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 Is history scientific?
Author: Martin 
Date:   02-03-10 10:26

Mr. Broadhurst asserts he is a "researcher". I have no objection to that assertion whatsoever. I accept it fully and without reservation.

I assert that I am a "philosopher". Scoff if you feel you must.

Having spent more than three decades reading and engaging in intellectually honest philosophical inquiry, I have found epistemology a particularly engrossing, though frequently very challenging, topic. Perhaps some will recall my struggles with mikwut's arguments based on Plantinga's "reformed epistemology". Seldom have I encountered a more profoundly learned -- and also delightfully fiendish and difficult -- philosophical opponent! His brilliance and wit held me in awe and his arguments plunged me into long days and nights of fevered cogitation with almost every new post!

What an amazing thinker mikwut was!

Mr. Broadhurst, to paraphrase Lloyd Benson: I knew mikwut, and you're no mikwut.

(And marg, you're not even up to matching the intellectual capacity of mikwut's nocturnal phlegm).

Many who have posted here during the years have been intrigued by Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel. But I don't recall that anyone noted his powerful attack on the alleged "scientific nature" of history and historical research. History did not make a very good showing at all in that struggle, but it didn't take much work on Diamond's part to best it!

Now, I'm not going to defend Diamond's entire line of criticism because I do not personally agree with every one of his arguments. In fact, I'm not going to repeat them here at all. Look them up if you want, ignore them if you want. I don't care because Diamond's knowledge of epistemology is not particularly unassailable anyway.

But I hereby challenge Mr. Broadhurst to present his epistemological defense of anecdotes as history as science here. That did not include any typos: First Broadhurst must philosophically defend anecdotes in general as epistemologically sound history, then he must philosophically defend history as epistemologically sound science.

The entire philosophy of science is at your disposal, sir, but your particular examples of anecdotes are not. They can serve no part in a philosophical defense of anecdotes, of course, for I will not countenance assuming what is to be proved, as that is precisely what I'm asking you to present.

Good luck.


