Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 09:22:12 -0600
From: George Trail <gtrail-AT-UH.EDU>
Subject: Re: PLC: authority


>In a message dated 97-07-26 00:01:43 EDT, Deaun writes:
>
>> Anyway, Brian asked for a definition of authority to start the ball
>>  rolling.  No one has picked up on that and I'm not going to either.
>
>Authority is that which is respected as authority.
>
>pat sloane

How would _you_ know? As a rhetorician it is pretty interesting to deal
with pre modern definitions of the "Argument from Authority" in this "how
can there possibly be that much talk, text, and blather respecting
anything?" time. I like to point out that "the" argument from authority
doesn't even stop with God, especially when HE says stuff. Then you got a
bunch of folks contending about what it was HE meant, each of whom is an
authority until you ask, "are you an authority on the word of GOD," at
which time you will get referred to some book. Then I'm back to "but how do
_you_ know its a good book?" Whereupon one gets some toe scraping and some
"Well, I've gone into these things a good deal."

"Authority can only be sensibly construed in terms of power. The end of all
argument is always and only the parent's "Because I said so."

Cheers,
G

George Trail
gtrail-AT-uh.edu
U.of Houston