Re: JKR’s giant mistake?

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 117762


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "nkafkafi" <nkafkafi at y...> 
wrote:
> 
> > Pippin:
> > "Red herring" refers to the misleading clue itself. A mistaken 
> > belief based on false evidence or faulty reasoning is generally 
> > referred to as a superstition. 
> 
> Neri:
> Aren't you using slightly too strong words? While there is no 
absolute
> proof that the bad guys can't say the name Voldemort, canon does 
seem
> to suggest it. 

Renee:
I have a problem with the word superstition, with its connotations 
of irrationality and false religion. Methinks "fallacy" suits 
Pippin's definition better. 

That is, it would if we knew for certain the evidence and/or the 
reasoning were faulty, which I don't think is the case. Even if you 
can argue that there is an explanation for every instance a bad guy 
says "Voldemort", this still doesn't constitute evidence that some 
of these cases weren't oversights. The contradiction between what 
canon strongly suggests and the use of Voldemort's name by a few 
particular characters, remains. That the narrator is unreliable and 
therefore possibly wrong about this, doesn't mean he's unreliable 
all the time (if he were, he'd be reliable again, if you see what I 
mean), and therefore actually wrong about it.

I keep saying we need more information, though I agree with everyone 
who said that saying "Voldemort" doesn't separate the white sheep 
from the black.

Renee