From a reader:
Jonah,
Good job covering the ‘epistemic closure’ debate. Your conclusion regarding Noah Millman’s arguments (“I’m sure he’s got examples to back up his view, but the fact that he doesn’t think it’s necessary to make the case before assigning blame for it is, I think, quite telling”) reminded me of C.S. Lewis’ long ago essay, Bulverism:
“At that moment,” E. Bulver assures us, “there flashed across my opening mind the great truth that refutation is no necessary part of argument. Assume your opponent is wrong, and then explain his error, and the world will be at your feet. Attempt to prove that he is wrong or (worse still) try to find out whether he is wrong or right, and the national dynamism of our age will thrust you to the wall.”