A third-rate critic of an original philosopher usually attacks him (or her) for frivolous irresponsibility, or corrupting the youth, or for having (by underhand 'rhetorical' means) briefly made the worse appear the better cause. By contrast, a second-rate critic will spot lacunae in the philosopher's arguments, ambiguities in her use of terms, and vagueness in her conclusions. Such a critic defends the conventional wisdom which the radical philosopher criticised, and does so by detailed examination of the ipsissima verba of those criticisms, pointing out how often they either missed the point or begged the question.

LRB 3 September 1987 | PDF Download