I agree with you...
I don't know what it's like in other disciplines - I assume that much the same applies - but academic philosophy can be remarkably catty, and seminars can easily descend into intellectual pissing contests. Once you know what's what, the rough-and-tumble becomes fun (or maybe it's that only some survive in the discipline long enough to know what's what); and it can provide some spectacular moments of take-down.

When I was a research student, I'd attend the twice-weekly research seminars. On Thursdays, we'd hear and discuss a paper by a PhD student, but on Mondays, it was the turn of staff or visiting speakers.

One Monday, the speaker was a Big Name in his particular field, which was mind and language philosophy. It's not an area in which I've ever been comfortable, so my mind was wandering a little. The paper ended, and the invitation went out for questions or comments. There was a slight pause, and then D put his hand up. D had just about finished his PhD at the time.

He began by giving a precis of the paper to check his understanding. Big Name said that the precis was accurate.
"Right," said D. "Well, I suppose that, in that case, someone could say that..." and then he proceded, without notes, and in a matter of a couple of minutes, to demolish Big Name's position. Not only did he reduce it to rubble, but he broke that rubble beyond repair for good measure.

Big Name visibly crumpled. "Er... yes. That seems like a plausible counterargument," he stammered. "I have a horrible feeling that I might have to abandon my claim."
"Oh, no!" interjected D. " Don't do that. I agree with you. You'd have to be crazy to believe what I just suggested - I was just saying that someone could say that."

Since that day, I've considered it my ambition to demolish an argument with to I'm sympathetic by using one I think hopeless just because I can. Truly, it was a thing of beauty to witness.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 10:57, 5 replies)

Watching a good debate is awesome, but I never feel quite saited until someone's received at least a life-threatening injury.

( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 11:00, closed)

I may adopt that as my motto in future Q&A sessions.
:)
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 11:13, closed)

I think you've written 'intellectualy'(sp)
when you meant 'intellectual'
(Bret Mong Keys Eggs has wet his weapon, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 11:21, closed)

Ah, yes.
I'm having a fat-finger day: I don't seem to be able to type anything correctly at the moment.

:(
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 11:24, closed)

try deploying the universal rejoinder. They'll never see it coming.
( Happy Phantom has been to Hastings, Brighton, and Eastbourne too, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 11:52, closed)

KAAME....HAAME....DEVIL'S ADVOCATE!

(Falstaff's Spiritual Successor, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 11:56, closed)

hmm.
1) your Hamiltonian isn't bounded below

2) you seem to have a density gradient for sulphate concentration for a layer only a nanometer or so thick

3) your response function isn't causal

4) I saw that already in an unpublished Master's thesis ten years ago
(haberman is singing in the changes, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 14:17, closed)