Difference between revisions of "Deliberate ignorance"

Revision as of 02:02, December 13, 2011

Deliberate ignorance is the practice of refusing to consider or discuss logic or evidence disproving ideologically motivated positions. Related concepts are wishful thinking and the fallacy of invincible ignorance. Examples of deliberate ignorance include:

Claiming that homosexuality is a choice. This leaves the idea that all heterosexuals can deliberately be attracted to men if they want to, which contradicts modern studies.

Claiming that conservatism is right. Conservatism is what caused slavery, inequalities for blacks and women, and antisemitism.

Ignorance of certain Biblical scriptures in Christianity. For example, many Christians condemn homosexuality, but condone eating bacon (plus they haven't gotten around to stoning their cheating wives yet).

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 '''Deliberate ignorance''' is the practice of refusing to consider or discuss logic or evidence disproving ideologically motivated positions.  Related concepts are [[wishful thinking]] and the [[fallacy of invincible ignorance]].  Examples of deliberate ignorance include:
-* [[Howard Dean]], a physician, former Governor, and longtime politician, refusing to recognize that [[taxpayer-funded abortion]] increases the number of [[abortion]]s<ref>http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/210vssua.asp?</ref>
+*Claiming that homosexuality is a choice. This leaves the idea that all heterosexuals can deliberately be attracted to men if they want to, which contradicts modern studies.
-* [[abortionists]] refuse to address the undisclosed harm to the mothers who have [[abortions]]
-* refusing to acknowledge the inferior credentials of the critics of [[Richard Sternberg]], whom they ostracize for having published an [[intelligent design]] article
-* [[Democrats]] refusing to acknowledge [[Barack Obama]]'s appeal to unpatriotic donors and supporters
-* [[materialists]] refuse to address the impossibility of material explanation for [[animal migration|migration]] and [[homing]]
-* [[evolutionists]] refuse to address the lack of a plausible evolutionary path for the [[whale]] and the other [[counterexamples to evolution]].
-* Believing that only one ideology could ever make mistakes; constantly demonizing that ideology while [[special pleading|ignoring the faults of one's own]] (a particulary [[Liberal]] fault).
-* [[liberals]] refuse to address how [[socialism]] destroys productivity
-* [[Liberals]] who [[Bible denier|refuse to acknowledge]] the many fundamental truths in the [[Bible]] and even dismiss out-of-hand the many examples of [[Biblical scientific foreknowledge]] but refuse to read the Bible.
-* Advocates of the [[global warming theory]] refuse to consider any scientific evidence which shows that natural causes have always had a greater effect on terrestrial air temperature than human activity.
-* [[Liberal Christianity|Liberal]] [[Cafeteria Christianity|cafeteria Christians]] refuse to consider [[Bible]] verses that contradict their preconceived notions of what the Bible should say.
-* Liberal Internet discussion boards quickly delete posts that present facts contradicting liberal ideology and ban users making such posts.
-* Believing sentimental fallacies about public figures even when all the objective facts clearly indicate that said fallacies are false.
-* [[Liberals]] who claim that the [[first amendment]] says that public officials are not allowed to acknowledge America's Christan heritage.
-Common expressions of [[deliberate ignorance]] include:
+*Claiming that conservatism is right. Conservatism is what caused slavery, inequalities for blacks and women, and antisemitism.
-*"I find that hard to believe!" (Howard Dean, June 11, 2008, in response to a fact ignored by [[liberals]]<ref>http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/210vssua.asp?</ref>)
+*Ignorance of certain Biblical scriptures in Christianity. For example, many Christians condemn homosexuality, but condone eating bacon (plus they haven't gotten around to stoning their cheating wives yet).
-* "I'm not aware of that!" (without admitting a failure to look)
-* "I've never seen that in the [[New York Times]]!"
-* "That's not what it said in my ([[public school]]) textbook!"
-* "Let's talk about something else!"
-* "I'm not interested in that!"
-* "That [[Logical_fallacy#Appeal_to_pity|offends me]]!" (used as an excuse not to consider facts or logic)
-* "You're persecuting me!" (when the "persecution" consists only of pointing out inconvenient facts or logic)
-* "That's not true in my experience," with the implication that it therefore [[black-swan fallacy|cannot be true at all]]
-Deliberate ignorance is clearly quoted from the Bible in 2 Peter 3:3-6: "Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they ''deliberately forget'' that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed." (NIV) This is only referring to the denial of God's magnificent handiwork in the creation.
-== Crime of Deliberate Ignorance ==
-'''Deliberate ignorance''' can be a crime.  For example, jurors were instructed "to consider whether ... former Enron Corp. executives deliberately ignored accounting fraud as the energy trader fell into bankruptcy."<ref>http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2006/05/11/enron_jury_to_consider_deliberate_ignorance/</ref>
-== References ==
-{{reflist}}
-[[Category:Rhetoric]]
-[[Category:Liberal Traits]]

Difference between revisions of "Deliberate ignorance"

Revision as of 02:02, December 13, 2011

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