I'm not talking about criticizing who misspoke. I'm talking about pointing out the stupidity of someone's poorly formed opinion, that may not be obvious to them.
Example:
A lawyer was cross-examining the doctor about whether or not he had checked the pulse of the deceased before he signed the death certificate. "No," the doctor said. "I did not check his pulse." "And did you listen for a heartbeat?" asked the lawyer. "No I did not," the doctor said. "So," said the lawyer, "when you signed the death certificate, you had not taken steps to make sure he was dead." The doctor said, "Well, let me put it this way. The man's brain was in a jar on my desk but, for all I know, he could be out practicing law somewhere."
That's mockery, but not the common use of sarcasm. Sarcasm is making a statement that is the opposite of what you mean, and using vocal tone to convey the "NOT". It's plain rude in spoken communication, but fundamentally impossible in text. People don't understand that when they hear their writing inside their head, where they apply the intonation.
I thought about that, but decided that "for all I know" was a carefully worded expression of "it is contrary to the logic of the known Universe and all who claim to be guided by reason, but I invite you to try to claim that a miracle occurred."
I guess it could be read either way. I am not expert in the finest points of a argumentative linguistics. :-)
Contrast to something like. "I had his brain in a jar. But in retrospect, I agree it was improper for me to rush to judgment".
That's not really a fair example. It's a court so appearances (regrettably) actually matter, and the doctor will most likely never have to work alongside the lawyer ever again. (Not to mention a lawyer in court will be completely mentally prepared for insults.)
If the doctor behaved the same way to a nurse asking about a particular patient, that would be toxic behaviour. All they had to say was "The checks weren't necessary, his brain was severed." Going out of your way to ridicule someone for a misunderstanding is completely unnecessary.
Appearances matter in way more than court. There's also the "court of public opinion." Sarcasm is a powerful tool to criticize whats wrong with society, and it would be a shame if we banned it completely because a few bullies abused it.
And I never said sarcasm was always appropriate. Obviously, a doctor should never talk to a nurse that way.
Example:
A lawyer was cross-examining the doctor about whether or not he had checked the pulse of the deceased before he signed the death certificate. "No," the doctor said. "I did not check his pulse." "And did you listen for a heartbeat?" asked the lawyer. "No I did not," the doctor said. "So," said the lawyer, "when you signed the death certificate, you had not taken steps to make sure he was dead." The doctor said, "Well, let me put it this way. The man's brain was in a jar on my desk but, for all I know, he could be out practicing law somewhere."