Okay, let's focus on the message. I think Judith Butler is a sloppy and superficial thinker. But this particular sentence, while clumsy and unlovely, isn't stupid or wrong. And to harp on what bad writing it is, and to ignore the thought the thought behind it as if it were either unintelligble or besides the point, reveals Dennis Dutton to be so stunningly superficial that he makes Judith Butler look good. All he'd have to do is add self-righteous indignation and he'd look like the one of townspeople at the beginning of _Pudd'nhead Wilson_.
Oy. If guys like this have to be my allies, I'll give Butler bashing a miss. It makes it look like the universe is divided between good writing and attempts to think seriously. Which I daresay is exactly the opposite of the case he wants to make.
Michael
__________________________________________________________________________ Michael Pollak................New York City..............mpollak at panix.com