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True to the image of your \u0026quot;Grif..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"John: THANKS! True to the image of your \u0026quot;\u003Cb\u003EGriffin\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026quot; name, you\u0026#39;ve shown \u003Cb\u003ELion\u003C\/b\u003E-like courage by being the first to answer my request for a Comment here, to add to your \u003Cb\u003EEagle\u003C\/b\u003E-eye spotting of the wet mess of my \u003Ci\u003EDarwin\u0026#39;s Cathedral\u003C\/i\u003E book that had been rained on and run over by countless cars for more than 24 hours! \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs I noted during my talk, I envy those who, like you, believe in a Super-Natural Creator God, separate from and above His Universe, who has Personally contacted certain Enlightened individuals. Sadly, I, following Spinoza, Einstein, and other Pantheists, cannot muster such belief.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Laws of Nature and the existence of Life on Earth, along with Space-Time and Energy-Matter, seem so complex and well-designed that they appear to demand a Sentient Creator. However, a Creator God is even more complex! Who Created the Creator God? A Super-Creator God? Is it Gods all the way up\u0026quot;?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe standard answer is that God always existed. So, paraphrasing Carl Sagan, why not skip a step and conclude that the Universe of Space-Time and Energy-Matter and Laws of Nature have always existed? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhy not conclude that, like \u0026quot;Aunt Hillary\u0026quot; the (seemingly) Sentient Personification of a well-run ant hill who arises Naturally due to \u0026quot;Darwin\u0026#39;s Machine\u0026quot; of repeated Variation-Survival-Reproduction of the fittest genes and memes, the (seemingly) Sentient \u0026quot;General Optimization Director\u0026quot; at all levels of Life on Earth arises Naturally due to the ever-existent Laws of Nature?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELove, Ira"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/3723297003923850278\/comments\/default\/6641718798338922754"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/3723297003923850278\/comments\/default\/6641718798338922754"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2020\/02\/the-miraculous-return-of-my-darwins.html?showComment=1582047737563#c6641718798338922754","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ira Glickstein"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/10800080810596424897"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2020\/02\/the-miraculous-return-of-my-darwins.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-3723297003923850278","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/3723297003923850278","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1790344505"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"February 18, 2020 at 12:42 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-3584538332150194436"},"published":{"$t":"2020-02-17T22:29:09.999-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-02-17T22:29:09.999-05:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Ira,\nThis blog post and your presentation on this ..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Ira,\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis blog post and your presentation on this subject to The Villages Philosophy Club offer a number of interesting ideas.  I fully agree that our species has evolved to be very receptive to tribal dogma and indoctrination.  After all, anyone resisting tribal dogma is more likely to be ostracized and find himself alone in a dangerous world.  Not a good survival strategy!  In addition, tribal leaders would surely see the value of religious doctrine in their attempts to influence tribal behavior.  If tribal leaders could promise rewards in an afterlife, it would be easier to convince members to take actions that benefit the tribe.  This incentive would surely motivate a tribal leader to invent a religion for his tribe if it did not already exist in some form.  However, the existence of such incentive does not constitute proof that all religions originated in that fashion, nor does it prove that a super-natural God (a God above his creation) does not exist.  In addition to the idea that religion is simply \u0026quot;a useful biological adaptation\u0026quot; or a \u0026quot;delusion and a mind virus\u0026quot; there is another possibility.  That possibility is that there IS a super-natural God who created this universe (and possibly an infinite number of others) and some religions originated when certain enlightened individuals (e.g. Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, Mohamed) experienced contact with God and then told others about that experience."},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/3723297003923850278\/comments\/default\/3584538332150194436"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/3723297003923850278\/comments\/default\/3584538332150194436"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2020\/02\/the-miraculous-return-of-my-darwins.html?showComment=1581996549999#c3584538332150194436","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"John Griffin"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/03508370919488707416"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2020\/02\/the-miraculous-return-of-my-darwins.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-3723297003923850278","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/3723297003923850278","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-846163529"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"February 17, 2020 at 10:29 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-7165686208619275928"},"published":{"$t":"2019-04-22T23:26:56.539-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-04-22T23:26:56.539-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Ira: Thank you for your kind and encouraging words..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Ira: Thank you for your kind and encouraging words and your thoughtful comments.  I believe we are closer to agreement than you may realize.\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs you point out, the “intelligent” machines will not be free, but they will cost less than the equivalent human labor, and they will continue to fall in price since we will have machines making more machines.  I believe that a main reason that inflation has been low for some time now is that automation continues to lower costs, and competition compels producers to pass much of those savings on to consumers.\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile all adult citizens would receive the UBI, it is not unreasonable to also help offset the expense of raising children.  After all, our per capita GDP is over $62,000.  In an earlier post I suggested providing 80% of the adult UBI for a first child, 60% for the second, and 40% for the third.  Expenses for a fourth child or beyond would be the responsibility of the parents.\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs for non-citizen residents (documented or otherwise) I would say that their UBI is the responsibility of their native country.  The good news is that the economics of intelligent machines will be so compelling that entrepreneurs world-wide will put them to use in a very short time.  The result will be that the large majority of countries will soon join the “developed” world and will follow our lead in offering a UBI.\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs you correctly point out, it is human nature to always want more.  If we distribute too much of our GDP for the UBI we will reach a point where entrepreneurs and investors will not “build on our mountain”.  We must, therefore, be careful not to kill the goose that lays the golden egg.  Perhaps the force of a constitutional amendment will be needed to set the proper level.\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs you point out, the UBI “will not simply come out of corporate profits, but out of the hides of all of us who have worked for our money”.  Yes, it will come out of all sources of income – corporate and private.  But remember, our ability to produce and earn as much as we do is the result of thousands of years of productivity-enhancing advancements.  Our personal “toil” is insignificant by comparison.  So when we pay our taxes we should not think that we are giving up something that belongs to us personally.\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne last thought.  With most everyone receiving a UBI, any entrepreneur worthy of the name should actually be salivating over the chance to take back more than he contributed to the UBI by selling products and services to the vast pool of consumers that the UBI created.