Re: [ba-unrev-talk] An approach to a simpler truth.
I read of a review of this in the Sunday Times (UK).
It looks like it will be seen as a very important work. (01)
--
Peter
----- Original Message -----
From: "Henry K van Eyken" <vaneyken@sympatico.ca>
To: <ba-unrev-talk@bootstrap.org>
Sent: Friday, September 20, 2002 3:41 PM
Subject: Re: [ba-unrev-talk] An approach to a simpler truth. (02)
> I haven't been able to follow some of the recent threads, but I do believe
> the following is elevant:
>
> http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=1337125
>
> This is The Economist's review of Steven Pinker's latest, "The Blank Slate:
> The Modern Denial of Human Nature"
>
> and the insights it offers may do much to bring our understanding of
> ourselves as human beings closer to the frontiers of scientific thinking.
>
> I shall be obtaining a copy to read it myself - leaving me even less time -
> because I sense that it may be exceedingly relevant to such matters of human
> community as democracy, etc.
>
> Henry
>
>
>
>
>
> Henry
>
>
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>
>
>
> Graham Stalker-Wilde wrote:
>
> > Nietzsche's version of karma (the eternal recurrence) is delightfully non
> > religious.
> >
> > If we reincarnated based on past performance that would perhaps make us
> > behave well, if we believed it, if we behaved rationally, but if we knew
> > this was our one and only life? If we knew every moment was unrepeatable?
> > How well ought we to behave then?
> >
> > -g
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-ba-unrev-talk@bootstrap.org
> > [mailto:owner-ba-unrev-talk@bootstrap.org]On Behalf Of Eric Armstrong
> > Sent: Wednesday, September 18, 2002 6:50 PM
> > To: ba-unrev-talk@bootstrap.org
> > Subject: Re: [ba-unrev-talk] An approach to a simpler truth.
> >
> > V.S.Uren@open.ac.uk wrote:
> > >
> > > Re: I've long been intrigued by the notion of finding a
> > > rationalization
> > > > for doing good to others that *wasn't* based on religion. Such
> > > > a thing could go a long way to reduce religious prejudice, as well
> > > > as the worst of captialism. Equilibrium theory holds promise...
> > > >
> > > This sounds like a notion I call "practical karma"...
> > >
> > Yes. A belief in reincarnation is a *powerful* motivation for doing
> > good. I look at it this way:
> >
> > It's not that I'm going to come back as a llama or an earthworm,
> > or something.
> >
> > It's not even that I'm going to come back as some high-born or
> > low-born person.
> >
> > It's that I'm going to come back to THIS world -- and I'm going
> > to have live in the garden of eden (or cesspool) I create.
> >
> > Talk about incentive to take care of the environment...
> >
> > But those are quasi-religious notions. At the very least, they
> > depend on a particular belief system.
>
> (03)