After some thought, I have concluded that my own position on everything should be summed up in the term "pro-reason"; thus neatly re-positioning anyone who disagrees with me, as a fruitloop. Much simpler.
Richard, years ago an interviewer was trying to get Carl Sagan to take a public position on religion, asking "so what's your gut feeling on this?" Sagan replied, "I prefer to think with my mind, not my gut." Sounds pro-reason to me.
We don't see generally see signs like this in the UK, only normal advertisements. Presumably they are paid for and/or sponsored by anyone who just wants to preach their own ideological beliefs?
Colin, compared to TV, "outdoor advertising" is relatively inexpensive and so is popular here with advocacy groups. This small billboard in rural Pennsylvania must be very cheap to rent, but full size giant signs along the Interstate highways on major commuter routes often will have a few of these advocacy messages. My observation is that what is being advocated is most often a fundamentalist-religious agenda, but this same day I saw a series of billboards advocating world peace. I'll be sending one of those to Martin Storz for his Peace Project at The Pubic Eye Blog.
Carl: I and Prof Sagan probably try to walk the same stony path there. But my underlying point, was that this "pro-XXX" or "anti-XXX" style of terminology is without exception argumentative (in the straw-man school).
Those on either side of the rational/suprarational divide, are equally prone to this kind of shenanigan; but those on the rational side are at least a little ashamed to catch themselves committing it. Those on the other side, seem to think it's a hoot.
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After some thought, I have concluded that my own position on everything should be summed up in the term "pro-reason"; thus neatly re-positioning anyone who disagrees with me, as a fruitloop. Much simpler.
Richard, years ago an interviewer was trying to get Carl Sagan to take a public position on religion, asking "so what's your gut feeling on this?" Sagan replied, "I prefer to think with my mind, not my gut." Sounds pro-reason to me.
We don't see generally see signs like this in the UK, only normal advertisements. Presumably they are paid for and/or sponsored by anyone who just wants to preach their own ideological beliefs?
Colin, compared to TV, "outdoor advertising" is relatively inexpensive and so is popular here with advocacy groups. This small billboard in rural Pennsylvania must be very cheap to rent, but full size giant signs along the Interstate highways on major commuter routes often will have a few of these advocacy messages. My observation is that what is being advocated is most often a fundamentalist-religious agenda, but this same day I saw a series of billboards advocating world peace. I'll be sending one of those to Martin Storz for his Peace Project at The Pubic Eye Blog.
Carl: I and Prof Sagan probably try to walk the same stony path there. But my underlying point, was that this "pro-XXX" or "anti-XXX" style of terminology is without exception argumentative (in the straw-man school).
Those on either side of the rational/suprarational divide, are equally prone to this kind of shenanigan; but those on the rational side are at least a little ashamed to catch themselves committing it. Those on the other side, seem to think it's a hoot.
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