First:

What logic isn't

It's worth mentioning a couple of things which logic is not.

Firstly, logical reasoning is not an absolute law which governs the universe. Many times in the past, people have concluded that because something is logically impossible (given the science of the day), it must be impossible, period. It was also believed at one time that Euclidean geometry was a universal law; it is, after all, logically consistent. Again, we now know that the rules of Euclidean geometry are not universal.

Secondly, logic is not a set of rules which govern human behavior. Humans may have logically conflicting goals. For example:

• John wishes to speak to whoever is in charge.

• The person in charge is Steve.

• Therefore John wishes to speak to Steve.

Unfortunately, John may have a conflicting goal of avoiding Steve, meaning that the reasoned answer may be inapplicable to real life.

This document only explains how to use logic; you must decide whether logic is the right tool for the job. There are other ways to communicate, discuss and debate.

 

Next, Thirty-eight dishonest tricks which are commonly used in argument, with the methods of overcoming them so you know when you're getting played. This crap happens in newspapers and such, not just in blog comments.

Emphasis added to my personal favorites. Not like you have to memorize stuff...

I've linked several of Mr. Colbert's op-eds on Mr. Rosenbaum's murder and subsequent investigation. His pushing the issue is part of why the D.C. Police responded as they did. I approve of the articles. I have no real comment on Rev. Evans' letter because I don't have it.

Six columns about Rosenbaum have appeared on The Post's op-ed pages, all written by yours truly. Perhaps the Rev. Evans has also concluded that I regard David Rosenbaum as more important than a "nameless African American male." Otherwise why send me a copy of his letter to Wainstein?

If so, he deserves a response.

I've linked several of Mr. Colbert's op-eds on Mr. Rosenbaum's murder and subsequent investigation. His pushing the issue is part of why the D.C. Police responded as they did. I approve of the articles. I have no real comment on Rev. Evans' letter because I don't have it.

From Mr. Colbert's reaction, I suspect Rev. Evans may have done better by saying that, having shown it possible to investigate such crimes, this is now the standard to which D.C. Police investigations will be held by the community. By casting it as a "Black on Black crime" issue you move it from a law enforcement issue to a social sciences issue.

A Calculus of Race and Death?
By Colbert I. King
Saturday, June 3, 2006; Page A17

The Rev. Anthony Evans, president of the D.C. Black Church Initiative, unloaded both barrels at Kenneth Wainstein, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, in a May 19 letter addressed to Wainstein, copies of which were sent to me, other journalists and media outlets, and public officials, including Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and D.C. Police Chief Charles Ramsey.

The thrust of the Evans missive, which he elected to characterize as "moral outrage," is that Mr. Wainstein's office observes "a double standard when it comes to race." Evans, who is associate pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church at 14th and Gallatin streets NW, wrote Wainstein of his dismay that, in the face of an "alarming rate of Black-on-Black crime (especially males)" in the District, "you have demonstrated that you devalue the deaths of those individuals by the scant amount of resources that you have devoted to solving those cases."