\u003Cbr \/\u003EBest regards, John\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/1341423688338512242\/comments\/default\/7165686208619275928"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/1341423688338512242\/comments\/default\/7165686208619275928"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2019\/04\/a-future-that-works-for-everyone.html?showComment=1555990016539#c7165686208619275928","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"John Griffin"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/03508370919488707416"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2019\/04\/a-future-that-works-for-everyone.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-1341423688338512242","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/1341423688338512242","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-846163529"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"April 22, 2019 at 11:26 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-7433742536228520077"},"published":{"$t":"2019-04-22T16:34:48.748-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-04-22T16:34:48.748-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"John: As I said in my comment at the Philosophy Cl..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"John: As I said in my comment at the Philosophy Club during the April 12 meeting, your talk was excellent, and the best defense of the idea of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) I have ever seen. THANK YOU for preparing and giving the talk, and for agreeing to share it with our Blog audience.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI agree with you that the advent of Artificial Intelligence is a \u0026quot;game-changer\u0026quot; that offers us the possibility of mass production of machines that can do a majority of the jobs previously done be humans, and, in most cases doing those jobs better and at less expense. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, like any previous industrial mass-production advances, these machines will not be free. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn other words, like the industrialization of agriculture, which now allows some 2% of human labor to produce more than what 70% of human labor used to produce, automation of \u0026quot;intelligent\u0026quot; labor will displace many workers, but will not reduce the costs of products and services to near-zero. For example, globalization allows low-cost foreign labor to undercut US domestic production so long as the reduced labor costs cover the added costs of transporting the goods to the US. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs for the UBI, your talk has come further than anything I\u0026#39;ve previously read towards getting me to accept the idea, but I\u0026#39;m still not convinced. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYou propose to pay the UBI to all \u003Cb\u003E\u0026quot;adult citizens\u0026quot;\u003C\/b\u003E. What about children? What about non-citizen legal residents? What about \u0026quot;undocumented\u0026quot; persons who live in the US? As we are reminded by the media more often than necessary \u0026quot;they pay taxes too\u0026quot;. It seems to me that any UBI legislation will have to cover children and at least legal residents.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIndeed, in your calculation you show that 20% of the US GDP, \u0026quot;evenly distributed, [to] \u003Cb\u003Eeach man, woman and child in this country\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026quot; would amount to over $1000 per month, which would raise them all over the official poverty level.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThus, I\u0026#39;m sure that once instituted, the UBI could not and would not be limited to \u0026quot;adult citizens\u0026quot;, but would be expanded to children and non-citizens in the name of fairness. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd, the 20% of GDP would be increased to 30% or 40% or, in the name of fairness, 50% of GDP! \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBy the way, GDP is NOT Gross National PROFIT that should be shared to all on the basis that our ancestors earned it. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECheck out how GDP is calculated \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Calculate-GDP\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Calculate-GDP\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gross_domestic_product\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gross_domestic_product\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECorporate profits are a small percentage of GDP, less than 20%, so even 20% of GDP will not simply come out of corporate profits, but out of the hides of all of us who have worked for our money.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELove, Ira"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/1341423688338512242\/comments\/default\/7433742536228520077"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/1341423688338512242\/comments\/default\/7433742536228520077"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2019\/04\/a-future-that-works-for-everyone.html?showComment=1555965288748#c7433742536228520077","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ira Glickstein"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/10800080810596424897"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2019\/04\/a-future-that-works-for-everyone.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-1341423688338512242","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/1341423688338512242","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1790344505"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"April 22, 2019 at 4:34 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-3766468700962443883"},"published":{"$t":"2018-06-19T08:37:16.880-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-06-19T08:37:16.880-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Frank: Sorry for the delay in replying to your com..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Frank: Sorry for the delay in replying to your comment \u0026quot;What is the alternative to the individual?\u0026quot;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe alternative is to focus on the GROUP, since humans are  social animals. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EActually the focus should be on BOTH the INDIVIDUAL and the GROUP, that is a complementary consideration.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAltruism and ethics are founded on what strengthens the SOCIETY that adopts a virtuous set of ethical and altruistic beliefs and practices, by BALANCING them such that INDIVIDUAL humans, by virtue of their membership in that SOCIETY, have a better shot at SURVIVAL and REPRODUCTION, the essence of Darwinian Natural Selection.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELove, Ira  "},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/3362475653254377137\/comments\/default\/3766468700962443883"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/3362475653254377137\/comments\/default\/3766468700962443883"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/05\/thoughts-on-altruism-and-ethics.html?showComment=1529411836880#c3766468700962443883","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ira Glickstein"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/10800080810596424897"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/05\/thoughts-on-altruism-and-ethics.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-3362475653254377137","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/3362475653254377137","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1790344505"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"June 19, 2018 at 8:37 AM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-2446930671516490962"},"published":{"$t":"2018-06-01T15:35:31.659-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-06-01T15:35:31.659-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"You said:\nFrank: Thanks for your thoughts on Altru..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"You said:\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrank: Thanks for your thoughts on Altruism and Ethics. You appear to me to focus on the INDIVIDUAL.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat is the alternative to the individual?"