Global Responsibility...

I have to rant for a moment or two!  Please forgive me!

I recently read a philosophy blog claiming to have "cracked" the argument for "free will."  It was poorly written and even worse...it had major flaws in its logic...elementary flaws...I would be embarrassed to even print it on paper, let alone put it on the Internet for the world to see...I do hope that he is not proud of that work or that he does not go around arguing that case...

I will not provide the link, or even mention this individual's name...he is not a philosopher and like many people who purport to be something and are nothing more than "wanna-bes."  They give good things a bad name...

This blog is written by, what I would call an elementary school philosophy "wanna-be."  He tried to logically develop an argument for freewill.  If I were his professor...I would give him an "F!".  In short, his logic concluded with...since we do not know all of the details necessary for us to totally understand cause and effect...then freewill has to be a valid option.  I bet that he didn't realize that he said...since we are stupid...we have the right to believe in magic!

That is right...all he made was two arguments for stupidity...first that he was arrogant enough to believe that humans are smart enough to know everything to the extent that they fully understand cause and effect.  That was simply an argument for how stupid mankind remains in relation to the universe of knowledge.  He went so far as to quote Einstein out of context and call that an admission that mankind is incapable of understanding all of the details...therefore cause and effect does not exist...

Second his argument itself was so stupid...it stood as an example of stupidity!

It saddens me to see someone call themselves a philosopher and through their very existence bring a mockery to the science of thought...

A while back when Cray super-computers were the best thing around...a scientist was able to use all of the computing power of a network of Crays without interfering with any of the other work being done with them...HOW? 

He realized that the computational power being used was always in the binary pulses of the clock.  What the rest of the world had missed is that a binary pulse is the movement from 0 to +1 and them it resets from +1 to 0 to do the next calculation.  He began computing in the nulls or voids.  There was an entire world of computation available to him...and he tapped it...if I remember correctly...he used that available resource to calculate "pi" to some extraordinary level of accuracy...that broke some new frontiers for physicists...

That scientist was able to tap into an entire world of computational power because he was not blinded by "fact."  He as able to see the world of the "nulls" and redefine computational power...that world existed before it was discovered...and remains in every PC today!

Before Columbus...(or whoever you want to believe) discovered the new world...it existed...

Many of the weather issues confronting Europe came from the new world...it was an unknown source...that didn't mean that Europe didn't have weather before the discovery of the new world...

Using that prior pseudo-philosophers argument...since we can never calculate "Pi" to its final number...it doesn't exist...

This is not the logic of a philosopher...let alone a 21st century philosopher!

It was a sad case a VERY narrow and works toward a pre-supposed conclusion, rather than looking at the world and learning new things from what we know...

My thought...

One of the characteristics that I see missing from most people that are competing for the 21st Century Philosopher title...is the perspective of Global Citizenship or Responsibility...

We still live in an age that demands global responsibility from its allies and diplomatically handles its enemies.  The laws are rather obscure and non-conformance to them leads to actions that are punitive in nature...monetary sanctions...and ultimately war...

There is no basic and immutable set of global responsibilities.

More so is the lack of recognition that we have progressed beyond simple reward/punishment reactions.

Absolute Determinism

The 21st century philosopher must take into account discoveries from the sciences to ensure a relevant scheme.  It was much more simple to create a philosophical school when the world was narrow and infantile.  Our knowledge of the world around us has become broader and deeper...that puts an entirely new standard on any epistemology.

The simple concept of cause/effect and the discoveries in physics and cosmology along with the human genome project and psychology put philosophy into and entirely new context.  One that is essential to continuous improvement of our society and a step towards future existence...

Consider that fact that all causes and effects determine the physical world as we know it and that there is no other option.

"It is what it is..." becomes a fact...

Since the motion of matter at the moment of creation...there was no other set of options...

Anything that "Matters" (pun somewhat intended) was predetermined...

We delude ourselves into believing that there are options...  

Our present is totally determined by the past...and the future by a combination of the past and the present...

The 21st century philosophy must account for the fact that we are where we at because of the almost infinite chain of cause and effect from the past...

That chain is no isolated and independent....but globally large!

Some of the interactions that created one's make-up may have occurred galaxies away...

The materials within our bodies were created within stars...long dead!

Those atoms made their way into our solar system and on to the earth...and then into your body...

The global awareness...in fact universal awareness...is critical...

Our actions and reactions can affect others continents away...in fact...millions of years from now...perhaps life on some other planet!

We are caught within a chain of cause and effect...

Freewill?

I do not know...

I can make a case either way...

I do not know if it matters...as long as the decisions that are made are the right ones...

The 21st century philosophy should be less focused upon whether or not freewill exists and more focused upon making the right choices...which I believe are really the only thing a person has an obligation to do...

A Poison By Any Other Name Is Still A Poison

I seldom write commentaries related to specific politics...

I believe in integrity...of consistency of behavior related to a foundational set of tenants...but this one hit me hard the other day!

Every American is aware of...President Obama signing into law the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.”

This is not an article touting the benefits of the act or its potential dangers…we’ll leave that to the politicians…

What hit me was the name!

A History Channel moment…

Way back when…men found women with dilated pupils attractive…

Although there may be some interesting psychological discussions about that attraction…this is not about that…

About the same time they found that one of the first symptoms of nightshade poisoning was dilated pupils!  In small quantities the people ingesting poison nightshade exhibited this alluring trait!  Although it sounds diabolical...poison nightshade became a cosmetic drug!

