Lunatic or moron?

[_Trevor]

I post this in honor of Kevin Graham, who is known to call people idiots with some frequency, but every once in a while, If I recall correctly, moron.

This quote comes from Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum, and concerns the difference between a lunatic and a moron. When we consider our favorite apologist or critic to insult, we may as well do it as accurately as possible. What do you think of Eco's definitions? I for one have a difficult time deciding which category to put my favorite apologists into, since they sometimes fit one, and sometimes the other.

"A lunatic is easily recognized. He is a moron who doesn't know the ropes. The moron proves his thesis; he has a logic, however twisted it may be. The lunatic, on the other hand, doesn't concern himself at all with logic; he works by short circuits. For him, everything proves everything else. The lunatic is all idée fixe, and whatever he comes across confirms his lunacy. You can tell him by the liberties he takes with common sense, by his flashes of inspiration, and by the fact that sooner or later he brings up the Templars."

[_The Nehor]

Oh, this thread is not about me? Never mind then.

[_Trevor]

Oh, this thread is not about me? Never mind then.

Yes, Nehor, sorry to disappoint you, but this one isn't about you. ;-)

[_Yong Xi]

I post this in honor of Kevin Graham, who is known to call people idiots with some frequency, but every once in a while, If I recall correctly, moron.

This quote comes from Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum, and concerns the difference between a lunatic and a moron. When we consider our favorite apologist or critic to insult, we may as well do it as accurately as possible. What do you think of Eco's definitions? I for one have a difficult time deciding which category to put my favorite apologists into, since they sometimes fit one, and sometimes the other.

"A lunatic is easily recognized. He is a moron who doesn't know the ropes. The moron proves his thesis; he has a logic, however twisted it may be. The lunatic, on the other hand, doesn't concern himself at all with logic; he works by short circuits. For him, everything proves everything else. The lunatic is all idée fixe, and whatever he comes across confirms his lunacy. You can tell him by the liberties he takes with common sense, by his flashes of inspiration, and by the fact that sooner or later he brings up the Templars."

By this definition, there is a level of lunacy in all apologists. Some obvious names came to me for both categories, but I will restrain myself and not reveal them.

[_The Dude]

"A lunatic is easily recognized. He is a moron who doesn't know the ropes. The moron proves his thesis; he has a logic, however twisted it may be. The lunatic, on the other hand, doesn't concern himself at all with logic; he works by short circuits. For him, everything proves everything else. The lunatic is all idée fixe, and whatever he comes across confirms his lunacy. You can tell him by the liberties he takes with common sense, by his flashes of inspiration, and by the fact that sooner or later he brings up the Templars."

Most Mormons are lunatics but the Maxwell Institute is charged with turning them into morons.

[_beastie]

Most Mormons are lunatics but the Maxwell Institute is charged with turning them into morons.

There's more truth than poetry in there.

[_Trevor]

Most Mormons are lunatics but the Maxwell Institute is charged with turning them into morons.

And yet the parallelomania that some apologists indulge in seems more a trait of lunacy.

[_The Dude]

Most Mormons are lunatics but the Maxwell Institute is charged with turning them into morons.

And yet the parallelomania that some apologists indulge in seems more a trait of lunacy.

Hmmm... Where do apologists draw a parallel between Templars and the Book of Mormon?

[_The Nehor]

Hmmm... Where do apologists draw a parallel between Templars and the Book of Mormon?

Because the Templars were a group of Nephites who crossed back over the ocean to hide certain documents that need to be found before the Second Coming. They carried on their traditions for years and found and passed on a copy of Nephite history to the Ten Tribes hiding in caves in Russia. They then buried the most precious documents in Mount Moriah while they masqueraded as an order of knights. I thought everyone knew this. The last surviving member leads the Danites today. Do you people read nothing?

[_Blixa]

Lunacy seems much more in evidence than moronism, at least by these definitions. However, whilst recently re-reading Tristram Shandy , the exposition on hobby horses brought several names from this board to mind...