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/3362475653254377137\/comments\/default\/2446930671516490962"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/3362475653254377137\/comments\/default\/2446930671516490962"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/05\/thoughts-on-altruism-and-ethics.html?showComment=1527881731659#c2446930671516490962","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"The Beige Pimpernel"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/00342416020263677590"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/05\/thoughts-on-altruism-and-ethics.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-3362475653254377137","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/3362475653254377137","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-538340396"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"June 1, 2018 at 3:35 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-1238176739431563985"},"published":{"$t":"2018-05-13T18:13:38.531-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-05-13T18:13:38.531-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"[continued from previous Comment]\n\nI wrote about D..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"[continued from previous Comment]\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI wrote about Dawkins and Wilson in my posting on \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2008\/03\/god-delusion.html\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003EThe God Delusion\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EDawkins searches, in vain, for rational explanations for the survival of the God delusion. He mentions David Wilson [pg 170] a colleague of Howard’s [Howard Pattee, my PhD Advisor] and one of my favorite professors at Binghamton University who Dawkins rightly calls “the American group-selection apostle”.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGroup selection makes the claim that groups, including religious associations, which promote cooperative, altruistic behaviors, survive at the expense of less religious groups. While I accept multi-level selection (gene level and meme level), I am not sure that true, pure altruism exists and have gone round and round discussing this with Wilson.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDavid Wilson has an annual “Darwin’s birthday” event at his home that my wife and I have attended. He gave me a plastic knock-off that is like a “Jesus fish” but this one has feet and the word “Darwin” on it. He also gave me a copy of his excellent book, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?hl=en\u0026amp;id=ouwg5swAV5oC\u0026amp;dq=david+wilson+%22unto+others%22\u0026amp;printsec=frontcover\u0026amp;source=web\u0026amp;ots=-Rne9NjKzg\u0026amp;sig=RKqaNSjdrPMsv6XeGHxNieTW_7Q#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=david%20wilson%20%22unto%20others%22\u0026amp;f=false\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003E Unto Others\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI agree with Dawkins that what appears to be altruism is actually kin selection (favoring those with common genes) or reciprocal altruism (helping others of the same or different species in return for a benefit). In complex human society it is often difficult to know who is kin or who may provide a reciprocal benefit, so we generalize the concept and indoctrinate our children to help all older people, cooperate with all neighbors, and so on. That is an “accidental” side-effect of kin- and reciprocal altruism, but it never-the-less benefits those societies who imprint generalized cooperative behaviors, so long as altruism is not taken too far.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDawkins ultimately rejects group selection and is left with the only remaining alternative, that religion is an unintended byproduct of something else. What is this “something else”? Well, he concludes [pg 174-176] it is “obey the tribal elders … For excellent reasons related to Darwinian survival, child brains need to trust parents, and elders whom parents tell them to trust.”\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELove, Ira"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/3362475653254377137\/comments\/default\/1238176739431563985"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/3362475653254377137\/comments\/default\/1238176739431563985"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/05\/thoughts-on-altruism-and-ethics.html?showComment=1526249618531#c1238176739431563985","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ira Glickstein"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/10800080810596424897"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/05\/thoughts-on-altruism-and-ethics.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-3362475653254377137","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/3362475653254377137","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1790344505"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"May 13, 2018 at 6:13 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-1643776458246728242"},"published":{"$t":"2018-05-13T18:12:16.736-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-05-13T18:12:16.736-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Frank: Thanks for your thoughts on Altruism and Et..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Frank: Thanks for your thoughts on Altruism and Ethics. You appear to me to focus on the INDIVIDUAL.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYou say, in part: \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAltruism corrupts human benevolence by regarding the individual as morally indentured by virtue of their existence, while on the flip side, a recipient holds an implied I.O.U. on the production of others. Another name for this is slave labor.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor free men, charity does not constitute a moral duty. There is nothing wrong with helping others when there is need. It is however, unacceptable as a moral requirement, such as the battle between those who hold that your life belongs to God and those who claim that it belongs to your neighbors. Human good does not hold that human sacrifice from anyone to anyone is required in the name of a moral good. \u003Cb\u003EHuman life belongs to the individual. Not to a god, nor to the state. The good is to live it productively.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E[my \u003Cb\u003Eemphasis\u003C\/b\u003E]\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMy view of ALTRUISM is that there is no actual PURE form of it. But, rather, what we note as altruism is actually KIN-SELECTION ALTRUISM, where organisms that share the same set of genes have been \u0026quot;designed\u0026quot; (by Evolution and Natural Selection) to sacrifice themselves, to some extent, to support what Richard Dawkins calls their \u0026quot;selfish genes\u0026quot;.  In my view ALTRUISM goes beyond KIN-SELECTION to include RECIPROCAL ALTRUISM (helping others of the same or different species in return for the possibility of a benefit).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMy view goes beyond Dawkins, who believes ALL evolutionary selection is at the GENE level, to views closer to David Sloan Wilson, to hold that Evolutionary Selection occurs at MULTIPLE LEVELS, namely both GENES and MEMES. Dawkins calls Wilson, (who was a teacher and friend of mine while I was a PhD student at Binghamton University) \u0026quot;the American group-selection apostle\u0026quot;.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E[Continued in next Comment]"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/3362475653254377137\/comments\/default\/1643776458246728242"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/3362475653254377137\/comments\/default\/1643776458246728242"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/05\/thoughts-on-altruism-and-ethics.html?showComment=1526249536736#c1643776458246728242","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ira Glickstein"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/10800080810596424897"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/05\/thoughts-on-altruism-and-ethics.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-3362475653254377137","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/3362475653254377137","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1790344505"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"May 13, 2018 at 6:12 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-7649031627740824262"},"published":{"$t":"2018-02-27T23:33:29.789-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-02-27T23:33:29.789-05:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"BILL: THANKS for your email showing some practical..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"BILL: THANKS for your email showing some practical examples of the 80\/20 rule (Pareto\u0026#39;s Law) working (and one case that did not end as well :^(\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlways great to hear from you. