tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post6940801956418062577..comments2024-03-19T07:48:54.021-06:00Comments on Gus Van Horn: Don't PanicGus Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126749051688217781noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post-90760075690551774752010-08-08T17:05:19.393-06:002010-08-08T17:05:19.393-06:00Indeed.Indeed.Gus Van Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126749051688217781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post-69723508742038805662010-08-08T11:35:46.355-06:002010-08-08T11:35:46.355-06:00“People who think reason is impotent get caught in...“People who think reason is impotent get caught in a viscous circle.”<br />Yes, that’s a good point and it is what makes this attitude so difficult to combat. (Where is the best place to penetrate a circle?) It goes right back to improper epistemology and an incorrect view of the world. <br />“Fortunately, there is free will:”<br />This is both the answer and the danger – it’s why we can never guarantee to be victorious but it’s also what makes victory possible.Steve Dnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post-37679006247863583572010-08-05T19:21:12.524-06:002010-08-05T19:21:12.524-06:00"That's what I like about your blog – har..."<i>That's what I like about your blog – hardly have you finished describing the problem and already talking about principles (or more precisely a comparison based on a principle).</i>"<br /><br />That's a high compliment coming from you. Thanks.<br /><br />"<i>Both theory and history validate the benevolent universe premise (properly understood) ... People are just too lazy to track down facts they would only have to disregard anyway. Self deception is simply a lot less work if you don’t have knowledge to evade in the first place!</i>"<br /><br />It's not always completely laziness. People who think reason is impotent get caught in a viscous circle. It "didn't work" before, so why bother to become well-informed this time? (e.g., Look what happened! The evil oil companies are out for short-term gain. Why should we believe ANY drilling is safe?)<br /><br />Of course, the flip side of the above is that it's easy to look naive or lazy to someone who has such a pessimistic view. Just consider how quickly scientists who are skeptical of AGW are written off if they receive any funding from oil companies. Or, for that matter, consider the fact that people who oppose the political agenda package-dealt with AGW are often regarded as lacking critical thinking skills. Notice that justice quickly goes by the wayside here: The universe is not amenable to reason, and those who say otherwise are, <i>ipso facto</i>, foolish.<br /><br />Fortunately, there is free will: Some such people eventually realize on some level that they are wrong.Gus Van Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126749051688217781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post-37207356002223518182010-08-05T19:07:18.627-06:002010-08-05T19:07:18.627-06:00“One thing I find interesting is the following par...“One thing I find interesting is the following parallel between cynicism and worst-case thinking”<br /><br />That’s what I like about your blog – hardly have you finished describing the problem and already talking about principles (or more precisely a comparison based on a principle). Using these principles properly you can work out not only the essential similarities between the response different current events but also the essential differences. <br />The volcano and Deepwater seems like a pretty good example (discarding ideals). The position is naïve because (as I always try to point out to pessimists ) the world doesn’t in fact work that way. Both theory and history validate the benevolent universe premise (properly understood)<br /><br />As a more practical point, given the history of other oil spills and the fact that the natural yearly leakage into the Gulf exceeds the Deepwater Horizon accident it was always pretty certain that this problem would disappear rather rapidly.<br /> <br />“Sadly, I didn't write about any of this, or I could now pat myself on the back and say, "I told you so."” <br /><br />But based on principles and available facts you could have told us so and that’s what really matters.<br /><br />“The stunted intellectual development of so many in our age” <br /><br />The big picture is gone now for most people. The most direct cause I think is simple laziness or apathy (in some cases probably even stupidity) – People are just too lazy to track down facts they would only have to disregard anyway. Self deception is simply a lot less work if you don’t have knowledge to evade in the first place!Steve Dnoreply@blogger.com