• @[email protected]
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    -223 hours ago

    The thing is, gesturing vaguely at something we thing is obvious, is not really a source. Even 1+1=2 has to be proven. I suspect that Zionism is just used as a pretext to be antisemitic by people who were going to anyways. But I also don’t have any data to back it up.

    • @aesthelete
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      22 hours ago

      Even 1+1=2 has to be proven.

      Disclaimer: This is off-topic.

      How do you prove this? Through definitions? An appeal to authority is not valid proof.

      This line of reasoning reminds me of when people were saying the “square root of 2 isn’t 1 because mathematical scholars say so”…No, it’s by definition not one. Count one thing one time, how many things have you counted? One.

      I don’t need a source or an authority for that nor for 1+1=2. I need to understand the basic definitions and concepts.

      • @[email protected]
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        119 hours ago

        The proof is something like 300+ pages long and they needed to invent a few new branches of mathematics to reach the end, because it’s strictly not based on appeal to authority. I didn’t even try to understand it, but it’s a cool piece of trivia.

        • @aesthelete
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          19 hours ago

          It’s a basic property of counting though, right?

          I mean I understand that there are academic standards of proof, but the idea that those are necessary for casual conversations about easily understood concepts is pretty ridiculous.

          It seems like one of those bojack memes where the drooling person at the one end and the Jedi at the other end would both say just count a couple of rocks and the nerd in between would be saying write a 300-page proof.

          • @[email protected]
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            117 hours ago

            Things like basic property of counting are not mathematical strict definitions.

            Relying on “dude, it’s obvious” doesn’t work in science, you need to prove things. Otherwise you’d think a feather and a cannonball always fall a different speeds, for instance.

            • @aesthelete
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              115 hours ago

              Mathematics isn’t an empirical science.

              And you’re trying to prove that mathematics works the same way as physics weirdly with regards to proof? It doesn’t. You do proofs in precalculus and none of them involve dropping cannonballs and feathers from the ceiling.

              But again, we’re not talking about an environment where formal proofs are necessary. This is social media, we’re a link under cat photos.

                • @aesthelete
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                  12 hours ago

                  And my point is that you don’t need data and rigor for every single discussion.

                  • @[email protected]
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                    11 hour ago

                    For something so sensitive, I like to have it. I won’t accept any broad generalization unless backed by a reputable study.

      • @[email protected]
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        223 hours ago

        It is often used by antisemites to disguise their antisemitism as valid criticism of zionism.

        That validity ends, once you attack any Jew for their Jewishness, attribute any wrongdoing of Jews to their Jewishness or straight up insult other people as “Jews”.

      • @[email protected]
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        123 hours ago

        That’s an option article, same as we are writing here. There could be statistics relating anti-semitic attacks to Israels activity, for instance. Claiming something is outside of objective science is a very lazy cope-out.

    • @[email protected]
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      123 hours ago

      The thing is, gesturing vaguely at something (…) obvious, is not really a source

      Yeah, it’s not like there’s a lot of people honestly and precisely detailing how they developed their bigoted attitudes. That doesn’t mean that you can’t reason your way to a logical conclusion, though.

        • @[email protected]
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          123 hours ago

          No, this (ascertaining the underlying causes of bigotry) is a place where definitive data by definition can’t exist and thus logically reaching the most probable conclusion based on what IS known must take its place.

          I’m trying to assume that your demands for the impossible are in good faith, but it’s getting difficult .

          • @[email protected]
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            019 hours ago

            As I said before, claiming data can’t exist is a lazy cope-out. I also presented an example of data that could work: antisemitic attacks per day vs activity of Israel in Gaza, plotted over time. Just an example, I’m no sociologist.

            • @[email protected]
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              19 hours ago

              As I said before, claiming data can’t exist is a lazy cope-out

              As far as bad faith reading goes, ignoring the word “definitive” to make your strawman fit is up there 🙄

              antisemitic attacks per day vs activity of Israel in Gaza, plotted over time. Just an example, I’m no sociologist.

              Nobody ever told you the difference between correlation and causation or the fact that bigotry consists of SO much more than just overt violence, did they?

              It’s clear that nothing good will come from continuing to indulge you, so I’m gonna go now. Have the day you deserve.