Does civility matter? | The question
The Arizona shootings may prompt reflection on whether we can be polite when debating things we profoundly disagree about
In the aftermath of the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords, there has been a lot of talk about the poisonous and violent character of American political rhetoric, and the way in which this may be corroding society. But is it reasonable to expect society to handle profound differences without brutality and rudeness?
In particular, religious discussion seems to attract ferocity and dismissal of other people's opinions. This raises some deep questions. Is society possible without civility? Is politeness itself dishonest and damaging when carried beyond a certain point? Should there be different standards of politeness when discussing facts and values is it possible or even desirable to be as rude as you like about someone's factual claims while respecting their expressions of value?
Monday's response
Steven Hepburn: We must respect our opponents' humanity
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