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELove, Ira"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/7964602356866048690\/comments\/default\/7649031627740824262"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/7964602356866048690\/comments\/default\/7649031627740824262"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/02\/absolute-equality-useful-myth.html?showComment=1519792409789#c7649031627740824262","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ira Glickstein"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/10800080810596424897"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/02\/absolute-equality-useful-myth.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-7964602356866048690","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/7964602356866048690","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1790344505"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"February 27, 2018 at 11:33 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-3650500646418122438"},"published":{"$t":"2018-02-27T23:31:03.929-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-02-27T23:31:03.929-05:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"FROM BILLIFKA\n\nCONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS COMMENT\n\nA ..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"FROM BILLIFKA\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS COMMENT\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA few pages later:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI’ll tell one more story about Jack’s idiosyncrasies; this one on his fascination with 80\/20. He bought a company doing about $40 million in the auto aftermarket business. He (and the banks) owned this outright and he had his two young sons running it as he hovered closely over them. The company purchased brake parts, carburetors, water pumps, fuel pumps, etc. from junk yards to remanufacture and sell to independent auto repair garages. Even before decent computers and the internet, this was a great business. The company had a national sales force that knew about car repair and had developed a loyal clientele because they provided parts for just about every kind of car, certainly all those of American manufacture. (At the time I used an independent \u003Cbr \/\u003Eservice station in “downtown” Mountain Lakes and often was offered a better price if I opted for a remanufactured part over a new part from Ford, Chrysler or etc.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EJack’s company was nicely profitable when he bought it but he was determined to make it much more profitable using 80\/20 principles, which he did know. What he didn’t know was cars, repair of cars, car repairmen and small businesses. I doubt if Jack had ever looked under the hood of a car and probably never talked to an automotive mechanic. He hardly ever drove, preferring to be chauffeured in a company limo. Applying 80\/20 to his new business, Jack separated the 20% of parts which generated 80% of his revenue and dropped the remaining 80% of the parts that made up 20% of his revenue. He felt this concentration would certainly reduce costs and inventory investment. Many of the garages had remained faithful to his company because it supplied all their needs. Now, 80% of the part types they needed had to be purchased from another supplier which opened Jack up to fierce competition on the 20% of parts he’d expected to drive his business. His business started to go downhill fast. I heard about this from the younger son who I knew from when he had accompanied his father on one of Jack’s three visits to my European “plantations” with me. I explained to the son what had to be done. I believe he convinced Jack because the company was still functioning under the Vollbrechts when Jack died in 2015. Jack could be stubborn to a fault but, basically, he was a bright guy. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003Ebillifka"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/7964602356866048690\/comments\/default\/3650500646418122438"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/7964602356866048690\/comments\/default\/3650500646418122438"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/02\/absolute-equality-useful-myth.html?showComment=1519792263929#c3650500646418122438","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ira Glickstein"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/10800080810596424897"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/02\/absolute-equality-useful-myth.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-7964602356866048690","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/7964602356866048690","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1790344505"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"February 27, 2018 at 11:31 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-8513793809014499371"},"published":{"$t":"2018-02-27T23:28:30.967-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-02-27T23:28:30.967-05:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"FROM BILLIFKA\n\nIra: \n\nThe following extracts from ..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"FROM BILLIFKA\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIra: \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe following extracts from my memoirs might be interesting as a follow up to your recent presentation. One is about applying 80\/20 to inventory control; the other to marketing strategy. I’ve often used it in marketing strategy in business. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHere’s an example about a capital fund drive for a social center for my church in SC where I lived before coming here. As the #2 man on the building committee and #1 on the fund drive, I met with the pastor and asked for the list of annual contribution amounts. I needed to set up parishioner classifications for different donor approaches. Annual donors of $5K or more were to be invited to a canapé and wine reception in which all details were presented, all questions answered and elitist type pressure exerted. Donors between $1K and $5K were to be visited in their homes by one of ten men I had qualified as experienced at that sort of thing. The remainder would be subjected to motivational mailers and phone follow up. The Pastor was horrified at the thought of my knowing what people gave and a discriminatory sales campaign. While he was saying no, the parish secretary was signaling (out of his view) she’d get me the information. We collected so much money we erected the entire building rather than the two stage building process we’d originally planned.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom my memoirs: ( Jack V. was the Chairman, etc. of Aerojet General Corp. I was the same for an Aerojet subsidiary group in commercial businesses. Jack was a lawyer by education.) \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGene M was upgrading inventory control and production scheduling. Neither was in horrible shape. Certainly, there had been no one kiting the inventory to generate false profit. Gene had the unexpected help of Jack V. He didn’t come around often but, on his first trip to Clifton, Jack displayed one of his idiosyncrasies. He’d heard about the 80\/20 rule and became a fanatic fan, applying it to everything. Inventory control provided a classic application. It really wasn’t much different than the ABC technique that, properly applied, worked well. Gene was no dummy and recognized Jack’s obsession. He had no difficulty dividing the inventory 80\/20, recognizing that dividing into two classes wouldn’t do the job. Therefore, he 80\/20ed the 20 and then the 80 to get classes of 4%, 16%, 16% and 64%. Eyeballing the results, he found 4%, 16%, 24% and 56% fit the price groups of our inventory better. Jack was delighted and would always spend a few hours seeing how well that worked. Other AG divisions and subsidiaries hated HR for encouraging Jack in his pastime, which he then inflicted on them. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECONTINUED IN  NEXT COMMENT\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/7964602356866048690\/comments\/default\/8513793809014499371"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/7964602356866048690\/comments\/default\/8513793809014499371"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/02\/absolute-equality-useful-myth.html?showComment=1519792110967#c8513793809014499371","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ira Glickstein"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/10800080810596424897"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2018\/02\/absolute-equality-useful-myth.