Difference between revisions of "Quote mining"

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"Quote mining" is a term not recognized by the dictionary, and which is used primarily by defenders of the theory of evolution to oppose the creationist practice of arguing by quotation.<ref>The term "quote mining" shows up on only 34,500 Google pages as of May 14, 2007 (less than one-tenth the number of pages returned when "Conservapedia" is searched, by comparison). At least five out of the first six of those pages returned by Google for a search on "quote mining" were written by evolutionists.</ref>  Quote mining refers to several practices including taking a portion of a quotation out of context, presenting out-of-date material as current, removing an intervening passage from a quotation without an ellipsis, improper citation, or otherwise manipulating the text.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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'''{{PAGENAME}}''' aka contextomy<ref>http://mcs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/27/4/511</ref>, refers to several practices including taking a portion of a quotation [[out of context]], presenting out-of-date material as current, removing an intervening passage from a quotation without an ellipsis, improper citation, or otherwise manipulating the text.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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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]).
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==Controversy==
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"Quote mining" is a term not recognized by the dictionary, and which is used primarily by defenders of the theory of evolution to oppose the creationist practice of arguing by quotation.<ref>The term "quote mining" shows up on only 34,500 Google pages as of May 14, 2007 (less than one-tenth the number of pages returned when "Conservapedia" is searched, by comparison). At least five out of the first six of those pages returned by Google for a search on "quote mining" were written by evolutionists.</ref>   
  
 
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 correspondence to the evidence, not the opinions of "authorities."
 
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 correspondence to the evidence, not the opinions of "authorities."

Revision as of 23:23, May 14, 2007

Quote mining aka contextomy[1], 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.

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]).

Controversy

"Quote mining" is a term not recognized by the dictionary, and which is used primarily by defenders of the theory of evolution to oppose the creationist practice of arguing by quotation.[2]

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 correspondence to the evidence, not the opinions of "authorities."

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. ↑ The term "quote mining" shows up on only 34,500 Google pages as of May 14, 2007 (less than one-tenth the number of pages returned when "Conservapedia" is searched, by comparison). At least five out of the first six of those pages returned by Google for a search on "quote mining" were written by evolutionists.
  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

See also

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