What is a poor reviewer to do? Skimming the advance proofs of a well-promoted volume by a noted expert, you discover that its argument is full of holes—or rather, is one cavernous hole, a Grand Canyon of fallacy, camouflaged by science and slick prose. To review the book is to give it more publicity and so to risk expanding its influence; not to do so is to leave its reasoning unchecked. You must choose the letter evil.
Reader's Digest: February 8, 2025
What is a poor reviewer to do? Skimming the advance proofs of a well-promoted volume by a noted expert, you discover that its argument is full of holes—or rather, is one cavernous hole, a Grand Canyon of fallacy, camouflaged by science and slick prose. To review the book is to give it more publicity and so to risk expanding its influence; not to do so is to leave its reasoning unchecked. You must choose the letter evil.