Assertions
There is an epistemological razor that states what can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence. This is known as Hitchens’s razor, created by and named after Christopher Hitchens, implying that the burden of proof regarding the truthfulness of a claim lies with the claimant. To a logician, this is quintessential; to a monarch, it is law.
From a fairness perspective, this is difficult to beat. While we may be free to assert whatever we would like, others are not obligated to entertain it. This is because assertions alone do not constitute an argument, they are merely words awaiting the gravity of adhering supports. Ideas that float well in thin air are shredded by even a mild gust of wind, which is precisely the fate they deserve.
The petulant authoritarians among us will attempt to supplant evidence with emotions in an attempt to exploit our innate empathy and conscientiousness. This strategy is particularly loathsome because any attempt to resist their emotional weaponry will be met with mendacious accusations ascribing callousness and indifference to objectors.
Maintaining a generous supply of COMEDIANS in any civilization is necessary to safeguard sense-making. Their craft revolves almost entirely around the examination of prolific assertions made by the powerful and the affluent. These modern jokers combine honesty and humour in a manner that dismisses poor quality assertions on our behalf, saving us time while making us laugh.
A reliable way to diagnose the health of a society is to observe how it treats its comedians.
Posted: 30 Dec 2022
