Thank you
John M
On 1/14/07, Brent Meeker <meekerdb.domain.name.hidden> wrote:
>
>
> John Mikes wrote:
> > Stathis P wrote:1-14-07:
> >
> > John,
> >
> > So if a child comes to you and asks what shape the Earth is, will you
> > reply that some think it's flat, and some think it's spherical, and for
> the
> > sake of not being thought ignorant by the majority maybe he should
> > say it's spherical, but in fact there is no reason to prefer one theory
> > in this regard over another?
> >
> > Stathis
> >
> > Cute, I certainly would consider the mental level of the "child" and
> > give an appropriately formulated information not contradictory to my
> > (your) present 2007AD cognitive (science?) inventory.
> > I think your question arose from the controversy upon my (poorly
> > expressed) liberal stance about considering everybody's belief system
> > as his own/entire mental world, maybe different from mine (or yours) and
> > in most cases impenetrable from another belief system because the values
> > and even the concepts (e.g. evidence?) are differently formulated,
> > accepted and understood. Our today's scientific mindset IS a belief
> > system - more than just one, this list is a good example for that.
> >
> > I did not reflect to questions like "which one is good, better, worse,
> > because value systems are identified within the belief system and I
> > would not 'judge' the values of another system based upon the values in
> > my system. A missionary may do so, or a fascist dictator..
>
> But you make a value decision not to reflect on the question and
> consequently you cannot judge the actions of the missionary or the fascist
> dictator. Albert Schweitzer or Idi Amin, they just have different belief
> systems and can't be judged...by you.
>
> But to have a value system that cannot be used to judge others is the same
> as having no ethics at all. To refuse of criticize or sanction others in
> society is the position referred to as a 'free-rider' (c.f. Matt Ridley
> "The Origins of Virtue").
>
>
>
> Brent Meeker
>
>
> >
>
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Received on Sun Jan 14 2007 - 15:47:41 PST