- Martin

_________________________________________________________
Those who prize eloquence+rationality+analytic skill above politeness, Martin's our Allen Iverson. We put up with the other shit 'cause it's worth it; I didn't come to have a cup of tea. --BrianDC
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 Topics Author  Date
 BoM Authorship S/R Theory without Manuscript Found  new
Jersey Girl 01-31-10 16:22 
 What we lose  new
Jersey Girl 01-31-10 16:29 
 Is what we lose expendable?  new
Jersey Girl 01-31-10 16:37 
 Re: Is what we lose expendable?  new
marg 01-31-10 22:22 
 Re: Is what we lose expendable?  new
Uncle Dale 02-01-10 14:07 
 Dale & marg DEMAND I reverse the Burden of Proof!  new
Martin 02-02-10 07:12 
 Re: Dale & marg DEMAND I reverse the Burden of Proof!  new
Uncle Dale 02-02-10 11:38 
 Re: Dale & marg DEMAND I reverse the Burden of Proof!  new
Martin 02-03-10 03:39 
 Re: Dale & marg DEMAND I reverse the Burden of Proof!  new
Uncle Dale 02-03-10 04:35 
 Re: Dale & marg DEMAND I reverse the Burden of Proof!  
marg 02-03-10 04:39 
 Nice job being Dale's, er, "tool", marg!  new
Martin 02-03-10 08:34 
 I agree with you Martin  new
marg 02-03-10 16:08 
 Re: I agree with you Martin  
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 19:35 
 Dale yet again(!) DEMANDS me to provide an alternative!  new
Martin 02-03-10 04:43 
 Re: Dale yet again(!) DEMANDS me to provide an alternative!  new
Uncle Dale 02-03-10 05:21 
 I do NOT grant you persmission to repost my words anywhere.  new
Martin 02-03-10 08:43 
 Re: Dale & marg DEMAND I reverse the Burden of Proof!  new
hoplite 02-03-10 04:09 
 Thanks, hoplite  new
Martin 02-03-10 05:00 
 Re: Thanks, hoplite  new
marg 02-03-10 05:26 
 Putting this in amber, too  new
Martin 02-03-10 08:10 
 Is history scientific?  
Martin 02-03-10 10:26 
 Re: Is history scientific?  new
marg 02-03-10 16:26 
 Why can't Marg read?  new
Martin 02-04-10 01:57 
 Re: Is history scientific?  new
Jersey Girl 02-04-10 21:06 
 Re: Is what we lose expendable?  new
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 01:16 
 Vicki you can't think worth shit and you never could  new
marg 02-03-10 04:23 
 marg keeps putting the "sub" into "sub-moron"!  new
Martin 02-03-10 05:23 
 Re: marg keeps putting the "sub" into "sub-moron"!  
marg 02-03-10 05:42 
 Re: marg keeps putting the "sub" into "sub-moron"!  new
Martin 02-03-10 08:59 
 Martin why should I have animosity for you?  new
marg 02-03-10 16:40 
 Re: Martin why should I have animosity for you?  new
Uncle Dale 02-03-10 18:00 
 Re: marg keeps putting the "sub" into "sub-moron"!  new
aussieguy55 02-03-10 19:56 
 Re: marg keeps putting the "sub" into "sub-moron"!  new
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 20:11 
 Celebrate the real victory! Do not mourn the loss of harmful anecdotes!  new
Martin 02-04-10 01:13 
 The richness of metacognition  new
Jersey Girl 02-04-10 23:08 
 Re: marg keeps putting the "sub" into "sub-moron"!  new
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 21:39 
 vicki write on topic for a change instead of trying to create drama  new
marg 02-05-10 20:03 
 marg, *read* the thread instead of creating chaos  new
Jersey Girl 02-06-10 01:32 
 Martin has added nothing new that wasn't already appreciated.  new
marg 02-06-10 03:07 
 FYI lady  new
Jersey Girl 02-06-10 03:35 
 Re: FYI lady  new
marg 02-06-10 04:31 
 Marg, you couldn't argue yourself out of a mime's air box!  new
Martin 02-09-10 07:10 
 Re: Marg, you couldn't argue yourself out of a mime's air box!  new
marg 02-09-10 15:49 
 Re: marg, *read* the thread instead of creating chaos  new
marg 02-06-10 18:59 
 Still waging war, are ya?  new
Jersey Girl 02-04-10 00:10 
 THIS IS THE KEY: The main flaw in marg's and Broadhurst's "thinking"!  new
Martin 02-01-10 02:15 
 Re: THIS IS THE KEY: The main flaw in marg's and Broadhurst's "thinking"!  new
marg 02-01-10 02:35 
 Go ahead and pull up your chairs!  new
Martin 02-01-10 04:41 
 Re: Go ahead and pull up your chairs!  new
Uncle Dale 02-01-10 10:30 
 Dale asks "What evidence"?  new
Martin 02-02-10 07:33 
 Re: Dale asks "What evidence"?  new
Uncle Dale 02-02-10 11:41 
 Dale again DEMANDS me to provide an alternative!  new
Martin 02-03-10 04:31 
 Wait just a New York minute  new
Jersey Girl 02-02-10 21:20 
 Re: Wait just a New York minute  new
Martin 02-03-10 01:35 
 No, don't  new
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 01:42 
 Re: No, don't  new
Martin 02-03-10 03:43 
 Re: THIS IS THE KEY: The main flaw in marg's and Broadhurst's "thinking"!  new
Uncle Dale 02-01-10 10:28 
 Dale tries valiantly to save his life's work by reframing the debate  new
Martin 02-02-10 09:25 
 Re: Dale tries valiantly to save his life's work by reframing the debate  new
Uncle Dale 02-02-10 11:45 
