Liberals and reason do not mix, because as soon as the conversation turns toward reason and rationality, liberalism is on shaky ground. The typical liberal reaction to an argument which refutes a liberal position is to:
- attack the character of the person making the argument (see ad hominem)
- complain that the argument is too short or too long
- complain that the argument was expressed the wrong format or venue
- avoid everything but actually addressing the points being made
- make quick use of the quote, "There are three types of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."
Of course, not all liberals are hostile to reason, but their problems arise in that they discard reason and open dialogue whenever it gets in their way or refutes their position. This comes in sharp contrast to conservatives, who, in the words of Christian psychiatrist M. Scott Peck, practice:
- "Dedication to reality at all costs!"
A feminist example
“Our culture, including all that we are taught in schools and universities, is so infused with patriarchal thinking that it must be torn up root and branch if genuine change is to occur. Everything must go - even the allegedly universal disciplines of logic, mathematics and science, and the intellectual values of objectivity, clarity and precision on which the former depend.” — Daphne Patai and Noretta Koertge, Professing Feminism: Cautionary Tales from the Strange World of Women’s Studies, (New York Basic Books, 1994), p.116 [1]