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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage

Intellectually honest

What does the phrase "intellectually honest" mean?

Thanks,
Rich

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Top answer

[/nq] Usually it refers to a person's readiness to speak his or her mind honestly rather than in deference to some sort of self-interested agenda. For example, a politician who supports a particular policy not because he honestly believes in it, but because he thinks he can further his own selfish interests, or those of his cronies, by supporting it, would be considered "intellectually dishonest" (if not downright crooked). The charge is not limited to politicians, though.

— Usenet

  • [/nq] Usually it refers to a person's readiness to speak his or her mind honestly rather than in deference to some sort of self-interested agenda.
  • For example, a politician who supports a particular policy not because he honestly believes in it, but because he thinks he can further his own selfish interests, or those of his cronies, by supporting it, would be considered "intellectually dishonest" (if not downright crooked).
  • The charge is not limited to politicians, though.
  • Michael West Melbourne, Australia
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7 Answers
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[nq:1]What does the phrase "intellectually honest" mean?[/nq]
Usually it refers to a person's readiness to speak his or her mind honestly rather than in deference to some sort of self-interested agenda. For example,
a politician who supports a particular policy not
because he honestly believes in it, but because he thinks he can further his own selfish interests, or those of his cronie
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[nq:2]What does the phrase "intellectually honest" mean?[/nq]
[nq:1]Usually it refers to a person's readiness to speak his or her mind honestly rather than in deference to some ... by supporting it, would be considered "intellectually dishonest" (if not downright crooked). The charge is not limited to politicians, though.[/nq]
As Michael's reply suggests, the expression seems to not to be
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I think it has more to do with the difference (or congruity) between what a person professes in public and knows to be true in private. Thus a person can be accused on intellectual dishonesty when he or she argues a point that they cannot presumably sensibly or historically support.

Come to think of it, it's a pretty presumptive, and presumptuous epithet.
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[nq:2]What does the phrase "intellectually honest" mean?[/nq]
[nq:1]Usually it refers to a person's readiness to speak his or her mind honestly rather than in deference to some ... by supporting it, would be considered "intellectually dishonest" (if not downright crooked). The charge is not limited to politicians, though.[/nq]
Intellectually dishonest also includes the knowing use of illog
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[nq:1]I think it has more to do with the difference (or congruity) between what a person professes in public and ... be accused on intellectual dishonesty when he or she argues a point that they cannot presumably sensibly or historically support.[/nq]
I don't disagree, but I don't see a significant gap between your interpretation and mine (below).
[nq:2]Usually it refers to a person's read
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[nq:2]Usually it refers to a person's readiness to speak his ... downright crooked). The charge is not limited to politicians, though.[/nq]
[nq:1]Intellectually dishonest also includes the knowing use of illogic or sophistry to convince someone of something. This would be true even if the person honestly believes in the "conclusion" he is trying to convince the other of.**[/nq]
Just to mud
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[nq:1]Just to muddy the waters, is it possible to be intellectually honest while arguing for something one does not believe ... which would undermine the argument. In some fields this doing this is a professional responsibility. Is it also intellectually dishonest?[/nq]
First am I the victim, or the defendant?

Michael West
Melbourne, Australia
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