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A motte is a stone keep on a raised earthwork common in early medieval fortifications. More pertinently, it's an element in a rhetorical move called a "Motte-and-Bailey", originally identified by philosopher Nicholas Shackel. It describes the tendency in discourse for people to move from a controversial but high value claim to a defensible but less exciting one upon any resistance to the former. He likens this to the medieval fortification, where a desirable land (the bailey) is abandoned when in danger for the more easily defended motte. In Shackel's words, "The Motte represents the defensible but undesired propositions to which one retreats when hard pressed." On The Motte, always attempt to remain inside your defensible territory, even if you are not being pressed.
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Ah a time honored tradition. You should check out this channel for some other animated bits https://youtube.com/@dinosaurclub/videos. My fave is definitely this one https://youtube.com/watch?v=tljMLMxil2M. I have been at that exact train stop on the New York subway and it could happen.
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Ah a time honored tradition. You should check out this channel for some other animated bits https://youtube.com/@dinosaurclub/videos. My fave is definitely this one https://youtube.com/watch?v=tljMLMxil2M. I have been at that exact train stop on the New York subway and it could happen.
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