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-7964602356866048690","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/7964602356866048690","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1790344505"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"February 27, 2018 at 11:28 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-526423629670708353"},"published":{"$t":"2017-10-15T17:12:13.302-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-10-15T17:12:13.302-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Rachel Maddow deserves credit for breaking ranks w..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Rachel Maddow deserves credit for breaking ranks with \u003Cbr \/\u003Eher NBC  colleagues and interviewing Farrow on her \u003Cbr \/\u003Eprogram in a timely manner.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENot a fan of Maddow, here.  But applause to her for doing that\u003Cbr \/\u003Einterview.  Just goes to show: one must pause a bit before\u003Cbr \/\u003Emaking judgements about others."},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/7684269801569062677\/comments\/default\/526423629670708353"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/7684269801569062677\/comments\/default\/526423629670708353"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/10\/fake-feminists-hollywood-hypocrites-and.html?showComment=1508101933302#c526423629670708353","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"C.England"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/blank.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/10\/fake-feminists-hollywood-hypocrites-and.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-7684269801569062677","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/7684269801569062677","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1783897111"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"October 15, 2017 at 5:12 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-8227130678419139759"},"published":{"$t":"2017-10-03T16:26:56.539-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-10-03T16:26:56.539-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"An good narration of a great trip. I look forward ..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"An good narration of a great trip. I look forward to your presentation at the Philosophy Club on December 1.\u003Cbr \/\u003EPenny"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/7492925557693523621\/comments\/default\/8227130678419139759"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/7492925557693523621\/comments\/default\/8227130678419139759"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/09\/beyond-communism-emergence-of-newly.html?showComment=1507062416539#c8227130678419139759","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Unknown"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08845716293041728910"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/09\/beyond-communism-emergence-of-newly.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-7492925557693523621","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/7492925557693523621","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-161238467"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"October 3, 2017 at 4:26 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-8147669156701709702"},"published":{"$t":"2017-08-29T07:36:32.104-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-08-29T07:36:32.104-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Hi Don Hess,\n\nI am writing on behalf of Dr. Alessa..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Hi Don Hess,\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI am writing on behalf of Dr. Alessandra Bonanni from the Division of Chemistry \u0026amp; Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EWe are currently working on a Technology Enhanced Learning project to convert some of the content from her course “Current Topics in Analytical Chemistry” to an online format. Dr. Alessandra Bonanni would like to use the image “The First \u0026quot;Canary in the Coalmine\u0026quot;?\u0026quot; as a visual guide to explain the concept of Analytical Chemistry. The image will be embedded to her online video lesson as an instructional method to help her students extend their understanding of Analytical Chemistry.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs such, we would like to seek approval to use the image of “Cyclic voltammetry of creatinine solutions measured using creatinine-imprinted by a commercial potentiostat” for the online video lesson. This online video lesson is strictly for the educational purposes and will only be disseminated through NTU’s Learning Management System, NTULearn, which is a non-public platform exclusive to students of NTU and accessed only through username and password. Additionally, only students of the Division of Chemistry \u0026amp; Biological Chemistry course will have access to this online video lesson during the semester they are taking the course. Students will not be able to download it and disseminate it in any way.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EPlease let us know if we can use this image in the online video lesson that we are producing. We can provide you with more details of the video lesson if needed. We also seek your assistance to direct us to the relevant department or personnel should this issue not be in your purview.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EThank you and we look forward to your reply soon.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EBest regards, \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESweeyee LEE\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003Esweeyee@gridsynergy.sg\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E "},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/4609879119225723013\/comments\/default\/8147669156701709702"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/4609879119225723013\/comments\/default\/8147669156701709702"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2011\/04\/first-canary-in-coalmine.html?showComment=1504006592104#c8147669156701709702","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Anonymous"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/blank.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2011\/04\/first-canary-in-coalmine.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-4609879119225723013","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/4609879119225723013","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1783897111"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"August 29, 2017 at 7:36 AM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-3438809141473495448"},"published":{"$t":"2017-07-30T17:08:43.962-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-07-30T17:08:43.962-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"This Wikipedia link details the (in)famous Sokal A..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"This Wikipedia link details the (in)famous Sokal Affair where a total nonsense paper was published in Social Text, an academic journal of postmodern cultural studies. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sokal_affair\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sokal_affair \u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom that link:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E****************************\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Sokal affair, also called the Sokal hoax,[1] was a scholarly publishing hoax perpetrated by Alan Sokal, a physics professor at New York University and University College London. In 1996, Sokal submitted an article to Social Text, an academic journal of postmodern cultural studies. The submission was an experiment to test the journal\u0026#39;s intellectual rigor and, specifically, to investigate whether \u0026quot;a leading North American journal of cultural studies – whose editorial collective includes such luminaries as Fredric Jameson and Andrew Ross – [would] publish an article liberally salted with nonsense if (a) it sounded good and (b) it flattered the editors\u0026#39; ideological preconceptions\u0026quot;.[2]\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe article, \u0026quot;Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity\u0026quot;,[3] was published in the Social Text spring\/summer 1996 \u0026quot;Science Wars\u0026quot; issue. It proposed that quantum gravity is a social and linguistic construct. At that time, the journal did not practice academic peer review and it did not submit the article for outside expert review by a physicist.[4][5] On the day of its publication in May 1996, Sokal revealed in Lingua Franca that the article was a hoax.