According to PZ Myers: Being Rational = Being a Dick

I certainly don't intend to make light of PZ's recent health issues. But I do think it's worth pointing out that PZ here confuses "being a dick" with "making rational decisions or judgments".  He also bizarrely associates the angel on his shoulder with stupidity and irrationality, and the devil on his shoulder with the point of view of reason.  And he attributes his seeking medical assistance to the "virtue of dickishness".  This ridiculous pattern of thought might explain a lot of PZ's more absurd behavior.  In any case, I hope he gets well.

Comments

[Dan Hicks]

Are you stumping for niceness here or just opposed to the identification of rationality and dickishness?

[Scott]

I'm trying not to be a total dick, yes. (He's also sick. He deserves some extra nice treatment just because of that.) I actually expected the first comment to dispute whether or not he identified the two. So I'm pleasantly surprised it did not.

Myers wrote this in the comments thread:

"What's wrong with some of you people? Of course going to the hospital was the rational decision. But people aren't rational, not even me. Rationality is an artificial state that we have to work to achieve. My point here is that my goad was concern about the impressions my neglect would leave with other people." -Myers

A very sophisticated defense of his position (whatever that might be), isn't it?

[Liberation]

Great resources here. I’ll be back for the next your posting. Keep writing and happy blogging.