Comments for Good Tithings

Comment on More Sharks Endangered, Shark Fin Soup anyone? by Edward

Edward — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:14:54 +0000

I bet the sharks will take their revenge when Earth floods.

Comment on Democraphobia by saij

saij — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:06:21 +0000

I can understand that. It’s like recycling. Recycling a singe plastic bottle isn’t meaningful in and of itself. But, considered in the larger scheme where everybody does the same thing, it does have meaning.

My struggle with Utopian ideas (including, if not especially, those of Libertarians) is that they are often based on false conceptions of reality (of human nature, the nature of markets, etc). That is, they are really just fantasies, like a world where dragons exist and I can sprout wings at will. All the following conclusions based on this perception of reality can be lock solid, but what is that really telling us?

This kind of thing is what bothers so many Liberals (like us) about Conservative Christians: they are making their policy decisions against the backdrop of a Christian Utopia. But that Utopia is itself based on false (or what you and I would consider false) premises. That doesn’t mean automatically that their conclusions are wrong, but it DOES make their reasoning suspect.

Recycling can have meaning in the broader view precisely because there is a lot of well researched science that suggests that it should have an impact if 1) we can get everyone on board, and 2) we don’t make it so complicated that people won’t do it out of laziness (that is we take a realistic view of human nature). I’m not so sure the Utopian visions of Libertarians, Anarchists, or the Christian Right, can say the same since they DON’T take a realistic view of human nature.

Outlandish ideas are good because they help us think outside the box. Most of us are decent at recognizing outlandish ideas for what they are, and can use them as idea generators. But, there are plenty in these extreme-leaning groups we’re associated with (to at least some degree) that can’t tell the difference.

Comment on Native Americans, Manifest Destiny, and the Irony of Immigration Policy by SOMEONE

SOMEONE — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:51:43 +0000

So are you going to bitch about how awful native americans have had it in the past, or are you telling us you don\’t need your pity. The original Native Americans (who, by the way, were not native to America, they immigrated there from somewhere else many, many years ago) suffered many hardships, yes, but that was more than a hundred years ago. Do you know anybody who was forced to go on the trail of tears? No. You have no more relation to the Native Americans of those days then the fact that you have the same ethnicity, so don\’t act like you understand them any more than anyone else does just beccause of your race. You know why the Jewish people get sympathy? Because thwy lost their relatives in the holocaust, relatives they actually knew, not unnamed non-descript ancestors who they were vaguely related too and decided this made them the worst off person ever. Also, I like how you just state \”Manifest Deastiny is alive and well in the 21st Century. \” I mean, if you say it it must be true right? No, I can just as easily say \”Manifest destiny was never true.\” with just as much evidence as you had.

Nice article by the way.

Comment on A History of Evolutionary Thought by afrankangle

afrankangle — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:19:01 +0000

Just found your site and your insightful evolution posts.

FYI: Not sure if this link to the collection of papers is alive as it seems Wiley acquired Blackwell, which may mean the resources are now for sale, not openly available.

Comment on Democraphobia by tom

tom — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:08:36 +0000

The practicality of aligning with Democrats is akin to one of my reasons I keep liking the anarchist ideas I run across. (The other reason is that they don’t send me junk mail.) I hope it’s obvious from our discussions that when I have outlandish ideas, I know they’re outlandish! But the concept of my own utopia is what helps me figure out more commonplace decisions, which might be too small to have a real emotional effect unless I consider them in the grander scheme of things.

Comment on Should We Dump the Word “Gene”? by ReabPrarype

ReabPrarype — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:32:52 +0000

Wassup???

I’ve been passive on this forum for a while now, so here goes my first post! a great site I’ve found for Free Mobile Applications etc. is Esnips.com I’ve found everything on my list…

let me know what you think!, Hope this helps

Cheers

Comment on Libertarian Buddhist by saij

saij — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:42:32 +0000

Nice. You’ve certainly beat me with the Juggling. I do play a mean kazoo, though.

Comment on Want Soup? Try Prebiotic by Sabio

Sabio — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:14:51 +0000

Nice, very nice !

Comment on Back to School, and a Free Real Analysis E-Book by abbas uddin

abbas uddin — Thu, 28 May 2009 00:49:49 +0000

Thanks. would u please put the website to get the ebook on real analysis here. It would be great.

Comment on 5 Most Important Scientists Who Actually HELPED Us by Me

Me — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:34:40 +0000

Wow. How pathetic is that list? Erm let me think what you’ve forgoten. How about Einstein, Newton, Darwin, Bohr, Freud and well, you go research your self.