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.  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 is a term used primarily by defenders of the theory of evolution to oppose the creationist practice of arguing by quotation.  Quote mining refers to several practices including taking a portion of a quotation out of context, presenting out-of-date material as current, removing an intervening passage from a quotation without an ellipsis, improper citation, or otherwise manipulating the text.  The effect of quote mining is to make it appear that the speaker is making a point contrary to his actual intent when the speaker may be employing rhetoric or explaining his opponents' arguments.
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Aside from the fact that quote mining in and of itself is a disingenuous practice, it also commits the logical fallacy of appeal to authority.  Even if the mined quote were factual, the opinion of a single individual, or group of individuals would not affect the actual validity of a scientific theory.  Theories are decided on their merit and correspondance to the evidence, not the opinions of "authorities."
  
 
==Examples==
 
==Examples==
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<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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For other examples of quote mining, please see the Conservapedia article on [[evolution]].
  
 
==References==
 
==References==

Revision as of 17:05, May 5, 2007

Quote mining is a term used primarily by defenders of the theory of evolution to oppose the creationist practice of arguing by quotation. Quote mining refers to several practices including taking a portion of a quotation out of context, presenting out-of-date material as current, removing an intervening passage from a quotation without an ellipsis, improper citation, or otherwise manipulating the text. The effect of quote mining is to make it appear that the speaker is making a point contrary to his actual intent when the speaker may be employing rhetoric or explaining his opponents' arguments.

Aside from the fact that quote mining in and of itself is a disingenuous practice, it also commits the logical fallacy of appeal to authority. Even if the mined quote were factual, the opinion of a single individual, or group of individuals would not affect the actual validity of a scientific theory. Theories are decided on their merit and correspondance to the evidence, not the opinions of "authorities."

Examples

An out of context mined quotation [1] (bold), from the full quote [2] (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 [3] (bold), from the full quote [4] (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.

For other examples of quote mining, please see the Conservapedia article on evolution.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.saintsalive.com/general/wonderfully.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1228
  3. ↑ http://www.spinsanity.org/columns/20030522.html
  4. ↑ http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/05/20030505-4.html

External Links

See also

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