um, Joe, whether or not you or Candice believe Lind qualifies as a "serious"
thinker is really beside the point-- the issue is that he is *heard by many
and taken quite seriously by many*. That is the primary reason for
attempting to engage him and those in his orbit: not to sway him and the New
Criterion fellow-believers (which is highly unlikely, anyway) but because
forthright debate is a way of reaching others who *may* be willing to think
and consider the bigger issues with seriousness. This is why people publicly
debate. And this is why it would be important, as well, to keep open the
possibility of pursuing such a discussion, as I suggested earlier, into
wider publication.
But it really seems silly to have to say any of this. I thought Lind would
be the most likely one to get "cold feet" first!
Anyway, I haven't heard anything back yet, so maybe best to just sit back
and wait. If he doesn't respond, I'll publish my letter to him for the
record, with a response to his article by me or someone else.
Kent
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