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Article 1937 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: bill@NSMA.AriZonA.EdU (Bill Skaggs)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.books,sci.philosophy.tech,comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: Existence
Message-ID: <1991Dec7.123551.2220@arizona.edu>
Date: 7 Dec 91 19:35:50 GMT
References: <1991Dec5.202144.3220@vax.oxford.ac.uk> 
 <1991Dec6.165648.6234@husc3.harvard.edu> <1991Dec6.204854.2218@arizona.edu> <1991Dec7.070815.6257@husc3.harvard.edu>
Reply-To: bill@NSMA.AriZonA.EdU (Bill Skaggs)
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In article <1991Dec6.204854.2218@arizona.edu>
bill@NSMA.AriZonA.EdU (Bill Skaggs) writes:
>What difference does it make whether the number pi "exists"?

In article <1991Dec7.070815.6257@husc3.harvard.edu> zeleny@zariski.harvard.edu (Mikhail Zeleny) writes:
>None whatsoever to the hoi polloi.  What the fuck are you doing posting to
>a philosiophy newsgroup?  {. . . and a bunch of similar stuff}

Well, this calls for:


		INTELLECTUAL TERRITORIALITY

In many species of mammals the males are territorial:  they compete
for control of pieces of land.  Males with more desirable territories
are healthier, more successful in finding mates, and higher in social
status.

Human males are also territorial, but for *academic* human males the
territories they compete for are often intellectual rather than
geographic.  They strive to control domains of knowledge.  Their
weapons are argument and ridicule (rather than claws or teeth).  
Intruders are warned off with threat displays (displays of erudition).

Intellectual territory can be very important.  In academia it goes
a long way toward determining social status.  It can also be a
great nuisance, at least in science, because it can make the
desire to understand nature a weaker motivation than the need to
defend one's ideas.  In extreme cases it can leave the defender
isolated and embittered, unable to communicate with others.

		******************************

Mikhail, yours is one of the most rampant cases of intellectual 
territoriality I have ever seen.  You respond to any question
with a threat display.  This is a sign of insecurity:  what are
you afraid of?  You don't need to be afraid:  we can all see that
you're a smart guy, and we respect you.  Just lighten up a little,
all right?  Why don't you try a different strategy:  try welcoming
others into your territory with gifts of information, rather than
chasing them away with threats of ridicule.

	-- Bill 