 Re: Dale tries valiantly to save his life's work by reframing the debate  new
Martin 02-03-10 09:42 
 Re: Dale tries valiantly to save his life's work by reframing the debate  new
Jersey Girl 02-02-10 23:21 
 Re: THIS IS THE KEY: The main flaw in marg's and Broadhurst's "thinking"!  
Jersey Girl 02-01-10 19:13 
 [lost response!]  
Martin 02-02-10 11:10 
 Re: THIS IS THE KEY: The main flaw in marg's and Broadhurst's "thinking"!  new
marg 02-03-10 05:16 
 Re: Is what we lose expendable?  new
Uncle Dale 02-01-10 14:41 
 Re: BoM Authorship S/R Theory without Manuscript Found  new
marg 01-31-10 19:26 
 Repeating what I wrote elsewhere  new
Martin 02-01-10 04:40 
 Re: Repeating what I wrote elsewhere  new
Uncle Dale 02-01-10 10:36 
 Re: Repeating what I wrote elsewhere  new
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 00:35 
 Re: Repeating what I wrote elsewhere  
Uncle Dale 02-03-10 00:49 
 Re: Repeating what I wrote elsewhere  new
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 01:02 
 Re: Repeating what I wrote elsewhere  new
Uncle Dale 02-03-10 02:05 
 This post is ready for you, Dale  new
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 19:51 
 Re: This post is ready for you, Dale  new
Uncle Dale 02-03-10 21:34 
 I'm going to answer you twice  new
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 21:46 
 Re: I'm going to answer you twice  new
Uncle Dale 02-03-10 22:00 
 Re: I'm going to answer you twice  new
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 22:06 
 Re: I'm going to answer you twice  new
Uncle Dale 02-03-10 22:40 
 JG asks a very insightful question  new
Martin 02-04-10 03:15 
 Re: JG asks a very insightful question  new
Jersey Girl 02-05-10 23:52 
 Re: I'm going to answer you twice  new
Uncle Dale 02-04-10 04:07 
 Re: This post is ready for you, Dale  new
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 21:57 
 Re: This post is ready for you, Dale  new
Uncle Dale 02-03-10 22:26 
 Re: This post is ready for you, Dale  new
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 22:29 
 Re: This post is ready for you, Dale  new
Uncle Dale 02-04-10 10:25 
 Re: This post is ready for you, Dale  new
Jersey Girl 02-05-10 23:24 
 Re: This post is ready for you, Dale  new
Uncle Dale 02-06-10 00:20 
 You are such a gentleman Dale.  new
marg 02-06-10 01:49 
 Re: You are such a gentleman Dale.  new
Uncle Dale 02-06-10 02:35 
 Re: You are such a gentleman Dale.  new
marg 02-06-10 04:08 
 *SPECIFIC QUESTION ANSWERED SPECIFICALLY!*  new
Martin 02-04-10 02:41 
 Re: *SPECIFIC QUESTION ANSWERED SPECIFICALLY!*  new
Uncle Dale 02-04-10 13:10 
 Constraints  new
Martin 02-05-10 03:18 
 Re: Constraints  new
Uncle Dale 02-05-10 11:09 
 Bravo! Bravo! A wise man indeed!  new
Martin 02-09-10 05:26 
 Re: Bravo! Bravo! A wise man indeed!  new
marg 02-09-10 15:10 
 my respect and admiration goes to Dale  new
marg 02-04-10 15:52 
 Re: my respect and admiration goes to Dale  new
Uncle Dale 02-04-10 16:17 
 Re: my respect and admiration goes to Dale  new
marg 02-04-10 17:31 
 Re: my respect and admiration goes to Dale  new
Uncle Dale 02-04-10 18:37 
 Re: my respect and admiration goes to Dale  new
marg 02-04-10 19:41 
 *Look, functioning intellects, at Marg's words and despair*  new
Martin 02-05-10 08:36 
 Broadhurst's deeply offensive allegation that I called for "SUPPRESSION"!  new
Martin 02-05-10 09:25 
 Re: Broadhurst's deeply offensive allegation that I called for "SUPPRESSION"!  new
marg 02-05-10 14:24 
 MARG DOTH BUT REPEAT THE OFFENSE!  new
Martin 02-09-10 07:19 
 I'm *sorry* that I hadn't read this earlier, Martin  new
Jersey Girl 02-03-10 00:31 
 Excellent! Spot on!  new
Martin 02-03-10 03:22 
 Stepping in again, Martin, please read this  new
Jersey Girl 02-04-10 20:08 
 Vision  new
Martin 02-05-10 05:50 
 Re: Vision and seeing the light  new
Jersey Girl 02-05-10 22:40 
 LOUD I am!  new
Martin 02-09-10 05:48 
 *** IN LITTLE WORDS, or at least in LITTLE SENTENCES *** PLEASE READ!  new
Martin 02-04-10 04:03 
 This was your best  new
Jersey Girl 02-05-10 23:37 
 mikwut has nothing to do with this discussion  new
marg 02-04-10 21:41 
 If mikwut has nothing to do with this discussion, then  new
Jersey Girl 02-04-10 21:57 
 Re: If mikwut has nothing to do with this discussion, then  new
marg 02-04-10 22:01 
 Re: If mikwut has nothing to do with this discussion, then  new
Jersey Girl 02-04-10 22:05 
 Re: If mikwut has nothing to do with this discussion, then  new
marg 02-05-10 13:02 
 Broadhurst, I ask that you not re-phrase or re-characterize my words  new
Martin 02-05-10 09:40 
 Re: Broadhurst, I ask that you not re-phrase or re-characterize my words  new
Uncle Dale 02-05-10 11:33 
 Re: Broadhurst, I ask that you not re-phrase or re-characterize my words  new
marg 02-05-10 14:49 


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