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What Is Anthropocentrism: Examples, Problems, Solutions

March 14, 2022

Philosophy, Society

anthropocentrism, fallacy, ignorance, philosophy, society

6 comments

Many of us think they’re individually the center of the universe. The irony is, they might be right, but that’s a discussion for another day. The same concept in a wider context is called anthropocentrism. In simple terms, anthropocentrism is the assumption that humans are the most important entities in the universe.

The problem is not so much the belief itself. After all, many of us would likely consider the possibility that other life forms exist in the universe. Probably many of us would also consider the possibility that alien life forms not only exist but are as or even more intelligent than we are.

So, is anthropocentrism “a thing”? Does it really exist?

The question is yes, indirectly. And that’s what makes it insidious. In other words, the true danger of anthropocentrism arises from the fact that it’s subconscious: We’re often not aware we express anthropocentric behavior. That is, we might state we don’t think humans are the center of the universe, we might really believe it, too, yet we act and think as if we were.

So let’s take a look at what anthropocentrism really is, together with examples of anthropocentric behavior. We’ll see what kind of problems such behavior produces, and what some possible solutions could be.

anthropocentrism
The problem with anthropocentrism is not so much the belief we’re truly the center of the universe – or any context; such as our own planet – but that we act as if we were
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What Is Cargo Cult Writing and Why It’s Damaging

September 27, 2021

Society, Writing

fallacy, ignorance, post hoc, society, writing

4 comments

A cargo cult is a belief system in which a group of people – typically indigenous tribes in contact with a technologically advanced culture – perform imitative rituals expecting a deity to offer them, too, the same technology. So far so good. But what about cargo cult writing?

Allow me first to talk a bit more about cargo cults, because the essence is important in understanding what is cargo cult writing and why it’s damaging to you as an author.

As Wikipedia informs us, although the phenomenon is older, it began to be noticeable in Pacific islands after WW2, when isolated cultures came in contact with American and Japanese expeditionary forces that arrived (by air) in great numbers and with advanced logistical support :

After the war, the soldiers departed. Cargo cults arose, attempting to imitate the behaviors of the soldiers, thinking that this would cause the soldiers and their cargo to return. […] Cult behaviors usually involved mimicking the day-to-day activities and dress styles of US soldiers, such as performing parade ground drills with wooden or salvaged rifles. The islanders carved headphones from wood and wore them while sitting in fabricated control towers. They waved the landing signals while standing on the runways. They lit signal fires and torches to light up runways and lighthouses.

The concept of a cargo cult is often used as a metaphor to describe any activity where one imitates something without understanding it, expecting the same result. In some vague sense, it’s a post-hoc fallacy. “I saw a black cat and then I tripped and fell. It’s the black cat’s fault, so I better avoid black cats”.

As for cargo cult writing, you might have already guessed it: It’s when an author imitates what others do without realizing why or how, expecting similar results. Let’s see the various ways this can happen, and how to avoid it.

cargo cult writing
“Ernest Hemingway used a typewriter, so I need to use one too if I want to be a successful writer”. This simplistic example of cargo cult writing might sound ridiculous (because it is), but other manifestations are more insidious
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Strawman Fallacy: Examples and Repercussions

July 19, 2021

Philosophy

fallacy, internet, society, strawman

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The internet is sadly full of strawman fallacy examples. In contrast to the Bandwagon fallacy, and partly like the Appeal to Hypocrisy fallacy, the person committing the strawman fallacy is usually aware they are doing so. That is, one resorts to strawman arguments to ameliorate their otherwise weak argument. However, this isn’t set in stone. In other words, it’s possible for someone to commit the strawman fallacy inadvertently.

Regardless of the motive, this is a particularly widespread and unfortunately insidious fallacy. Some well-crafted iterations of it can be truly misleading, giving the impression of a solid argument. It’s important, then, to learn to recognize it. This is precisely what we’ll do in this post, as we’ll take a closer look at some strawman fallacy examples, definitions, and ways to counter its use.

strawman fallacy examples
Fields are full of straw, and the internet is full of strawman fallacy examples
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