tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post5205550615258057991..comments2023-12-21T06:35:36.624-05:00Comments on Recursivity: The Question-and-Answer Period at the 9/11 Deniers EveningUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-15273361213704059942008-03-28T01:49:00.000-04:002008-03-28T01:49:00.000-04:00"If they cannot, does this mean that the US govern..."If they cannot, does this mean that the US government's analysis is flawed, or was their a conspiracy?"<BR/><BR/>"There", not "their".<BR/><BR/>If there were a conspiracy, wouldn't it be logical for the conspirators to pre-emptively launch a "truth" movement based on nonsensical arguments so that any true whistle-blowers would not be taken seriously? Just something to think about. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-37551785638965908382008-03-26T12:01:00.000-04:002008-03-26T12:01:00.000-04:00I think the answers to the first question say it a...I think the answers to the first question say it all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-26187353215286206222008-03-25T02:57:00.000-04:002008-03-25T02:57:00.000-04:00Interesting quote from Chip Berlet. Is an efficie...Interesting quote from Chip Berlet. Is an efficient 4th Estate combined with open public dialog sufficient to guarantee a gradual emergence of truth given loud and vested interests driven by personal ambition and/or other interests?<BR/><BR/>Thus far we think we see a pattern of yes going back to McCarthyism and Nixon (in the States), but we also see the destabilization of the global warming consensus or ID as counterpoints that have sustained interest.<BR/><BR/>I keep returning to critical thinking and skepticism as essential and under-taught skills, but I'm not sure that even if that was done better, we wouldn't still end up with the same level of obsessiveness. The missing piece is purely an epistemological stance (borrowing from Dennett, a bit) that treats puzzles with limited support as just what they are--quiet puzzles--that don't point to vast conspiracies. I recommend that the 9/11 theorists find Deepthroat, get corroborating testimony and evidence, and <I>then</I> go public. Surely there must be all of that for this vast conspiracy to work!Erdos56https://www.blogger.com/profile/04426474525236405685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-61424758503119647172008-03-24T09:53:00.000-04:002008-03-24T09:53:00.000-04:00"I do believe in evolution -- I'm a Christian"."I do believe in evolution -- I'm a Christian".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-16444828975648392342008-03-22T13:34:00.000-04:002008-03-22T13:34:00.000-04:00Dr. Shallit,I just wanted to say thanks for the co...Dr. Shallit,<BR/><BR/>I just wanted to say thanks for the comprehensive coverage of the evening. I was unable to attend myself.<BR/><BR/>After seeing the posters I had also hoped it would be an actual debate, though after looking up the speakers' online realized that was unlikely to happen. Members of the UW debate society should be aghast that these cranks have been able to hijack their club and sully its name.justinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03736328766590600834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-15829810761291722832008-03-22T12:00:00.000-04:002008-03-22T12:00:00.000-04:00Excellent series of articles. Thanks for standing...Excellent series of articles. Thanks for standing up for reality.James B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01475924582753322002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-26239391587548750582008-03-22T11:01:00.000-04:002008-03-22T11:01:00.000-04:00Any chance that a club on campus could quickly org...Any chance that a club on campus could quickly organize a rebuttal event to this thing? There's probably a freethought club or something that would be sympathetic to having an event critical of 9/11 Conspiracy theories. <BR/><BR/>Screening the history channel documentary "9/11 Conspiracies - Fact or Fiction?" or the BBC episode of "Conspiracy Files" that dealt with 9/11 would be great. Those documentaries respond to all the usual claims of Truthers (including all the ones made at the event).will mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298275783374042653noreply@blogger.com