Governor Corbett believes that the way to improve the business climate in Pennsylvania is to cut aid to universities and school districts. Most of the new Republican members of the House believe that the whole idea of global warming is a hoax. Republicans in both the House and Senate think that the best way to deal with a recession is to cut government spending. Many Americans think that gas prices would go down if all restrictions on drilling off the coast were eliminated.
How can people sincerely believe what to you and me is obviously wrong, even silly?
Polish-born philosopher Leszek Kolakowski (1927-2009) provides an answer. Dr. Kolakowski formulated “the law of the infinite cornucopia.” This law states that there is never a shortage of arguments to support any idea or doctrine that someone wanted to believe in for whatever reason. Since we see this phenomenon every day in this country, it is gratifying to have a name for it.
Tomorrow: Pascal’s wager updated.
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