Billy, just now:
It amazes me how routinely people just glide right past the Stolen Concept Fallacy in it. He has to steal the very idea of “right” in order to make the general assertion that Sayet is pointing out: “It’s all so terribly complex and confusing and nobody can be right, and trust me: I’m right about this.”
Scott Erb should be summarily laughed out of court on this epistemic point alone,
The bottom line is we both know he won’t be, not universally, anyway. And that’s small number that thinks what he says to be valid, provides him just enough wiggle room to continue on his merry way, unencumbered by mere facts.
The implication that stands out the most in my mind, right now, and going back some fifteen years with him, is that he absolutely refuses to accept that anyone could possibly have a better understanding of a given situation than he. And you’re quite right; since as he professes, it’s all so complex that nobody’s standard could ever work, he thinks the best solution is just to apply HIS standard. The idea of forcing everyone else into his standard, by means of governmental fiat, apparently, doesn’t bother him in the least. Letting people make their own decisions, does. But don’t call him a socialist. He wants a working welfare system, but don’t say he supports the big government needed to enact and support such a structure.
That was made clearer nowhere, than this:
Since you aren’t alone in the world, you can’t expect other people to make the choices you think they should make.
Perhaps not, but then again, he’s not the one talking about an operating welfare state being a good thing. That would be you. Thos are, after all, YOUR words, not mine.
Go ahead, Scott… Tell us again, about who’s making choices for other people.
As Tim says, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. To this I would add; considering that the little knowledge that you possess, is the sum total of the human knowledge, as Erb clearly is doing, is nothing short of fatal. Not that I’d expect him to have the wit to see it so.
Enough. I suppose myself to be preaching to the choir, here.
