On Wed, 29 Mar 2006 21:08:16 +0100, frank theriault
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On 3/29/06, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Modern philosophy, since the Enlightenment, has been based on
Kant's
view of reality, with one of the first being that certain valuations
transcend existence and exist in principle apart from all else. 1+1
will
always yield 2, no matter what. For Kant, basic arithmetic/mathematics
was
foundational and all else built on this principle. But unfortunately
Kant
couldn't bring these principles to reality. It was all theory. (In
"Star
Trek" the Vulcan principle of "pure logic" is akin to this.)
Hegel brought these principles to practical
implementation.
His view concluded that the higher values were those that
brought
about a better (more pleasant/more stable) human existence.
The unfortunate result is that we've not reached any
concensus on the implementation of these principles. The
result
has been widely varying views as to what can and should be
sacrificed to obtain this level of human existence.
That's the fundamental weakness of Kant's arguments --
it's
not specific enough to implement. It's a system that's so
open-ended that any derived system, consistent within itself,
can
meet his criteria. So from Kant and Hegel we got Hitler, Marx
and Nietzsche. And humanity has suffered greatly. So much
for
pure logic.
Kant is responsible for Hitler and his ilk? That's what you seem to
be saying, so correct me if I've misinterpreted you.
You probably got it right, Frank. Colin has his own versions of history,
philosophy and reality.
John
If that's what you're saying, that's one of the most wrong-headed and
irresponsible statements I've seen in a long time!
cheers,
frank
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