We say that it is wrong to murder. Let us take that as a given. We are obliged not to murder because it is morally wrong.
Now we say that it is the law not to murder. What additional obligation does this give us, and why?
Friday, April 30, 2010
A hypothetical
A scientist has information that demonstrates that your genes are slightly poisonous to the world, insofar as each generation after you that comes from your line will be 1 percent more destructive of the social good, whatever that means. If this were found out, society would have to kill you. You have the chance to destroy any trace of knowledge of this fact, and would leave the scientist undisturbed. What do you do? N.b., any answer claiming lack of worth in your life because all life is meaningless would not be fruitful, since if all life is meaningless, all life is meaningless.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Some assistance required
What is this, in Zizek?
"The easiest way to detect ideological surplus-enjoyment in an ideological formation is to read it as a dream and analyze the displacement at work in it."
I don't quite follow, although I like the idea. HOW exactly does one do this?
http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ot/zizek1.htm
"The easiest way to detect ideological surplus-enjoyment in an ideological formation is to read it as a dream and analyze the displacement at work in it."
I don't quite follow, although I like the idea. HOW exactly does one do this?
http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ot/zizek1.htm
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Conceptual Analysis
(1) Anglo-American philosophy is myopic with its monistic view of conceptual analysis, seeking to obtain a list of necessary and sufficient criteria for a concept.
A more fruitful approach is extension, a pluralist approach, a list of examples.
A still more fruitful approach is aphorism, metaphor, trope, painting.
(2) On this continuum from formal analysis, through list, to metaphor, we can see the creative aspect of analysis. We can see that bound up in the project of the logothete (the namer) is the evaluative project. We live in a stream, in a senseless, ever-shifting world of images. The very creation of the self, the identification of discrete "things" in the universe, is artificial, is artifice, is a thing created. To pick "tree" out of a landscape, to identify "tree" as a UNIT, is to reveal our antecedent valuations, is to project an ALREADY EXTANT personality on the world.
Objective analysis is a blind alley. Speaking of "points of view" is not a tool to attain objectivity, but an expression of our limitations. That we can conceive of "points of view" and critique them pragmatically is simply evidence of our practical reason, our unproved, instrumental, and inherent ability to "separate" ourselves from our environment. It is not evidence of conceptual capability, or true objectivity.
(3) Thus we dispose of the liberal tradition.
A more fruitful approach is extension, a pluralist approach, a list of examples.
A still more fruitful approach is aphorism, metaphor, trope, painting.
(2) On this continuum from formal analysis, through list, to metaphor, we can see the creative aspect of analysis. We can see that bound up in the project of the logothete (the namer) is the evaluative project. We live in a stream, in a senseless, ever-shifting world of images. The very creation of the self, the identification of discrete "things" in the universe, is artificial, is artifice, is a thing created. To pick "tree" out of a landscape, to identify "tree" as a UNIT, is to reveal our antecedent valuations, is to project an ALREADY EXTANT personality on the world.
Objective analysis is a blind alley. Speaking of "points of view" is not a tool to attain objectivity, but an expression of our limitations. That we can conceive of "points of view" and critique them pragmatically is simply evidence of our practical reason, our unproved, instrumental, and inherent ability to "separate" ourselves from our environment. It is not evidence of conceptual capability, or true objectivity.
(3) Thus we dispose of the liberal tradition.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
A Half Full Look at a Half Empty Glass
Recently I was feeling a bit down about certain things. I was recommended to not be such a "negative nancy" and to have a more upbeat and appreciative tone. I think that the people suggesting this were actually conveying quite a pessimistic vision, ironically. They were saying that I should diminish my expectations if I am to be happy, and by taking on a more "realistic" expectation of what life has to offer in this certain department, I would be more satisfied. I think that their philosophy is tantamount to saying: PBJ, you should not be unhappy, because what you have is actually quite good relative to what is possible. That is, what is possible is worse than what I imagined. What a bunch of pessimists they are!
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