Of course one can. People do it all the time. Look at medicine, for example. A doctor will write of personal experience with a few patients. But before making sweeping universal statements they'll talk with other doctors, form hypotheses, and gather data under controlled conditions.
Being shown different experiences is not unpleasant. What is unpleasant is having personal hypotheses stated as universal rules when they aren't.
> The way I see this - you are asking the author to write in a 'universal' style, that respects and acknowledges all view points without preferring one over another.
I am not. I am asking to show awareness of the limits of his knowledge. To leave room for the notion that differently situated people will have different experiences. And perhaps be willing to listen to those experiences in order to improve his understanding.
> merely give you an opportunity to correct me and my impression.
Of course one can. People do it all the time. Look at medicine, for example. A doctor will write of personal experience with a few patients. But before making sweeping universal statements they'll talk with other doctors, form hypotheses, and gather data under controlled conditions.
Being shown different experiences is not unpleasant. What is unpleasant is having personal hypotheses stated as universal rules when they aren't.
> The way I see this - you are asking the author to write in a 'universal' style, that respects and acknowledges all view points without preferring one over another.
I am not. I am asking to show awareness of the limits of his knowledge. To leave room for the notion that differently situated people will have different experiences. And perhaps be willing to listen to those experiences in order to improve his understanding.
> merely give you an opportunity to correct me and my impression.
Gosh, how generous of you.