It was put to me recently (by a philosophy professor) that it is bad practice to question the motives of philosophers putting "unpopular" arguments.
He had in mind Roger Scruton and his "Gay Reservations" essay, or Richard Swinburne in his "argument" that homosexuality is a disability and ought to be cured, even if the person did not wish to be cured.
This philosopher's point is that we should focus entirely on the argument as we should with any philosopher.
I am somewhat in favour of this approach, I don't want to give the impression that I am afraid of the arguments being put by these people.
And, especially as these arguments are so comically inept, we should shine a light on them and say "Here is the very best case that the intellectual conservative tradition has against gay rights - such as it is".
But I am somewhat puzzled at the idea that Scruton and Swinburne should not be considered in their political context, to have the suggestion made that they might simply be prejudiced.
After all, perhaps it is the most charitable interpretation for why clever people present such bad arguments, that they are simply suffering from a common human failing that probably affects us all in some way.
He had in mind Roger Scruton and his "Gay Reservations" essay, or Richard Swinburne in his "argument" that homosexuality is a disability and ought to be cured, even if the person did not wish to be cured.
This philosopher's point is that we should focus entirely on the argument as we should with any philosopher.
I am somewhat in favour of this approach, I don't want to give the impression that I am afraid of the arguments being put by these people.
And, especially as these arguments are so comically inept, we should shine a light on them and say "Here is the very best case that the intellectual conservative tradition has against gay rights - such as it is".
But I am somewhat puzzled at the idea that Scruton and Swinburne should not be considered in their political context, to have the suggestion made that they might simply be prejudiced.
After all, perhaps it is the most charitable interpretation for why clever people present such bad arguments, that they are simply suffering from a common human failing that probably affects us all in some way.
via International Skeptics Forum http://bit.ly/2Rrsxxa
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