[2]\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe hoax sparked a debate about the scholarly merit of humanistic commentary about the physical sciences; the influence of postmodern philosophy on social disciplines in general; academic ethics, including whether Sokal was wrong to deceive the editors and readers of Social Text; and whether Social Text had exercised appropriate intellectual rigor.\u003Cbr \/\u003E*****************************\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELove, Ira"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/2255797794152447715\/comments\/default\/3438809141473495448"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/2255797794152447715\/comments\/default\/3438809141473495448"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/undressing-post-modern-reality-game.html?showComment=1501448923962#c3438809141473495448","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Prof Ira"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/09251101984753209501"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/undressing-post-modern-reality-game.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-2255797794152447715","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/2255797794152447715","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-365048823"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"July 30, 2017 at 5:08 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-6439890393139635720"},"published":{"$t":"2017-07-30T17:02:53.945-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-07-30T17:02:53.945-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Every time you visit http:\/\/www.elsewhere.org\/jour..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Every time you visit \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.elsewhere.org\/journal\/pomo\/\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.elsewhere.org\/journal\/pomo\/\u003C\/a\u003E you get a new and different paper. Try it!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELove, Ira"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/2255797794152447715\/comments\/default\/6439890393139635720"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/2255797794152447715\/comments\/default\/6439890393139635720"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/undressing-post-modern-reality-game.html?showComment=1501448573945#c6439890393139635720","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Prof Ira"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/09251101984753209501"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/undressing-post-modern-reality-game.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-2255797794152447715","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/2255797794152447715","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-365048823"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"July 30, 2017 at 5:02 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-8019055489656133650"},"published":{"$t":"2017-07-30T16:59:25.355-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-07-30T16:59:25.355-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Thanks, Frank. Sadly, the original \u0026quot;Nature\u0026qu..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Thanks, Frank. Sadly, the original \u0026quot;Nature\u0026quot; paper is paywalled and, as a non-subscriber I\u0026#39;m not willing to pay to read it. However, the Phys.org story is available for free and I read it through.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs you know, Einstein (and Ira :^) would like to find an interpretation of Heisenberg\u0026#39;s Uncertainty principle that is compatible with a more classical view of Quantum Mechanics (QM) that would make it more compatible with Relativity and a Deterministic Universe. Perhaps this approach will help get us there.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs for Post-Modernism, I\u0026#39;ve long enjoyed this site that, mocking Post-Modern philosophy, generates formal-looking academic papers (from \u0026quot;elsewhere\u0026quot;) that are total nonsense. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.elsewhere.org\/journal\/pomo\/\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.elsewhere.org\/journal\/pomo\/\u003C\/a\u003E  \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELove, Ira"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/2255797794152447715\/comments\/default\/8019055489656133650"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/2255797794152447715\/comments\/default\/8019055489656133650"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/undressing-post-modern-reality-game.html?showComment=1501448365355#c8019055489656133650","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Prof Ira"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/09251101984753209501"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/undressing-post-modern-reality-game.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-2255797794152447715","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/2255797794152447715","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-365048823"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"July 30, 2017 at 4:59 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-6098879869212223439"},"published":{"$t":"2017-07-25T23:08:50.799-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-07-25T23:08:50.799-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Connie: Thanks for posting your Comment to my Blog..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Connie: Thanks for posting your Comment to my Blog -  I hope it is the start of more collegial cross-discussion, perhaps a rebirth of the kinds of conversations on this Blog five or ten years ago when the Chairman of my  PhD Committee, Howard Pattee, was active here, along with Joel Fox, Stu Denenberg, and some others.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYou wrote, in part: \u0026quot;... Recognizing the \u0026#39;human\u0026#39; conditioning from the past, considering its application to the present, and choosing a “best way” to respond. This is not “dustbin”; this is evolved awareness…an advancement of human consciousness.\u0026quot;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIndeed, EVOLVED AWARENESS - couldn\u0026#39;t have said it better myself.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIra Glickstein\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/8579687598116066850\/comments\/default\/6098879869212223439"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/8579687598116066850\/comments\/default\/6098879869212223439"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/stoicism-1-critique.html?showComment=1501038530799#c6098879869212223439","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ira Glickstein"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/10800080810596424897"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/stoicism-1-critique.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-8579687598116066850","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/8579687598116066850","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1790344505"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"July 25, 2017 at 11:08 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-7655772940707253629"},"published":{"$t":"2017-07-25T16:00:09.538-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-07-25T16:00:09.538-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Tho lacking in intellectual content (as Frank Schu..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Tho lacking in intellectual content (as Frank Schulwolf’s critique stated), the Stoicism presentation on July 7th may have offered listeners unfamiliar with some of the underlying principles that are reflected in current philosophy a peek into delving deeper.  Reading the 52 principles recorded so many years ago might give those listeners a “different view” than the one given by both the presenter AND Schulwolf.   For I’ve found that much of the deeper philosophies imbedded within many, if not all, of the major religions of the world express similar principles, allowing those that seek the more profound understanding of this human\/divine being that we are to merge or blend into a more balanced creature as we travel this path of existence on earth.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EThe wisdom from previous great thinkers evolved BEFORE the Stoic period and have continued up through to the present time, with modern philosophies reflecting scientific knowledge dealing with “man”, even into the quantum world of physics.  There are two sides to the coin.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003ENo, no.  Not the dustbin.  Rather, understanding that emotions are the results of experiences of life, and to deny them is NOT the method to apply.  To RECOGNIZE them for what they are…a reflection of past experiences that have little to do often times with the PRESENT MOMENT, is a modern application of this principle.  