Source: Bet On It
by Bryan Caplan
“Suppose you’re a juror on a murder trial. A witness testifies that he saw the accused hack the victim to pieces with an ax. When the defense lawyer cross-examines the witness, his only challenges are: ‘Prove it wasn’t a dream’ and ‘Maybe you’re a brain in a vat.’ The correct reaction for the jurors is not to peruse philosophy journals for the latest replies to these classic canards. It is to summarily declare, ‘Bah.’ If that’s your lawyer’s best defense against the charge of murder, the jurors should convict you. If ‘Bah’ seems dogmatic, my response is: ‘I’m not dogmatic; you’re gullible.’” (04/07/26)