I don’t like this quote. It is amusing but not very rational. It is not rational to ignore arguments because they were made by an awful person. It also isn’t rational even if one thinks that an argument or set of ideas is not worth thinking about to actively refuse to discuss those ideas, even if one thinks that the ideas aren’t worth considering. The first part of the quote is marginally defensible if Popper is very sure that Heidegger’s ideas are a waste of time. The second part of the quote, about refusing to talk to people who defend Heidegger makes about as much sense as a religion telling its adherents not to listen to some specific critic.
(That said, while I’m by no means an expert on this matter, my general opinion is that Heidegger is a waste of time.)
It is not rational to ignore arguments because they were made by an awful person.
In academic philosophy there is a tendency to refer to “Heidegger’s arguments and positions” as simply “Heidegger”. (This is true of all philosophers, not just Heidegger). Popper, of course, would have been familiar with this; when I read that quote I got the distinct impression of “Heidegger’s arguments are hollow and his positions are indefensible; please can we agree on this and stop discussing them?”
The second part of the quote, about refusing to talk to people who defend Heidegger makes about as much sense as a religion telling its adherents not to listen to some specific critic.
I don’t like this quote. It is amusing but not very rational. It is not rational to ignore arguments because they were made by an awful person. It also isn’t rational even if one thinks that an argument or set of ideas is not worth thinking about to actively refuse to discuss those ideas, even if one thinks that the ideas aren’t worth considering. The first part of the quote is marginally defensible if Popper is very sure that Heidegger’s ideas are a waste of time. The second part of the quote, about refusing to talk to people who defend Heidegger makes about as much sense as a religion telling its adherents not to listen to some specific critic.
(That said, while I’m by no means an expert on this matter, my general opinion is that Heidegger is a waste of time.)
In academic philosophy there is a tendency to refer to “Heidegger’s arguments and positions” as simply “Heidegger”. (This is true of all philosophers, not just Heidegger). Popper, of course, would have been familiar with this; when I read that quote I got the distinct impression of “Heidegger’s arguments are hollow and his positions are indefensible; please can we agree on this and stop discussing them?”
Relevant old LW post: Tolerate tolerance.