virus: truth, science, and the American way

Reed Konsler (konsler@ascat.harvard.edu)
Thu, 3 Apr 1997 13:50:51 -0500 (EST)


>From: Lee Daniel Crocker <lcrocker@calweb.com>
>Date: Wed, 2 Apr 1997 12:07:38 -0800 (PST)
>
>> You are suggesting we abolish universities? And where will the next
>> generation's prodigies go to study philosophy and history? Why not
>> abolish the NEA, too? Where do you suppose thinkers get the money and
>> time to develop themselves?
>
>So the /current/ method of doing something is the /only/ method? What
>a sad lack of imagination....I've now been a successful computer engineer
>for 17 years, and never found any need for a degree or government aid.

[cut]

>What's wrong with apprenticeships? Virtual classrooms? Voluntary
>mutual education collectives? Advertising-sponsored learning?
>
>Perhaps some good things happen at traditional universities as well,
>but we must learn from their failures and perverse incentives and
>create better ways.

Agreed. Totally. Amen. You're preaching to the choir.

I was in no way arguing that Universities are a superior way of doing things.
I was specifically responding to:

>From: "D. H. Rosdeitcher" <76473.3041@compuserve.com>
>Date: 01 Apr 97 20:55:51 EST
>
>Aaron wrote:
>>>The point I'm trying to make is that there is no truth. Reason is an
>>>illusion, science is an illusion, and most of all truth is an illusion --
>>>there is no objective reality.
>
>I treasure Aaron's quote as a perfect example of ideas that commonly come from
>"edu" lines. Tax-funded universities exist by promoting ideas that contradict
>the first axiom. If there is no objective reality, there is no objective
>morality. In other words, it's ok to live as a tax-collector or any other kind
>of parasite.

Which is an example of tribalism, or the "us-vs.-them" meme. David R. was,
in my opinion, communicating the meme "don't trust people who's ideas come
from xxx.edu sources, as they are corrupt [anti-objectivist]". Given this is
a mailing list, and it is currently not possible to create your own
personal address
ending (ie you can be -com, -org, -gov, -edu, etc. and can't just choose one at
random) this amounts to a sort of internet-racism.

But don't go radicallizing my position on me.

Reed

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Reed Konsler konsler@ascat.harvard.edu
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