OT: language origin and creationism

[Cohen, Gerald Leonard]

But then on what grounds would the student justify the article as the "best source"?  If she wished to say, "Yes, all the  authorities in linguistics say such-and-such, but here is my evidence that they're wrong," that would be one thing. But unless she does in fact have a scholarly (vs. religious) reason to challenge the scholarly communis opinio, I don't see how she can say that the article she chose is the best source.
 
Gerald Cohen 
 

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American Dialect Society on behalf of Salikoko S. Mufwene, Wed 3/31/2010 4:49 PM:

 
<snip>
>
SSM: Shame on you! This is an invalid argument of authority. It sounds
like no sound argument can emerge from obscure sources (and from the
underdogs in science) and as if authoritative publications have always
been correct. I don't believe in creationism, but I would consider
addressing the subject matter from down the pedestal. If authorities
have always been correct, the books would have been closed on several
issues today.
>

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