39 ms·

As opposed to your uncritical lack of appreciation?

• charlieok 14y ago
  Not really sure what you mean, but don't want to fight about it.
  • jovrtn 14y ago
    Questioning whether Chomsky was worth the teacher's praise demonstrated that you held the uncritical viewpoint, not her.
    • charlieok 14y ago
      It was never about Chomsky or whether he's "worth the teacher's praise". I don't care how great somebody is. It still comes off badly to refer to them as "the great man" and appeal to their authority if you want to persuade your reader of something.
      • nessus42 14y ago
        I disagree. Replace Chomsky with Lincoln or Jefferson or Newton or Einstein. Would you object then? "Great" doesn't imply correctness. It implies only profound respect for one's achievements. Furthermore, the OP did not appeal to authority. She cited a claim from a reputable source, and asserted that this claimed seemed to be evident in her own experience. She never asserted that the claim was true merely because Chomsky said so. Your criticism is no more valid than it would be for the case where she might document evidence from her personal life for one of Newton's theories.