Stathis Papaioannou wrote:
>
>
> On 2/12/07, *Tom Caylor* <Daddycaylor.domain.name.hidden
> <mailto:Daddycaylor.domain.name.hidden>> wrote:
>
>
> > Stathis Papaioannou wrote:
> >
> > > Tom Caylor writes:
> >
> > > > > > Brent Meeker
> > > > > > "It does not matter now that in a million years nothing
> we do now
> > > will matter."
> > > > > > --- Thomas Nagel
> >
> > > > > We might like to believe Nagel, but it isn't true.
> >
> > > > > Tom
> >
> > > > That is, it isn't true that in a million years nothing we do
> now will
> > > > matter.
> >
> > > Why do you say "we might like to believe Nagel"? Why would
> anyone want
> > > it to be the case that nothing we do now will matter in a
> million years?
>
> In order to think in terms beyond a few generations, we need a basis
> for meaning that is more universal than explaining and controlling
> things in our immediate sphere of "care abouts", like our animal
> instincts.
But what we care about right now, may include anything we think of - including how things will be a million years from now, including an abstract principle, even including a fine point of theology.
>(Such a local basis does not support doing things like
> sacrificing your life for others even a couple thousand years in the
> future.)
For the very good reason that one cannot foresee the benefits of such sacrifice so far in the future. But people sacrifice for others that they know all the time.
> But if we reject the ultimate basis, then it feels good to
> say that it doesn't matter.
>
> Tom
>
>
> If we discovered some million year old civilization today I think wonder
> at its achievements, however paltry, would far outweigh dismay at its
> wickedness, however extreme. I'm not sure what the significance of this
> observation is.
I don't think it's true. My exhibit A is the Aztecs.
Brent Meeker
There is a certain impertinence in allowing oneself
to be burned for an opinion.
-- Anatole France
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Received on Mon Feb 12 2007 - 01:45:45 PST