Apr 192014
 

Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity, but don’t rule out malice.

Hanlon’s Razor

A version of this appears in the writings of science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein, but he probably based his on Hanlon or other writings published prior to his.  In any case, Heinlein was kidding.

To conflate with Arthur C. Clarke (Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic),

Any sufficiently advanced stupidity is indistinguishable from malice.

Consider Skeptical Zen 101:

Step 1: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
Step 2: Never attribute to stupidity that which might be adequately explained by a large set of circumstances you aren’t aware of.

Perhaps whatever it is you observed was not due to stupidity, nor to malice, but to the exercise of a failed sense of humor.

More

Apr 142014
 

The more you love, the more you can love — and the more intensely you love. Nor is there any limit on how many you can love. If a person had time enough, he could love all of that majority who are decent and just.

– Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough for Love, 1973

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Polyamory_pride_in_San_Francisco_2004.jpg