Difference between revisions of "Quote mining"

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Quote mining is a term used primarily by defenders of the theory of evolution to oppose quoting evolutionists' own criticisms of the theory.{{fact}} Quote mining does not refer simply to taking a quote out of context, as there is already a well-understood phrase for that.  Rather, quote mining reflects an objection to quoting someone for criticizing his own belief system, on the theory that if he still believes in the system then it is somehow unfair to quote his criticism of it.
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Quote mining, aka contextomy<ref>http://mcs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/27/4/511</ref>, is a rhetorical tactic that is widely considered to be intellectually dishonest.  Quote mining occurs when a quotation is either taken [[out of context]] or abridged in such a way as to give an impression the 'miner' desires, but which is not that of the original person quoted. <ref>http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/quotes/mine/project.html</ref> Quote Mining, especially where a list of quotes (a "mine") is produced, reflects a deliberate and systematic misrepresentation of the original view(s) of the author(s).  The modern term quote mining was coined in response to intentionally out of context quotes being used to 'prove' [[evolution]] was not supported by prominent scientists, when in fact it is.  Its use however has expanded beyond discussions of evolution (examples: [http://scienceblogs.com/deltoid/2006/05/owen_mcshane_goes_quote_mining.php], [http://reddit.com/info/137ak/comments/c137dj], [http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=151147], [http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2006_08/009300.php]).
  
 
==Examples==
 
==Examples==
  
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An out of context mined quotation<ref>http://www.saintsalive.com/general/wonderfully.htm</ref> (bold), from the full quote<ref>http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1228</ref> (in italics):
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An out of context mined quotation <ref>http://www.saintsalive.com/general/wonderfully.htm</ref> (bold), from the full quote <ref>http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1228</ref> (in italics):
  
 
<blockquote>"'''''To suppose that the eye, with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree.''' Yet reason tells me, that if numerous gradations from a perfect and complex eye to one very imperfect and simple, each grade being useful to its possessor, can be shown to exist; if further, the eye does vary ever so slightly, and the variations be inherited, which is certainly the case; and if any variation or modification in the organ be ever useful to an animal under changing conditions of life, then the difficulty of believing that a perfect and complex eye could be formed by natural selection, though insuperable by our imagination, can hardly be considered real.''" -- [[Charles Darwin]], from ''[[The Origin of Species]]'', 1859.</blockquote>
 
<blockquote>"'''''To suppose that the eye, with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree.''' Yet reason tells me, that if numerous gradations from a perfect and complex eye to one very imperfect and simple, each grade being useful to its possessor, can be shown to exist; if further, the eye does vary ever so slightly, and the variations be inherited, which is certainly the case; and if any variation or modification in the organ be ever useful to an animal under changing conditions of life, then the difficulty of believing that a perfect and complex eye could be formed by natural selection, though insuperable by our imagination, can hardly be considered real.''" -- [[Charles Darwin]], from ''[[The Origin of Species]]'', 1859.</blockquote>
  
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An abridged mined quotation<ref>http://www.spinsanity.org/columns/20030522.html</ref> (bold), from the full quote<ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/05/20030505-4.html</ref> (in italics):
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An abridged mined quotation <ref>http://www.spinsanity.org/columns/20030522.html</ref> (bold), from the full quote <ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/05/20030505-4.html</ref> (in italics):
  
 
<blockquote>"'''''Al Qaeda is on the run. That group of terrorists who attacked our country is slowly, but surely being decimated.''' Right now, about half of all the top al Qaeda operatives are either jailed or dead. In either case, '''they're not a problem anymore.''' And we'll stay on the hunt. To make sure America is a secure country, the al Qaeda terrorists have got to understand it doesn't matter how long it's going to take, they will be brought to justice.''" -- [[George W. Bush]], May 5, 2003. </blockquote>
 
<blockquote>"'''''Al Qaeda is on the run. That group of terrorists who attacked our country is slowly, but surely being decimated.''' Right now, about half of all the top al Qaeda operatives are either jailed or dead. In either case, '''they're not a problem anymore.''' And we'll stay on the hunt. To make sure America is a secure country, the al Qaeda terrorists have got to understand it doesn't matter how long it's going to take, they will be brought to justice.''" -- [[George W. Bush]], May 5, 2003. </blockquote>
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==References==
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<references/>
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
* [http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/7547/cequotes.html Selected Creation/Evolution Quotes]  
 
* [http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/7547/cequotes.html Selected Creation/Evolution Quotes]  
 
* [http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/Tools/Quotes.asp Creation Quotes] list from [[Answers in Genesis]]
 
* [http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/Tools/Quotes.asp Creation Quotes] list from [[Answers in Genesis]]
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* [http://creationwiki.org/%28Talk.Origins%29_Quote-mining (Talk.Origins) Quote-mining - CreationWiki]
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*[http://creationwiki.org/%28Talk.Origins%29_Quote-mining (Talk.Origins) Quote-mining - CreationWiki]
 
* [http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/quotes/mine/project.html The Quote Mine Project] - hosted by the [[talk.origins]] archive
 
* [http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/quotes/mine/project.html The Quote Mine Project] - hosted by the [[talk.origins]] archive
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==See also==
 
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*[[Out of context]]
 
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==References==
 
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<references/>
 

Revision as of 21:37, April 30, 2007

Quote mining, aka contextomy[1], is a rhetorical tactic that is widely considered to be intellectually dishonest. Quote mining occurs when a quotation is either taken out of context or abridged in such a way as to give an impression the 'miner' desires, but which is not that of the original person quoted. [2] Quote Mining, especially where a list of quotes (a "mine") is produced, reflects a deliberate and systematic misrepresentation of the original view(s) of the author(s). The modern term quote mining was coined in response to intentionally out of context quotes being used to 'prove' evolution was not supported by prominent scientists, when in fact it is. Its use however has expanded beyond discussions of evolution (examples: [1], [2], [3], [4]).

Examples

An out of context mined quotation [3] (bold), from the full quote [4] (in italics):

"To suppose that the eye, with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree. Yet reason tells me, that if numerous gradations from a perfect and complex eye to one very imperfect and simple, each grade being useful to its possessor, can be shown to exist; if further, the eye does vary ever so slightly, and the variations be inherited, which is certainly the case; and if any variation or modification in the organ be ever useful to an animal under changing conditions of life, then the difficulty of believing that a perfect and complex eye could be formed by natural selection, though insuperable by our imagination, can hardly be considered real." -- Charles Darwin, from The Origin of Species, 1859.

An abridged mined quotation [5] (bold), from the full quote [6] (in italics):

"Al Qaeda is on the run. That group of terrorists who attacked our country is slowly, but surely being decimated. Right now, about half of all the top al Qaeda operatives are either jailed or dead. In either case, they're not a problem anymore. And we'll stay on the hunt. To make sure America is a secure country, the al Qaeda terrorists have got to understand it doesn't matter how long it's going to take, they will be brought to justice." -- George W. Bush, May 5, 2003.

References

  1. ↑ http://mcs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/27/4/511
  2. ↑ http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/quotes/mine/project.html
  3. ↑ http://www.saintsalive.com/general/wonderfully.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1228
  5. ↑ http://www.spinsanity.org/columns/20030522.html
  6. ↑ http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/05/20030505-4.html

External Links

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