Hacker News Reader

Can you provide an example?

Yes. Both staunch Republicans and Democrats portray themselves as always being on the back foot, being attacked, and on the verge of losing control from the other party due to some contentious and highly important issue. Each side portrays themself as their views originating from reason (independence of thinking) and the other side as excreted out of ideology (convention).

I've seen some people on the left, at least, who are pretty explicit about their denunciation of reason. These types will say things like:

* "rational argument doesn't change minds, only mockery does" (one wonders how they think that they came to believe what they believe!)

* "don't argue with racists"

* "the Democrat Party is too nice and reasonable. We need to fight dirty like the Republicans. Our focus on truth hasn't gotten us anywhere."

I've heard this sentiment expressed. The limits of rationality, reason, and scientific process is a whole topic worth exploring even if just for the philosophic value, but right now, discourse, within the framework of rationality and reason is the best tool society has to solve its problems. There's nothing else. Violence clearly isn't the tool. Nor is emotional reflex. Nor is anecdotal thinking. Nothing else scales and has the capability to tackle the sophistication of society-wide problems.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com