Women were smarter than men thought and wouldn’t take it just to dilate their pupils…until some genius renamed it belladonna!  The interpretation of the word is "beautiful woman"…the reality was that it was belladonna was still poison nightshade! 

However, the name change had the desired effects....because a new name conveyed the message that what was in it was new and harmless too!  Women began taking belladonna (what they were led to believe was a substitute for nightshade) without realizing that it was still the same poison.  

Many died or were physically impaired by this simple medieval marketing ploy.

Fast Forward to the 21^st Century…

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will be systematically implemented over the next 10 years.  In 2014 is when the majority of this will hit…even this is a political delay tactic…but we’ll leave this in the hands of the politicians…

The name bothers me…it looks and smells like the poison nightshade conspiracy of the middle ages!

I am not a conspiracy theorist and believe that most so-called conspiracies are the result of paranoia...

I do not want it to come off like I believe that it will lead to the death of America…we’ll leave that to the politicians…who now have to implement it...

It is the words used…”Protection” and “Affordable” bother me.  They are "marketing words" used to make this more appealing to a public that might not wish to ingest the poison that it may contain...these are words that elicit emotions...rather than convey a definitive meaning...

I really would like to know who crafted that name…this person should be put on equal ground with the person who came up with the name belladonna! 

Why am I making such a big deal about this?  It is because things like this reek of deception and dishonesty.  A move to appeal to a mass of people who do not have the time or the ability to read the ingredients of what they are being forced to consume...   

Our politicians are well meaning and although they may aspire to provide “protection” at “affordable” rates…it sounds like a late night commercial by some fly-by-night insurance company…or one of those emails that you get from Nigeria saying that they have 13 million US dollars in a bank account for you.

Call a horse a horse.  Call an apple an apple. A Congressional Act by what it is...

If this is an Act that someone is proud of...call it by the name of the person who sponsored it...if it is truly a legacy...then...

Let’s call this the The President's Citizen Healthcare Act or something that it really is.  It will go down in history...Let's not forget where it came from...

I am tired of marketing…straight-talk is what the American Citizens want and deserve…regardless of political affiliation...let’s hold our politicians to their pledges!  I continue to trust our leaders...  They can step up and put their name on it...  It is their right and obligation...  When you put your name on something...it forces you to a new level of responsibility and performance...  I do not know of any sane person that wants his name to go down in history for a failure...

Enough Said!  


What do you think?

More Thoughts on Choice

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FACT - Beggars Can't be Choosers...Another 21st century need...

Now that is an interesting thought!

Most of the time, I have a "spin" on traditionally accepted axioms...

...This time...I think...I have to agree with it...

The 21st century has to engage with the real meaning of that axiom...

If the members of this society do not engage it...we will end up with a minority working to support the majority...

That would be a sad state of affairs...

The current state is the product of what I have called...the "everyone deserves a trophy" mentality...

I have opposed this from the very beginning...

Adulthood and responsibility means getting what one deserves for their actions and behavior...

Before I jump ahead of myself...let's go back...to that axiom...and show the insanity of entitlement...

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Let's start with the definition of what or who is a beggar...

Rather than belabor the point that can be easily made without a long logical dissertation...let's conclude...

A beggar is anyone who is not making a tangible contribution to those who support them...

These are individuals who get something undeserved...

This can happen in a microcosm as small as a couple's relationship, a family or as large as the world itself...

Beggars are individuals who get their needs fulfilled without earning it...

Given that thought...If an individual expects a return larger than the contribution that they make to their world...these individuals also become beggars!  Let me remind you that the contribution must be tangible.

Given the fact that the contribution is tangible, it falls into the realm of net value.  One can not do 3 bad (costly) things and 1 good thing of equal value and expect a return on their contribution.  

Although one would like to be the judge of value...the truth is...the value judgement is external to the contributor,,,

Any compensation in return for the contribution that is of greater value than the contribution is a gift...

Gifts fall into the realm of a beggar's purvey...

What a beggar receives can not be rightfully judged as inappropriate...or inadequate...

...because it is gift...

A gift can be rejected...but...

A gift can not be expected...

and if rejected...it can not be expected that it will be replaced...

A beggar has a choice to accept or reject the gift...but if the gift relates to fulfilling a need...rejecting the gift...is pure insanity...or suicide!

In reality...there is no choice related to a gift provided to fulfill a need...the beggar must accept it...

Therefore there is no choice from that perspective...

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Now we need to look at choice itself...

If simply to prove the point from another perspective...

We wrongly believe that the freedom of choice is related to age!

When an individual becomes an adult...they are entitled to the freedom of choice...

If choice is dependent upon one's contribution...(an earned right)...

If an individual is not contributing...they do not have the right to choose!

The contribution is relative to maturity...(the ability to contribute)...

If an individual contributes more...they should be afforded more freedom...those who contribute less are afforded less freedom...for those who do not contribute...they are afforded the basic freedoms or none at all...

In this context, self-determination is not a right...but compensation...it is earned...and at any given point it is a sum zero proposition...and can be lost through irresponsible behavior or lack of activity that adds value....this falls into the realm of a felony...which will be addressed later...

Interesting thoughts...

Enough Said!

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