Rash

[david_x]

Is it wrong to attribute one quality to someone because of something else they believe?

I have heard some very strange things like:

"All pro-lifers want the death penalty."
"All pro-lifers don't want healthcare for everyone."

 

[lawtonfogle]

Depends if it is a trend or not.

 

[david_x]

Depends if it is a trend or not.

That is horrible! You can't call every "insert race" person poor just because most are!

 

[b&wpac4]

Is it wrong to attribute one quality to someone because of something else they believe?

I have heard some very strange things like:

"All pro-lifers want the death penalty."
"All pro-lifers don't want healthcare for everyone."

Generally, I don't like saying "All X do Y" unless it's something absolutely provable. (All humans need to breath, for example)

That being said, what about "All non-believers hate God/Jesus?" How do you feel about that one?

 

[lordbt]

That being said, what about "All non-believers hate God/Jesus?" How do you feel about that one?

Wont work. I dont hate God/Jesus. I dont believe there is anything there to hate. Or love, for that matter.

 

[b&wpac4]

Wont work. I dont hate God/Jesus. I dont believe there is anything there to hate. Or love, for that matter.

Well, obviously. I am curious about his opinion.

 

[david_x]

Generally, I don't like saying "All X do Y" unless it's something absolutely provable. (All humans need to breath, for example)

That being said, what about "All non-believers hate God/Jesus?" How do you feel about that one?

That is completely untrue, there are many non-believers that love God, they just don't know him by name yet.

 

[b&wpac4]

That is completely untrue, there are many non-believers that love God, they just don't know him by name yet.

Good to hear that. There are those among you that would disagree greatly.

 

[david_x]

Good to hear that. There are those among you that would disagree greatly.

Yeah, darn Jesus hoarders.

 

[b&wpac4]

Yeah, darn Jesus hoarders.

Well, it's a viewpoint that has been thrown at me more often than I would care to admit. However, to your OP, it is almost always stupid to make large general statements.

 

[david_x]

Well, it's a viewpoint that has been thrown at me more often than I would care to admit. However, to your OP, it is almost always stupid to make large general statements.

I thought that it was pretty common for people to think like that, not making generalizations. It could have been a cultural breakdown, because I think the one making the statements was Canadian. Often times different cultures have very different ways of being polite I guess.

 

[b&wpac4]

I thought that it was pretty common for people to think like that, not making generalizations. It could have been a cultural breakdown, because I think the one making the statements was Canadian. Often times different cultures have very different ways of being polite I guess.

Canada's culture is not really different than the US's culture.

 

[david_x]

Canada's culture is not really different than the US's culture.

Maybe not that different, but you know the rest of the world likes Canada more than the U.S.

 

[lawtonfogle]

That is horrible! You can't call every "insert race" person poor just because most are!

But in the lack of any other evidence about them except some quality, you have to look at the base rate. Sticking to looking at the base rate in the face of evidence on the contrary is idiotic though.

 

[lawtonfogle]

Wont work. I dont hate God/Jesus. I dont believe there is anything there to hate. Or love, for that matter.

And so all the fans of Twilight who hate one side or the other don't really hate them?

It is possible to hate/love something that does not exist, it is just that, on average, people don't.

 

[quatona]

Is it wrong to attribute one quality to someone because of something else they believe?

Generalizing groups? Usually a pretty bad idea.

I have heard some very strange things like:

"All pro-lifers want the death penalty."
"All pro-lifers don't want healthcare for everyone."

Too bad you´ve only heard them. Had you read them I would have asked you to provide us with links or verifiable quotes.

 

[nolongerhome]

Maybe not that different, but you know the rest of the world likes Canada more than the U.S.

How dare you make such generalisations about the rest of the world?

 

[JGG]

But in the lack of any other evidence about them except some quality, you have to look at the base rate. Sticking to looking at the base rate in the face of evidence on the contrary is idiotic though.

And thus, racism was approved!

 

[lawtonfogle]

And thus, racism was approved!

Racism is the irrational belief. If you are walking through a dark alley, and a group of younger males begin to follow you, you are not unjustified in high tailing it to a safe place assuming you are unable to tell anything else about them. Yet, if it was some senior citizens walking around at night, following you, I would be no where near as worried. The point this becomes ageism (or any other ism) is when you ignore evidence to the contrary.

For another example, automatically assuming a woman has a better ability to express her emotions is not sexism, as this is backed by research. But holding that view once you find out she is a very 'business only' type person is when you enter the realm of sexism.

 

[JGG]

Racism is the irrational belief. If you are walking through a dark alley, and a group of younger males begin to follow you, you are not unjustified in high tailing it to a safe place assuming you are unable to tell anything else about them. Yet, if it was some senior citizens walking around at night, following you, I would be no where near as worried. The point this becomes ageism (or any other ism) is when you ignore evidence to the contrary.

For another example, automatically assuming a woman has a better ability to express her emotions is not sexism, as this is backed by research. But holding that view once you find out she is a very 'business only' type person is when you enter the realm of sexism.

So if I have a black applicant to my masters program, I shouldn't accept him simply because I know that African Americans are less educated than the norm, correct? Besides, he's more likely to have been in prison, more likely to have an illegitimate child, and more likely to have contracted HIV. I should assume all of this about him, right?

I should also assume that the Korean who has applied will do well, as Asians tend to score far higher on Academic Proficiency tests, yes?

How is this not the "base rate?" I mean other than "racism is bad?"