Re: virus: maxims and ground rules and suppositions

James Veverka (headbands@webtv.net)
Sat, 15 May 1999 16:02:32 -0400 (EDT)

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Wade,
How about Paul's "God is not a respecter of persons"? Newer translations just say God doesn't prefer one over another. This statement flies in the face of everything else said by that crazy priest. And it is probably one of the only statements he made, taken from a deist (god as nature) point of view, that makes any sense.

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Subject: Re: virus: maxims and ground rules and suppositions Date: Sat, 15 May 1999 11:30:50 -0500
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>didnt plato come to the same conclusion?

My (vastly imperfect) knowledge of Plato is that he thought there were _actual_ perfect 'things' towards which all other things strived. I think we've come to some knowing (yes, science!) about the forces that _create_ nature. Anti-platonism. (Yes, evolution is a fibonacci.) And we can come up with sets of forces that will, as you say, 'create' these perfect forms, but we can't defy the other forces the universe compels upon us and them, so perfection is never possible. The universe is, in many ways, the complete set of all these imperfections.

And remember, <god> is watching from a distance.... so <it> don't see the imperfections either. That whole sparrow thing is the ultimate egotism and foolishness, and practically the sole reason for my atheism.

Although, I've always thought of the universe as just another survival story....

And, while I'm here, this whole maxim thing is approaching a midnight philosophy majors' chitchat. (And that ain't a church, lads and lassies....)

Remember, there are children here who want to learn. Whom we need to teach. Who need to take all of it back and tell it to other children. Daily. Minute after minute. In their sleep.

My favorite maxim, the one I attempt to live by, and the one I attempt to teach at all times, is, courtesy of Samuel Clemens- 'When you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.'

And the truth is what you act on- your meme-space. Not what you know, although that happens sometimes, but what you move for. These are the forces that are in your set of forces creating your perfect object. But there are other forces, some you will see, some you will never see, making you imperfect at all times. Keep learning about forces, Luke....

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