Words of wisdom

[erratio]

From one of the mailing lists I frequent:

It's hard to get too dogmatic about whether you
use a shovel with a pointy tip or a flat tip; one works better
for one type of dirt, the other for another... but set two cars
side by side, both just about equally capable, and people will
get pretty passionate. Put two computers, each of which enable
the users to do just about everything that the other can do, and
the passions run even hotter. Two cameras, each capable of taking
a picture that only an expert could differentiate... and maybe
not even then... stand back! The only way to get people more
wound up is to set them arguing about something wholly (ehem)
imaginary like "god".

Comments

[doctorer.livejournal.com]

Indeed, some shovels are better suited to some things while others, others. If the two shovels you have in mind are equal in their difference - that is each is better than the other for approximately (if not precisely) 50% of the situations in which one would require a shovel - then it is clearly silly to have more than a personal, arbitrary preference.

But this does not apply when there is a case of clear superiority in one member of your set. For example, your comparison of computers can include a set wherein some computers or computer systems are objectively and inherently inferior to others for the majority (if not entirety) of situations wherein a computer would be necessary. Cameras too - this is an even easier domain, for there is consensus that superior and inferior devices exist (such as SLR and airport-disposables). It would be preposterous for someone to passionately declare and defend the proposal that an airport-kiosk-bought disposable camera is capable of taking photographs indistinguishable from those of an SLR camera "to all but experts" (who, of course, grow on trees).

Lastly, the troll-esque quip about "god". Such a small and insubstantial sentence (it makes a claim that goes beyond mere preposterous into the terrain of nonsense) packs so much volitional insult and bitterness.

[erratio.livejournal.com]

ok, some context is in order i see. By cameras he refers to Nikon versus Canon, and the higher end models. And from those, the models that are virtually identical in terms of specs.
Also, I think you were probably aware of the intended context and only posted as a means of procrastination.

[doctorer.livejournal.com]

How could I have been aware of the context? You didn't make any clarification at all, beyond you subscribing to the mailing list. -_-

[erratio.livejournal.com]

"Set two cars side by side, both just about equally capable.."

That's what I meant by the context. He's clearly comparing two similar things, and your comment seems to suggest that you read the following sentences after that as referring to two things that are entirely different in levels of capability... it seems like a non sequitor.

[doctorer.livejournal.com]

Ok, I'll grant that they may be more or less equally capable in this example. But since when do capability and quality mean the same things?

Certainly you may have two cars which are both capable of going from here to the shops. But how they do so is not indicated - one may do so without power steering, without air conditioning, without a freaking floor (get there Flintstones style). One is clearly better.

In any case, the context you provided came after my comments, and peripherally to his original statements. Thus based exclusively on those statements, my criticism stands.