For to first RECOGNIZE an emotion for what it really is (a shadow from the past)  allows one to apply REASON to the present moment and therefor to be cognizant of present behavior or reaction to present events.  This allows better choices for REACTIONS, by recognizing the “human” conditioning from the past, considering its application to the present, and choosing a “best way” to respond.  This is not “dustbin”; this is evolved awareness…an advancement of human consciousness.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003ENo, no.  Not “disciplined emotional repression”. This is instead AWARENESS of emotions and through reason, choosing a better way.  This is the “evolution of man”.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EPerhaps the presentation will motivate some of the listeners to “seek and find” a better way…\u003Cbr \/\u003E "},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/8579687598116066850\/comments\/default\/7655772940707253629"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/8579687598116066850\/comments\/default\/7655772940707253629"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/stoicism-1-critique.html?showComment=1501012809538#c7655772940707253629","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"C.M.England"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/blank.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/stoicism-1-critique.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-8579687598116066850","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/8579687598116066850","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1783897111"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"July 25, 2017 at 4:00 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-3499713630287540925"},"published":{"$t":"2017-07-25T12:36:49.182-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-07-25T12:36:49.182-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"PMI: Thanks for your thoughtful Comment. Also, tha..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"PMI: Thanks for your thoughtful Comment. Also, thanks for letting us know you are a \u0026quot;Snowbird\u0026quot; in The Villages and live in Kingston, NY. As you may know, my wife and I lived in Newark Valley, NY and then Apalachin, NY (in the Binghamton, NY area) for most of our married life, until 2003 when we became \u0026quot;Frogs\u0026quot; (here till we \u0026quot;croak\u0026quot;).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs I understand Stoicism, emotions are channeled into reasonable responses and actions, rather than being suppressed. Destructive emotions are controlled by understanding and clear thinking and reason regarding Natural forces in the Universe. Classical Pantheism (such as Spinoza) takes a similar view.   \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESelected Quotes from \u0026quot;The Enchiridion\u0026quot; http:\/\/classics.mit.edu\/Epictetus\/epicench.html :\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E1. \u003Cb\u003ESome things are in our control and others not.\u003C\/b\u003E Things in our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe things in our control are by nature free, unrestrained, unhindered; but those not in our control are weak, slavish, restrained, belonging to others. ... \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E4. When you are going about any action, remind yourself what nature the action is. \u003Cb\u003EIf you are going to bathe, picture to yourself the things which usually happen in the bath: some people splash the water, some push, some use abusive language, and others steal.\u003C\/b\u003E Thus you will more safely go about this action if you say to yourself, \u0026quot;I will now go bathe, and keep my own mind in a state conformable to nature.\u0026quot; And in the same manner with regard to every other action. For thus, if any hindrance arises in bathing, you will have it ready to say, \u0026quot;It was not only to bathe that I desired, but to keep my mind in a state conformable to nature; and I will not keep it if I am bothered at things that happen. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E26. The will of nature may be learned from those things in which we don\u0026#39;t distinguish from each other. For example, \u003Cb\u003Ewhen our neighbor\u0026#39;s boy breaks a cup, or the like, we are presently ready to say, \u0026quot;These things will happen.\u0026quot; Be assured, then, that when your own cup likewise is broken, you ought to be affected just as when another\u0026#39;s cup was broken. Apply this in like manner to greater things. Is the child or wife of another dead? There is no one who would not say, \u0026quot;This is a human accident.\u0026quot; but if anyone\u0026#39;s own child happens to die, it is presently, \u0026quot;Alas I how wretched am I!\u0026quot; But it should be remembered how we are affected in hearing the same thing concerning others.\u003C\/b\u003E ...\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E29. \u003Cb\u003EIn every affair consider what precedes and follows, and then undertake it.\u003C\/b\u003E ... \u003Cb\u003EWhen you have evaluated all this, if your inclination still holds, then go to war.\u003C\/b\u003E ...\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E31. Be assured that \u003Cb\u003Ethe essential property of piety towards the gods is to form right opinions concerning them, as existing and as governing the universe with goodness and justice.\u003C\/b\u003E And fix yourself in this resolution, to obey them, and yield to them, and willingly follow them in all events, as produced by the most perfect understanding. For thus you will never find fault with the gods, nor accuse them as neglecting you. ...\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E35. \u003Cb\u003EWhen you do anything from a clear judgment that it ought to be done, never shun the being seen to do it, even though the world should make a wrong supposition about it; for, if you don\u0026#39;t act right, shun the action itself; but, if you do, why are you afraid of those who censure you wrongly?\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIra Glickstein"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/8579687598116066850\/comments\/default\/3499713630287540925"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/8579687598116066850\/comments\/default\/3499713630287540925"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/stoicism-1-critique.html?showComment=1501000609182#c3499713630287540925","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Prof Ira"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/09251101984753209501"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/stoicism-1-critique.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-8579687598116066850","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/8579687598116066850","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-365048823"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"July 25, 2017 at 12:36 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-1519857855136538357"},"published":{"$t":"2017-07-25T00:24:33.434-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-07-25T00:24:33.434-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Unfortunately, I was not able to commute to this p..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Unfortunately, I was not able to commute to this presentation, since I live in Kingston, NY and come to The Villages in the Winter.  So my comment is limited to the interesting comments on the presentation.  \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPhilosophic discussions usually benefit from an understanding of how our brain functions and how it develops.  In the case of understanding stoicism, it is helpful to appreciate that the emotion center of our brain resides in the amygdala, and emotions are brought under control by our prefrontal cortex.  As infants, we have no control over our emotions.  Our amygdala is unchecked.  Anxiety, fear, and anger - in the spectrum of fight or flight responses - express themselves overtly.  Parental and early childhood guidance bring these emotions under control of our brain\u0026#39;s executive function in the frontal lobe.  We are taught that unconstrained expression of such emotions is antisocial.  For example, when another child grabs a toy with which we are playing or which we consider our possession, we may be taught to share rather than to hit the grabber in anger.  Stoicism is an exaggerated application of such constraints.  It arose as a reasoned consequence of such efforts to control antisocial emotions, under a generalized inference that all emotional responses are less virtuous than intellectual detachment.  