On 2/12/07, Tom Caylor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 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. (Such a local basis does not support doing things like > sacrificing your life for others even a couple thousand years in the > future.) 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. Stathis Papaioannou --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To post to this group, send email to everything-list@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
