It is best to acknowledge one’s mistakes as promptly as possible, when one makes them. In a recent post, I exposed the identity of one of our more intelligent critics, who was writing under the pseudonym of Mathgrrl. (Update: The next two sentences have been removed, as they mistakenly identified Mathgrrl with another anonymous contributor to Uncommon Descent, on the basis of a remark by the latter contributor which was intended as a joke. Evidently the joke went over my head. My apology to Mathgrrl can be found here.)
Some readers were pleased with my outing the individual who was writing under the pseudonym of Mathgrrl. A few others, though, made remarks that forced me to reconsider the wisdom of my actions. Perhaps the most persuasive point that was made related to the Golden Rule. We cannot expect to have our own privacy respected if we do not respect that of other people around us – even those who are at times uncivil. Upon reflection, I think that this is a sensible argument. There is enough bitterness and strife in the world already, without my adding to it. I would therefore like to offer a sincere apology to the individual concerned. I can promise him that if he wishes to post on Uncommon Descent under another pseudonym in the future, I will not unmask him.