Since the gamut of our emotions includes social as well as antisocial responses - including love, empathy, and sexual feelings (see a fascinating history of sexual mores in \u0026quot;Sex and the Constitution\u0026quot; by Geoffrey R. Stone) - the virtue of indiscriminate suppression of emotions is disputable.  Does this provide a useful perspective? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/8579687598116066850\/comments\/default\/1519857855136538357"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/8579687598116066850\/comments\/default\/1519857855136538357"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/stoicism-1-critique.html?showComment=1500956673434#c1519857855136538357","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"PMI"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/18255153373585799372"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/stoicism-1-critique.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-8579687598116066850","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/8579687598116066850","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1111915127"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"July 25, 2017 at 12:24 AM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-1986912690294833279"},"published":{"$t":"2017-07-19T12:16:44.884-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-07-19T12:16:44.884-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Frank: THANKS for posting your Critique! Though, a..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Frank: THANKS for posting your Critique! Though, as a long-time Stoic (since College!) I do not agree with many of your points, I hope your posting incites thoughtful discussion on my Blog. I thought the presenter did a good job, highlighting some positive aspects as an introductory invitation for further study.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYou say, in part:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026quot;Stoicism is a by design\/determinist philosophy, with all that implies. ... It is therefore futile and a waste of time bemoaning ones fate. Realize instead, an unlimited acceptance of \u0026#39;reality\u0026#39; because it was all meant to happen. ...\u0026quot;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlthough it is true that Stoics accept the world as it is, and we should not enter into combat when we are bound to lose, we should, never-the-less actively fight the battles we can win.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYou continue:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026quot;Man’s emotional mechanism is very important component of the computer, which his mind has to program—and the programming consists of the values his mind chooses. Its main function being the integration of ideas.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026quot;If you consign your emotions to the dustbin, your disciplined emotional repression will deny your conscious mind the tools necessary to reach firm convictions.\u0026quot;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI do not think Stoics put their emotions in \u0026quot;the dustbin\u0026quot;. Rather, we try to direct them in positive ways.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYou continue:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026quot;Interestingly, while the Greeks idealized man, The Stoics degraded him by calling for the suppression of emotion.The philosophy of Stoicism produces the antithesis of what our founding fathers had in mind—the individual pursuing his happiness.\u0026quot;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI think Stoicism enhances humanity by employing reason over useless, futile emotion. As for happiness, I subscribe to the Roger Miller tune: \u0026quot;YOU CAN\u0026#39;T ROLLERSKATE IN A BUFFALO HERD ... But you can be happy if you\u0026#39;ve a mind to be.\u0026quot; see http:\/\/lyricsplayground.com\/alpha\/songs\/y\/youcantrollerskateinabuffaloherd.shtml \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELove, Ira\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPS: By the way, I’m scheduled for Aug 14 at The Villages Science Tech Club for a somewhat technical talk about “The Consequences of a Discrete, Finite, Isolated DETERMINISTIC Universe” and will get into the proper interpretation of the Heisenberg Uncertainty principle. "},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/8579687598116066850\/comments\/default\/1986912690294833279"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/8579687598116066850\/comments\/default\/1986912690294833279"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/stoicism-1-critique.html?showComment=1500481004884#c1986912690294833279","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ira Glickstein"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/10800080810596424897"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/07\/stoicism-1-critique.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-8579687598116066850","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/8579687598116066850","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1790344505"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"July 19, 2017 at 12:16 PM"}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-713987966336993752"},"published":{"$t":"2017-06-11T23:47:13.506-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-06-11T23:47:13.506-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Apparently you believe that the discussion should ..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Apparently you believe that the discussion should be over because this is an undecidable difference of opinion.  I do not think that is the case.  Existing data on the US Labor Force Participation Rate do not support your contention.  The automation scare which began in the 19th century was revived in the 1960\u0026#39;s.  Rather than reducing labor force participation as direly predicted then, the rate increased between 1965 and 2000, as the data that you provided show. While the rate has decreased in the past 16 years, it remains well above the participation rate in the 1960\u0026#39;s.  I believe we are going through a transition period in US employment largely driven by globalization and the 2008 financial crisis.  As China and India have been able to offer cheaper labor costs in manufacturing and some service areas, there has been pressure on the US labor force to change its skill set.  The drop in labor force participation over the past decade and a half reflects that, as well as immigration of less skilled workers willing to do menial jobs for lesser pay and early retirement of the increasing percentage of those over 60.  We are only talking about a 4% overall drop, so the significance of the role of automation is unclear.  An increasingly egalitarian role of women in our workforce can account for the rising percent of jobs held by women over the past half century.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn any case, while the recent rate of job loss may continue to increase in future, it may also decrease or flatten.  Absent certainty of the prediction upon which you predicate a need for a UBI, there is insufficient evidence that we should establish a UBI at this time.  If the data do support your prediction in future, then we can reconsider a UBI along with alternative options (e.g., increasing the earned income credit), taking account of their costs and other societal ramifications.  You have not made a persuasive case for immediate adoption of a UBI, but it remains an option worth continued scrutiny.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA more erudite perspective on this topic is provided by MIT Economics Professor David Autor: https:\/\/economics.mit.edu\/files\/11563\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/5216187809566278490\/comments\/default\/713987966336993752"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8429570072441023296\/5216187809566278490\/comments\/default\/713987966336993752"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/05\/the-case-for-universal-basic-income.html?showComment=1497239233506#c713987966336993752","title":""}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"PMI"},"uri":{"$t":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/18255153373585799372"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$in-reply-to":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","href":"http:\/\/tvpclub.blogspot.com\/2017\/05\/the-case-for-universal-basic-income.html","ref":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-5216187809566278490","source":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8429570072441023296/posts/default/5216187809566278490","type":"text/html"},"gd$extendedProperty":[{"name":"blogger.itemClass","value":"pid-1111915127"},{"name":"blogger.displayTime","value":"June 11, 2017 at 11:47 PM"}]}]}});