Jeffrey Fisher wrote:
>
> people on the whole (not
> individually, necessarily) have
This is crucial. If you meet someone _as an individual_, directly, then all observations about "people on the whole" become irrelevant. Then observations about her/his psychological make-up, particular experience, family, moral character, sense of responsibility, intelligence, and so forth become relevant. And at that point one could well argue that the particular person was merely rationalizing -- irrational, etc etc. But to claim relevance of such characteristics when talking about "people on the whole" or "americans on the whole" or "fundamentalists on the whole" or "Bush voters on the whole" is itself irrational.
Carrol