The noble lie is to serve as charter myth for Plato's good city: a myth of national or civic identity - or rather, two related myths, one grounding that identity in the natural brotherhood of the entire indigenous population (they are all autochthonous, literally born from the earth), the other making the city's differentiated class structure a matter of divine dispensation (the god who molds them puts different metals in their souls). The Cambridge Companion to Plato's Republic
Then if anyone at all is to have the privilege of lying, the rulers of the State should be the persons; and they, in their dealings either with enemies or with their own citizens, may be allowed to lie for the public good. But nobody else should meddle with anything of the kind. -- from The Republic
Two links on CNN intrigued me:
Manned missions to visibly examine these veins - to "boldly go" takes funding, vision...and decisiveness.
This lack of logic, of method - science or otherwise, is telling in our public discourse, our journalism, decisions (or, lack thereof) by our political leaders, our own impulsive public behavior.
It's as if we've lost - as a nation - the capacity to reason.
Then if anyone at all is to have the privilege of lying, the rulers of the State should be the persons; and they, in their dealings either with enemies or with their own citizens, may be allowed to lie for the public good. But nobody else should meddle with anything of the kind. -- from The Republic
A casual search on this site of the term "scientific method," and you'll find a plethora of mentions. As usual, I tried to interject humor.
What is not humorous: is seeing our nation sink beneath the weight of its own hubris, as if "American Exceptionalism" makes us immune to possible competitive challenge, or super-cession by other countries.
Two links on CNN intrigued me:
America can't afford to lose its grip on science, by Lisa Randall.
I purposely don't watch debates. (See The Republic/Plato quotes above, I consider myself - at least, in structure of thought - a logician.) I would end up shouting at the flat screen: "are you kidding me?" With the full knowledge that the person on stage is enamored with one thing, and one thing only - the ascension to a state of power they covet more than their country. Some noteworthy quotes:
I purposely don't watch debates. (See The Republic/Plato quotes above, I consider myself - at least, in structure of thought - a logician.) I would end up shouting at the flat screen: "are you kidding me?" With the full knowledge that the person on stage is enamored with one thing, and one thing only - the ascension to a state of power they covet more than their country. Some noteworthy quotes:
If current political discussions are any indication, America is in danger not only of losing scientific leadership but also of losing respect for the scientific method itself. This is at a time when the type of clear and rational thinking that science teaches us is more relevant than ever. Given the challenging problems we face today, our country needs to embrace the scientific values that have served us so well.
Science gives us a systematic way of incorporating what we know and don't know into a consistent logical framework. It doesn't say we know all the answers, but it does tell us the likelihood of particular outcomes and how well we can trust our predictions.
Science gives us a systematic way of incorporating what we know and don't know into a consistent logical framework. It doesn't say we know all the answers, but it does tell us the likelihood of particular outcomes and how well we can trust our predictions.
Opportunity finds more evidence of water on Mars: The long-lived Mars rover Opportunity has spotted bright veins of a water-deposited mineral, apparently gypsum, on the surface of the planet. The vein is informally named 'Homestake,' and it and other similar-looking deposits are located in a zone where sulfate-rich bedrock meets volcanic bedrock, at the rim of the Endeavour Crater. Homestake is roughly 0.4 to 0.8 inches wide, 16 to 20 inches long, and protrudes slightly above the surrounding bedrock.
Manned missions to visibly examine these veins - to "boldly go" takes funding, vision...and decisiveness.
This lack of logic, of method - science or otherwise, is telling in our public discourse, our journalism, decisions (or, lack thereof) by our political leaders, our own impulsive public behavior.
It's as if we've lost - as a nation - the capacity to reason.
Wouldn't it be a shame if our epitaph as a nation were: they scored Pyrrhic victories...in idiocy!
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