Although, initially, I decided to avoid the topic of guns and gun control, two excellent articles caught my attention. Sam Harris’ “The Riddle of the Gun” and Sean Faircloth‘s “Sam Harris Neglects The Most Important Evidence About Guns” are excellent because both writers use reasoned, if not always reasonable, arguments for and against gun control. In his response to Harris’ “Riddle of the gun” Sean Faircloth praises Sam Harris as he challenges Harris’
recent piece on gun control [because] Sam Harris failed to address the two most important pieces of evidence related to that topic.
1) the evidence regarding domestic violence against women;
2) the data confirming success of gun control in other countries.
There is a third article, one I’m less enthusiastic about recommending: “Sam Harris’s dangerous faith in guns” by Andrew Brown. Brown uses his 7 January, Guardian article to play with the word faith and to criticize Harris and atheism.
Note to Andrew Brown: Focus on the argument and avoid ad hominem and equating atheism with faith.