Philosophy Now Forum

Fair enough, Gee. :) That being said, even if all we say is "lies sometimes produce good," then we would still have to say "good" of what kind, "good" to whom, and what property constituted this result as "good". And all of that would have to happen in order t...

Yes. If it is "best" then it is "best". This is a no brainer. Now, hold on, Gee. Hadn't we better say what we mean by "best"? Marsh doesn't specify that. And it will matter. Do we mean... a) "Best" for the whole human race? b) "Best" for an individu...

Can a square be circle?

Can a bachelor be a married man?

I'm reminded of what C.S. Lewis said about this: "Nonsense is still nonsense, even when spoken about God."

Yes, I agree, Paul B. What can get lost in the philosophical shuffle here is that this is a real human being facing something very serious and tragic. It's unusual for someone in his position to make a gesture so public and frank at a time like that. Usually these things are occasions of grief and d...

Turgeon's making a very common error in thinking about Moral Education...the idea that it can be done in a completely non-indoctrinatory way, devoid of any reference to particular ideology. This idea has been tried and tried, in public education; and it has been found wanting every time. Its disaste...

The Golden Rule is said to prevent narcissism. But on what basis is it able to do so, and why would we be justified in concluding it should? As a "Desirist," Mr. Marks by definition does not believe the GR has any objective, authoritative force. So why should we think that narcissism is no...

Ginkgo:

With all due deference to the axioms about books, covers and judgments, you may feel welcome to begin your skeptical exercise from the first page to the last, covers included.

We have our first criticism: the title could be hyperbolical.

But on we go...

I'll give it a go. Not sure when, things are a bit hectic right now. (And it's only going to get worse.)

Fair enough. There's no hurry. And I do think you will find it a worthwhile read. We can talk later.

Is this the sort of historical fact I lack the integrity to appreciate? I was responding to your assertion, actually, agreeing with you. I made no assertion of my own on the point of your integrity. what are the key references? I'm recommending Vishal Mangalwadi's book, The Book That Made Your Worl...

It is your version of christianity that applies so perfectly to you, because you have made it in your own image. Well, that's a rather facile response, and evidently ungrounded, as it's got to be quite clear to anyone you have no idea what "my version" might be, and what its relation to &...

Thanks for the article, and thanks for the further explanation -- because I felt when I read the article I was going to have to ask you for that: I couldn't see an obvious way the article made the point you suggested. After all, it was about how a group of men from Polytheistic Greece made advances ...

Ummm....

Right.

Yep, you'd better show me that.

The article is locked, and my copy of PN is likely still in the mail, so that won't help me. Go ahead, if you think you can make a case.

Maybe I should have said "I'm convinced."

Mea culpa.

Thedoc's got a point, I think. But I'd be mighty surprised if it turned out to be one we have to worry about. The Secularization Hypothesis is old school, as is generally realized among sociologists today. A great quantity of sociological research is currently focusing on explaining why secularizati...

Lev: Thanks for the comprehensive and relevant answer, but after a week of waiting I think I've lost the will to live. I quite understand. Debating on this forum can have that effect. The discussion level falls quickly to the puerile here. And while I have found two or three excellent conversation p...