When the Journal of Controversial Ideas came out there were some naysayers who said that it turned out to be a half-hearted collection of half-baked contrarian clap trap.
I believe that I see a way in which we can shut those naysayers up forever and demonstrate the value of this journal by implementing one of the recommendations in it in full.
I am talking, of course, about the paper "The Epistemology of No Platforming: Defending the Defense of Stupid Ideas on University Campuses" in which the author convincingly demonstrates the high value and rich returns attained by debating stupid ideas.
There are some of you who think the last idea I presented here was stupid and if it was, I am happy to have provided that service and you are very welcome.
But since the author of this paper is clearly correct then it is strange that there are so very many stupid ideas and such value to be gained from them then why are we leaving this gold mine untapped?
Yes, I know, Mr Yiannopoulos is speaking at Penn State University and this is obviously a good start, but we can do so much more in putting this rich resource to good use. It can't all be lending the reputation of the University to clapped-out alt-righters hating on the LGBTQ+ community, we have to diversify the stupid.
What about a conference at the University of Chicago to settle the matter of whether or not Australia exists? An important problem you will agree. This conference could not be held in a university in Australia for obvious reasons.
Princeton has already made an admirable contribution to stupid ideas by hosting the PEAR project for nearly 30 years. Sadly I can no longer see the PEAR website linked off of the Princeton site. I suppose they think this vein has been fully exploited.
But we could have the Princeton Seminar on why rockets cannot work in a vacuum. Yale, Harvard or perhaps the London School of Economics could invite a speaker to explain that the global financial system is controlled by Jews who are working towards a New World Order.
I am thinking that the University of California or The University of Chicago would be good venues to present the latest research and evidence on subteranean lizard people due to the strong biology deparments there.
Perhaps Dr Veber's own university would be happy to host the 9/11 Truther series of lectures, in particular no-plane and "north of Citgo flyover" theories. (I feel I know enough about the latter to present it myself).
The good news is that, as the Penn State adminstrators point out, the university cannot stop you presenting an idea at their institution no matter how stupid the idea you are presenting.
The bad news is that, of course, it costs money to have an event hosted at a university. But then I have been impressed at the amount of money that can be generated on a plausible looking web site with a "Donate" button. I am thinking that there should be an organisation formed to coordinate this project with a professional looking web site, perhaps the Institute of Anomalous Ideas and an accompanying Journal of Anomalous Ideas (I hope the name isn't taken).I was going to use "Journal of Stupid Ideas" but this would obviously lead to confusion with the journal in which I encountered this idea).
The Institute would need an Executive Director with chiselled good looks and a proven track record of presenting stupid ideas.
With the right strategy I think that we can boost free speech and make the word "University" synonymous with "Stupid Idea"
Well there it is. If you think this is a stupid idea then, again, you are very welcome.
(Posted in Philosophy and Religion since the author of this terrific and not stupid idea is a philosopher and theologian).
I believe that I see a way in which we can shut those naysayers up forever and demonstrate the value of this journal by implementing one of the recommendations in it in full.
I am talking, of course, about the paper "The Epistemology of No Platforming: Defending the Defense of Stupid Ideas on University Campuses" in which the author convincingly demonstrates the high value and rich returns attained by debating stupid ideas.
There are some of you who think the last idea I presented here was stupid and if it was, I am happy to have provided that service and you are very welcome.
But since the author of this paper is clearly correct then it is strange that there are so very many stupid ideas and such value to be gained from them then why are we leaving this gold mine untapped?
Yes, I know, Mr Yiannopoulos is speaking at Penn State University and this is obviously a good start, but we can do so much more in putting this rich resource to good use. It can't all be lending the reputation of the University to clapped-out alt-righters hating on the LGBTQ+ community, we have to diversify the stupid.
What about a conference at the University of Chicago to settle the matter of whether or not Australia exists? An important problem you will agree. This conference could not be held in a university in Australia for obvious reasons.
Princeton has already made an admirable contribution to stupid ideas by hosting the PEAR project for nearly 30 years. Sadly I can no longer see the PEAR website linked off of the Princeton site. I suppose they think this vein has been fully exploited.
But we could have the Princeton Seminar on why rockets cannot work in a vacuum. Yale, Harvard or perhaps the London School of Economics could invite a speaker to explain that the global financial system is controlled by Jews who are working towards a New World Order.
I am thinking that the University of California or The University of Chicago would be good venues to present the latest research and evidence on subteranean lizard people due to the strong biology deparments there.
Perhaps Dr Veber's own university would be happy to host the 9/11 Truther series of lectures, in particular no-plane and "north of Citgo flyover" theories. (I feel I know enough about the latter to present it myself).
The good news is that, as the Penn State adminstrators point out, the university cannot stop you presenting an idea at their institution no matter how stupid the idea you are presenting.
The bad news is that, of course, it costs money to have an event hosted at a university. But then I have been impressed at the amount of money that can be generated on a plausible looking web site with a "Donate" button. I am thinking that there should be an organisation formed to coordinate this project with a professional looking web site, perhaps the Institute of Anomalous Ideas and an accompanying Journal of Anomalous Ideas (I hope the name isn't taken).I was going to use "Journal of Stupid Ideas" but this would obviously lead to confusion with the journal in which I encountered this idea).
The Institute would need an Executive Director with chiselled good looks and a proven track record of presenting stupid ideas.
With the right strategy I think that we can boost free speech and make the word "University" synonymous with "Stupid Idea"
Well there it is. If you think this is a stupid idea then, again, you are very welcome.
(Posted in Philosophy and Religion since the author of this terrific and not stupid idea is a philosopher and theologian).
via International Skeptics Forum https://ift.tt/2ZuaHmT
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