Oh, the Humanity

I was trying to figure out why the phrase "We will have to agree to disagree" seems so unpleasent to me. I finally arrived at the notion that I don't like platitudes. Wikipedia even lists it on their page of Thought-terminating cliches. Along with a reference to "New Speak" (1984).

But Wikipedia is a notoriously tedious source. So I went on and read Immanuel Kant's "Critique of Pure Reason", and found that logical fallacies have apparently been a problem for many, many years. Now, I myself have on occasion used the "appeal to me being a good guy", or "appeal to messy handwriting" (on exams), so I can empathize with all you fallacious arguers. (That word looks funny.)

These days, though, I'm just getting sick of it. It's just so trendy to be horribly in love with your own private superficial metaphysics, to be consumed with philodoxy --I've had people ask for my opinion on their judgment and then attack my character when I pointed out a flaw. I've even had people offer ad hominem arguments, thinking they were doing me a favor. "Of course you support democracy. You're from America." Do you realize that I took a minor in Philosophy just so I could learn to present myself without bias, and that you insinuate grave insult with that jocular statement?

Kant summed it up perfectly: people let their thoughts run wild without any rigorous control, and such metaphysical euphorias can never be proved dead wrong, scientifically. It would be the same if mathematicians accepted new theorums without the corresponding proof.

But my keys betray me; I'm actually in a very cheery mood tonight. All papers are in, and I'm only left with exams. Hooray! And I'm immeasurably pleased to have finally figured out what it is that piques me so about that stupid phrase. Idle chit-chat is one thing, but when we engage in a debate I expect a clear winner, or the determination that both our views are flawed. I give you the respect of seriously considering your proposal, and you instead insist that we both remain halfway in ignorance.

PS: Pictures in this post are thanks to a suggestion by Pat McDonald. They're mostly unrelated, but I hope you like them. ;)