Q&A: Hello Rabbi
Hello Rabbi
Question
Hello Rabbi,
A. First of all, thank you for the lectures on critical thinking. I didn’t understand why you don’t accept slippery slope arguments. I agree that in a world where everyone thinks in a cold, detached way there’s no room for that argument, but that’s not the case when people are leading a community.
B. Regarding the trilogy, just a comment: everyone went after the second book, but in my view the third book is much more revolutionary and significant, no?
C. Is there any chance you’d make a series for people who have already studied Talmud in the past, on methods of learning Talmud, difficulties in the Talmud, and so on?
Thanks
Answer
A. It’s not that I don’t accept such arguments. I never said that anywhere. What I said is that it’s important to distinguish between arguments about the issue itself and slippery slope arguments. People aren’t careful to distinguish between policy arguments and halakhic arguments, and that flattens the discussion. True, I do tend to reduce the weight of slippery slope arguments very significantly.
B. I think so too.
C. I don’t know. I’m also not sure there’s demand for it.
Discussion on Answer
It’s mainly because such an argument instructs us to do something wrong now in order to prevent future harm. It means mortgaging the present for the sake of the future. Right now you are definitely doing something wrong so that in the future something problematic might not happen. A doubt cannot override a certainty. Therefore, the burden of proof is on the one who claims that this should be done.
If I see that there is demand, I’ll consider it.
+1 regarding a Talmud series.
I fear that when everyone thinks with a coldness like ice, the concern for a slippery slope actually increases, since it is the nature of ice to be slippery 🙂
Best regards, Wolan Ski
I too am adding one more vote of demand for the Talmud series.
A. I meant on the second level. You don’t accept it because in most cases the harm is greater than the benefit when using arguments like these?
C. We’ll spread it by word of mouth; I believe many will join…