I reiterate:

Please show me where I ever said I "never" make an argument for or against anything. Or even that I'm against requiring evidence for my arguments. Or perhaps it won't be possible to do that since the accusation that I said that was a complete fabrication in the first place.


It astonishes me that I would need to explain this to a fully grown adult, and an educated one, no less...


spec·u·late --

a: to meditate on or ponder a subject : reflect b: to review something idly or casually and often inconclusively


opin·ion --

1 a: a view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter b: approval, esteem2 a: belief stronger than impression and less strong than positive knowledge b: a generally held view


ar·gu·ment --

a: a reason given in proof or rebuttal b: discourse intended to persuade

http://www.merriam-webster.com/


Subject: RE: BS: War in Georgia
From: CarolC - PM
Date: 23 Aug 08 - 01:34 PM

Evidence is only needed when one is saying that something is fact, or making an argument for or against something. Opinion and speculation do not need evidence. If someone feels that he or she has a right to dictate how other people discuss their opinions and speculations, that person has an unhealthy need to control others.


As we can see, I said that evidence is not needed for opinion and speculation. This is because one of the reasons people are speculating and stating opinions on the subject in question (instead of making arguments about it one way or another) is because there aren't enough facts available to make an argument. If there was enough evidence for to make an argument, people would be making an argument instead of speculating and/or offering opinions.

In my case, however, I didn't do any of these three. All I did was post an article that I found interesting, which is another thing altogether.

However, any observant person who has taken any time at all to read any of my posting history knows that I have no problem with making arguments when I feel I have enough facts available to me to do so, and that I do so regularly.

So I would suggest spending some time learning the difference between speculation, opinion, and argument, and then learning how to discern when people are doing one or the other of these things (or none of them).