Re: I said what? (was "Astronomy" and "Earth" magazine's

Brian D Harper (bharper@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu)
Fri, 13 Mar 1998 12:48:39 -0500

At 08:32 PM 3/12/98 +0800, Steve wrote:

>Loren
>
>On Mon, 9 Mar 1998 11:45:10 -0500 (EST), Loren Haarsma wrote:
>
>>>LH>Since you generally prefer to quote people at length rather than
>>>>summarize their views, I wonder if -- in the future -- you'd do the
>>>>same for my views. ;-) Three parts of that sentence with my name
>>>>sound like mild misrepresentations to me.
>
>>SJ>See above about "misrepresentations". You automatically assume a *moral*
>>>fault (ie. "misrepresentations") on my part, rather than merely an
>>>intellectual fault (ie. mistake).
>
>LH>I wasn't assuming a moral fault. I'm sorry you got that impression;
>>I apologize if others got that impression as well. I wanted to
>>explain why I thought that one-sentence summary did not properly
>>represent my actual views. I assumed there was a difference
>>of interpretation. (Check the dictionary ... one of the definitions
>>(not the one I meant) does describe the word as sometimes with intent
>>to deceive.
>
>On Mon, 09 Mar 1998 11:20:28 -0500, Brian D Harper wrote:
>
>BH>What Loren said was "mild misrepresentations". There is no assumption
>>of moral fault in this statement. A misrepresentation can be made
>>deliberately, it can also be made by mistake.
>
>Indeed, as you and Brian both agree, "misprepresent" does carry with it
>a meaning (IMHO the primary meaning) of *deliberate* intention to *deceive*
> in the representation of another's views. If evolutionists on this Reflector
>want to regain their lost credibility (with me at least), they will need to
>*consistently* stop using such loaded words that imply moral, rather than
>merely intellectual, error or the part of their creationist opponents.
>

You have misunderstood what I wrote. "A misrepresentation can be
made deliberately, it can also be made by mistake." Given that
misrepresentation does not automatically imply moral fault, the
very least you should do is ask for a clarification before making
such a serious accusation.

On Mon, 10 Feb 97 you wrote:

#If Glenn persists in this continued misrepresentation of what I say
#on this "boat" topic, I will have no alternative but to regard it as
#deliberate.

Even though, in your opinion, Glenn had conducted "continued
misrepresentation" of what you said, you did not regard it as
deliberate. Why?

[...]

Brian Harper
Associate Professor
Applied Mechanics
The Ohio State University

"It is not certain that all is uncertain,
to the glory of skepticism." -- Pascal