Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Should God be replaced? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: epicure who wrote (20559)	6/22/2005 12:54:08 AM
From: Solon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 28931

"I hope the weather is beautiful, and the mosquitos are sleeping- or inattentive..." The weather is incredible. The bluest sky and not one single solitary mosquito! "but I'm not sure how rational they are, unless by rational you mean they generally serve a useful purpose, in which case we agree." I think I get what you're getting at. But I think that if self interest is the goal, then the principles being discussed serve that goal most rationally. I appreciate that it is not always practical nor pragmatic to follow such principles. After all, even in societies that respect reason over force and privilege--rationality (and the policies which flow therefrom) are still constrained by human limitations in both reason--and the ability to be impartial and objective. And as you said--where there is struggle and want...principles of justice take a back seat to survival. Just as I believe that landing on the moon may only be accomplished by a precise acknowledgement of certain facts and principles--so I believe that freedom is only obtained by a precise obeisance to reason. And I believe that the desire to live IS primary to most homo sapiens most of the time. And freedom is the essential condition which rationally encourages life. I don't mean THAT in the particular--but in the conglomerate. When we consider ALL persons...there is a best way to interact in terms of fundamental premises to govern social laws and to support what IS fundamental...THE DESIRE TO LIVE. Rationality in the particular is a different matter. We can talk to Jean Val Jean or we can talk to the idiot that would not go into the room when his wife was having a heart attack because the sign on the restroom door said "WOMEN".