mck@ratex.UUCP (Daniel Kian Mc Kiernan) (04/10/85)
Tim sevener complains >I am tired of the constant refrain "strawman" to any objection >or different interpretation of Libertarian ideology. In point of fact, the charge of "strawman" is not levelled at just ANY objection or interpretation of Libertarian ideology, it is levelled at false assertions about what Libertarians think or say; sevener's above complaint is just such a strawman -- a strawman argument about the use of the term 'strawman'! Rather than quote an instance where the charge has illegitimately been levelled against him, sevener produces a lengthy and tedious hypothetical case where it COULD illegitimately be levelled against him; actual cases do not exist to substantiate his claim. >My attempts to challenge the *assumptions* of Libertarianism are entirely >legitimate and cannot be refuted by simply labelling such challenges >as "strawman" arguments. I'm not aware of any case where a Libertarian has 'simply' labelled your challenges 'strawman arguments'; I, for one, use the far-more annoying tactic of SUBSTANTIATING the fact that you use straw-man arguments. The really pathetic thing about your approach is that a number of intelligent criticism CAN be directed at Libertarianism, but you're so used to using rhetorical-intimidation tactics that you cannot use logic to discover these for yourself. Back later, DKMcK