OT: language origin and creationism

[Salikoko S. Mufwene]

Cohen, Gerald Leonard wrote:
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> 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.
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SSM: Your earlier response did not leave room for her to present her
case. I think this would be one of the initial steps. You cannot refute
a position that has not been articulated/explained.
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> Gerald Cohen
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> ________________________________
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> American Dialect Society on behalf of Salikoko S. Mufwene, Wed 3/31/2010 4:49 PM:
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> <snip>
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> 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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> <snip>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

--
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Salikoko S. Mufwene                    s-mufwene at uchicago.edu
The Frank J. McLoraine Distinguished Service Professor of Linguistics and the College
Professor, Committee on Evolutionary Biology
University of Chicago                  773-702-8531; FAX 773-834-0924
Department of Linguistics
1010 East 59th Street
Chicago, IL 60637, USA
http://humanities.uchicago.edu/faculty/mufwene
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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org