2001-10-23T13:16:23Z")
There are quite a few unions and intersections of [sym]T[/sym] (a term denoting a non-concrete investigation into the nature of knowledge) for a materialist. Or is it possible for one such as yourself to directly observe epistemology, particularly when it issues from your buttox? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/52 "2001-10-23T14:07:22Z")
You misunderstood me. I will embolden key terms to assist your comprehension. “T” here represents what we call a **biconditional implication**. It is a complex implication, which accounts for why you did not understand. I utilized what we call a **syllogism** (from the Greek: _syllo_, a place where farmers keep corn, and _gism_, the male ejaculate.) I put together for you what we call a **logical argument**. This was for your benefit, and I am dumbfounded at your lack of gratitude. The core of Materialist thought is that there are no thoughts, at least not in the sense of what we call **direct realism**. I understand this because of my ability to assimilate abstract data. You can begin to approach my acumen in this regard if you observe how I craft my arguments. Quite naturally, no one would expect you to comprehend everything all at once, but you may take the whole project as an exercise. After some considerable time, it is conceivable that you might be capable of comprehending just enough of what I am saying to enable you to ask a pertinent question here and there. I await your philosophical maturation with bated breath. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/53 "2001-10-23T20:27:33Z")
**Lib** , in all honesty and seriousness, you seldom make any more sense when you are serious than you do when playing around in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/54 "2001-10-23T20:52:07Z")
Why, Jab, my son, in all honesty and seriousness, your gratuitous ankle-nipping is just as misplaced here as it is when you do it all over the board. I believe I’ve already given you an opportunity to reform, and now I’m afraid you’ve forced me to withdraw it. Truly, you desire desolation and emptiness; truly you are it. So mote it be. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/55 "2001-10-23T21:07:02Z")
Look! A flamingo! ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/56 "2001-10-23T23:26:29Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by **Libertarian:** _ > > **Vandalay.** [Lister] “There’s nothing better than a good vandalay.” [/Lister] ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2001, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/57 "2001-10-24T01:25:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*Why, Jab, my son, in all honesty and seriousness, your gratuitous ankle-nipping is just as misplaced here as it is when you do it all over the board. I believe I’ve already given you an opportunity to reform, and now I’m afraid you’ve forced me to withdraw it. Truly, you desire desolation and emptiness; truly you are it. So mote it be. \*\* I think what’s bothering you is that **ambushed** is smarter than you and you know it. He’s making more sense in that thread than you are. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2001, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/58 "2001-10-24T09:38:07Z")
And you, my child, would know this how? It is like a man with no ears declaring that this sound is better than that sound. Here is your homework assignment: summarize the two arguments, citing references to at least five major works of philosophy. Contrast Hobbes with Aquinas, and Kant with Descartes, and explain the ontological models of each. For extra credit, explain how science is a branch of philosophy, and discuss the implications of the theories of Hume on scientific epistemology (in particular, the “scientific method”). When you have completed your assignment, you may then comment on the two arguments without appearing to be randomly lashing out as you are now. And please stop eating your turds. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2001, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/59 "2001-10-24T20:25:39Z")
If ANYONE here is coprophagic… ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2001, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837/60 "2001-10-24T21:05:50Z")
I’m still not impressed. (Damn, that was the Lib mocking Lolo thread. Too many “satires” to keep track of) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-alone-am-capable-of-reasoned-debate/88837.md?page=4)