RE: NANFA-- Off topic: For the philosophers among you

Jay DeLong (thirdwind_at_att.net)
Sat, 28 Oct 2000 00:00:06 -0700

Truth? I don't know if that's for this list, Ken. We couldn't even define
the word "truth". After all, truth to a mushroom is a pile of shit :-) What
are appropriate for this list are peoples' ideas on environmental
conservation and education, and the pitiful state of much of our continent's
environment. The "philosophical" statements of Jeffers and Thomas had real
bearing on these subjects, even though I didn't see the one the way you did
with the Eastern religion focus. I agree with your statement that different
perspectives are often needed, but bad ones should be called for what they
are. Else we'll have psychics and UFO-spotters claiming equal time and
protection! If someone is touts a viewpoint which is illogical, and their
ideas are criticised, they shouldn't cry discrimination or bashing. It's
all about the message, not the messenger.

I want to put in a plug for a magazine called "Skeptical Inquirer, The
Magazine of Science and Reason". It comes out bimonthly and its main focus
is to promote critical thinking and science education, while debunking
pseudo-science and bad science and claims of the paranormal. If you're
interested in that sort of thing you'll find it at http://www.csicop.org/.

--
Jay DeLong
Olympia, WA


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-nanfa_at_aquaria.net On Behalf
> Of Ken Wintin
> Sent: Friday, October 27, 2000 1:04 PM
> To: 'nanfa_at_aquaria.net'
> Subject: RE: NANFA-- Off topic: For the philosophers among you
>
>
> Amen!
> 	Discuss it without getting disgusting.  I like the idea.
> As a test I'll volunteer as the dissenting  voice that is most likely to
> get shouted down.
>  I have an iron hide, and if I really get lambasted too badly, I
> also have a vicious tongue.
> 	It is good to deliberate about our world view as compared to others.
> For example, I believe that the original objection to looking inward for
> answers, stems from a misunderstanding of the purpose of the eastern
method
> of reflection.  The purpose of such introspection, is to eliminate the ego
> from one's perception of the world.  It may seem like a contradiction, to
> the mind schooled in the western way of viewing reality, but is based on
> the concept(which most of us will recognize) that you must know your
> enemy(the ego) in order to defeat it.  I do agree, however, that the idea
> that we are somehow already perfect, and just need to find that
> perfection,
> in order to make the right discussions, seems a little ridiculous.
Perhaps
> I, too, am too well grounded in the concept of original sin.  Seriously,
> though, different perspectives are often all that is needed to see the
> truth.  What was that story about blind men and the elephant?  What does
> Buster think?
>
> Ken




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