Jiro comments on Rationality Quotes February 2014 - Less Wrong

5 [deleted] 02 February 2014 01:35PM

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Comment author: Oscar_Cunningham 02 February 2014 07:41:00PM 6 points [-]

Also, remember that Churchill was a colonialist and opposed the independence of India.

Isn't it sort of embarrassing to use an ad hominem against a quote which is so obviously misattributed?

Comment author: Jiro 02 February 2014 08:37:19PM *  1 point [-]

You can use an ad hominem against an argument from authority. It's fighting fire with fire by showing that the authority isn't such a good authority. Sure, that has no bearing on the truth of the statement, but the appeal to authority never did in the first place.

The point is that Churchill opposed democracy in a situation where the verdict of history is that opposing democracy was absolutely the wrong thing to do. A quote which shows Churchill being elitist and against democracy completely fits with that. That isn't obviously a case of misattribution at all, it's just Churchill being Churchill.

Of course, Churchill was known for speaking out in favor of democracy in the context of Britain, but don't confuse that with wanting democracy for everyone.

Comment author: Eugine_Nier 04 February 2014 03:11:44AM 1 point [-]

The point is that Churchill opposed democracy in a situation where the verdict of history is that opposing democracy was absolutely the wrong thing to do.

What point would that be? True opposing independence for India turned out to be wrong, then again independence for the African colonies has been mostly a disaster.