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Comment by CoastalCoder | Hacker News Reader

I've read that Chomsky can be pretty nasty to his debate opponents, but he's amazingly congenial in this video. It really makes me wish I could spend hours and hours chatting with him.

I've run across a handful of philosophers: Chomsky, Peter Kreeft, etc. who can stay really chill during a debate. It's seems like a superpower for keeping discussions productive.

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His debate opponents seem to be pretty nasty with him and come out the gate swinging. Why blame him for doing the same?

For me, it's because you expect a mature discussion when it's philosophy and not some immature US-News shouting contest.

Philosophers can be pretty vicious.

He's very dismissive and disrespectful to anyone who isn't fawning over him. If you interview him and interlace praise and admiration for him, yes he's gonna be congenial.

Dismissive and disrespectful to people who are dismissive and disrespectful of him... what a monster.

Not being a sycophant is not the same as being dismissive and disrespectful.

Have you watched any of these debates? In all that I have seen him participate in the other party was gracious and patient, assuming good faith even when there was little evidence of such, generally far more polite than I could manage.

I havent seen any debates where he wasnt equally polite.

I'm familiar with tone policing as a concept though, and Im not surprised it has been applied to Chomsky.

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