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Show President Bush your gratitude for all he’s done to keep this country safe over the last eight years here. The comments will be presented to the George W. Bush Presidential Library on 9-11-11.
Hat Tip: Little Green Footballs
Baz says: The mission is accomplished? Complete? I did not know that.
Of course, you know that this a faulty syllogism anyway, the notion that he kept us safe. Like my cat keeps me safe from rhinos. No rhinos in my yard ever since I got my cat. That’s security.
Proximity does not prove, or even imply, cause. To suggest otherwise is magical thinking.
Baz:
I can’t be bothered to check whether you’re the same person who posted this exact analogy on the American Spectator site a few days ago, or just somebody who read it and thought it was clever enough to plagiarize. Either way, here’s how I reponded to your idea on my blog, back on Tuesday:
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“The lack of terrorist attacks means nothing; I haven’t had any problems with Rhinos in my yard ever since I brought my cat home. Therefore, my cat keeps Rhinos away? No.”
I trust I don’t need to point out the logical error in that spectacularly arrogant display of nitwittery.
The heck with it. I can’t resist dropping a hint: how many rhino attacks do you suppose this person’s yard suffered before the cat entered the scene?
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One other question, in case you still don’t get it. Do you have rhinos skulking around your nieghbourhood and openly plotting attacks, only to be repeatedly thwarted by your cat blowing up their headquarters and killing or capturing their ringleaders? If not, your analogy is even dumber than it looks at first.
-Zirbert, The Irritable Saint
http://zirbert.blogspot.com
baz says: Zirbert:
My argument is straight out of Critical Thinking 101, *really* basic Junior High stuff. Faulty syllogism. Look. it. up. Your analogy is irrelevant and beside the point.
Baz:
You’re correct about the analogy being irrelevant. However, it’s yours, not mine. I made no analogy. I just pointed out the inability to see cause and effect inherent to yours.
Can you give an example of a situation where you *can* relate cause and effect? You apparently don’t think that increased security leads to fewer security problems.
Here’s a hint to get you started: do you brush your teeth? If so, why?
-Zirbert
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