Two Russian scientists collecting anti-Mormon spoors in Novaya Zemlya
(Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Many years ago, when we had far less data than we have now, a pioneering student of apostasy in the Internet Age formulated what has come to be called, in his honor, Novak\u2019s Rule. It runs essentially as follows:<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
When you become an apostate, expect your IQ to drop by about eighty points. In other words, God strikes you stupid.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now, as formulated, the Rule is obviously too simple. As with all illnesses, the incidence of Novak\u2019s Disease is unpredictable. Just as not every smoker contracts lung cancer, not all sedentary red-meat addicts develop coronary problems, and not everybody exposed to the flu becomes sick, many apostates \u2013 probably, in fact, a considerable majority of them \u2014 continue to show signs of relatively normal mental function.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moreover, one might accuse the formulator of Novak\u2019s Rule of invoking a \u201cGod of the Gaps\u201d argument: There is no evidence that it\u2019s actually God, whether directly or indirectly, who lowers certain apostate IQs. It\u2019s entirely possible that\u00a0an entirely naturalistic explanation will be found for the phenomenon. Just as, now that we understand the mechanism behind lunar eclipses and the origin of meteors, we no longer call upon supernatural forces to explain them, the discernible trajectory of post-Newtonian science suggests that Novak\u2019s Disease, as well, should first be explained in ordinary, natural terms. (This would reflect the helpful principle called \u201cmethodological naturalism.\u201d) Only when and if such natural analysis proves inadequate to the task should supernatural agents\u00a0be hypothesized. (This advice reflects yet another important rule: William of Ockham\u2019s.)<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
But there is a more fundamental objection to Novak\u2019s Rule, and I think it\u2019s a legitimate one: No direct measurements of post-apostasy IQs have been taken, such that they might be compared to pre-apostasy IQs in the same test subjects.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Strictly speaking, therefore, we don\u2019t know that apostate IQs have actually dropped from their previous (believing) levels. Further, human experimentation is notoriously difficult, fraught with both legal and ethical challenges \u2013 and this is so even before we confront the often irrationally belligerent objects of our research themselves. (Fortunately, they needn\u2019t be tranquilized, wrestled to the ground, and tagged for observation. Most of them have already clearly tagged themselves.)<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
All we\u2019re left with, as matters currently stand, is inference from the public, outward behavior of a statistically significant number of apostates.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
But this seems to be enough.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was forcibly reminded of Novak\u2019s Rule this morning, as I browsed a few anti-Mormon threads on various sites \u2013 threads that happen to focus, as they frequently do, on y\u2019r humble and obdt servant. Many such threads are devoted to the ever-fascinating topic of my remarkable insignificance. (I\u2019m reminded of one of Yogi Berra\u2019s famous comments: \u201cNobody goes there any more. It\u2019s too crowded.\u201d) But others take me to task for the various screamingly stupid and bloodcurdlingly offensive things that I say and do many times throughout each typical\u00a0day.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not merely that they routinely rip\u00a0things out of context, often omitting materially relevant statements and facts without ellipses, and that they grievously, tendentiously, maliciously, but still perhaps unconsciously distort the meaning of what\u2019s left. They also commit errors of logic \u2014 particularly, non sequiturs<\/em> and fallacies of poisoning the well \u2014 that would make an unprincipled sophist blush.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
For all that it might be made more rigorous and precise, the formulator of Novak\u2019s Rule remains an honored trailblazer in the study of the intriguing phenomenon called \u201cInternet Anti-Mormonism.\u201d \u00a0The Rule has proven its value.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 Many years ago, when we had far less data than we have now, a pioneering student of apostasy in the Internet Age formulated what has come to be called, in his honor, Novak\u2019s Rule. It runs essentially as follows: \u00a0 When you become an apostate, expect your IQ to drop by about eighty […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32891","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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