Intellectual Dishonesty

Intellectual dishonesty is lying about or concealing one's own beliefs.

Charles Murray provides an example of liberal intellectual dishonesty:

In their heart of hearts, intellectual elites, especially liberal ones, have two nasty secrets regarding IQ. First, they really believe that IQ is the be-all and end-all of human excellence and that someone with a low IQ is inferior. Second, they are already sure that the black - white IQ difference is predominantly genetic and that this is a calamity -- such a calamity indeed that it must not be spoken about, even to oneself. To raise these issues holds a mirror up to the elites' most desperately denied inner thoughts.^[1]

Intellectual dishonesty often arises when incentives exist for people to advocate stances that they know to be wrong. For instance, handlers^{[Who says?]} of political candidates may encourage them to adopt positions that will be popular with the people, regardless of what their personal opinions may be.

• There is a tradition in politics that is similar to one in the legal profession: When evidence supports your position, make your argument based on the evidence, but when it argues against your position, ignore the evidence and appeal to emotion. [1]

References[edit]

1. ↑ http://www.eugenics.net/papers/mssel.html