Subject: RE: On PR-actions, signatures and debate

From: "Nelson, David" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 7 Oct 2005 16:25:43 -0400

Anthony G. Atkielski writes...

> Then it should be straightforward to automate it in the form of a
> robot that emotionlessly evaluates each post.

No.  I did not claim that the evaluation was objective.  It is in fact
subjective.  I do claim that the "reasonable man" (and I use that term
in the sense that the legal profession uses it) can fairly easily
recognize abuse when he sees it.  I suppose this is akin to one US
Supreme Court Justice's opinion on the definition of pornography: "I
can't define it, but I know it when I see it."

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From: "Nelson, David" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 7 Oct 2005 16:33:29 -0400

Eric Gray writes...

> 	To one person, the mere fact that another person disgrees
> with them is conclusive proof that they don't understand.  To
> another person, the mere statement that they don't understand
> clearly implies some impairment.
> 
> 	It's possible that both of these people might be taking
> things a lot more personally than either of them should.

I agree.  I think the threshold for personal abuse ought not to include
clarifications (e.g. "I think you misunderstand my point.") but rather
more explicit assessment of impairments (e.g. "You are totally
clueless.").