tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post1747046636541665863..comments2024-03-22T17:43:18.211-07:00Comments on bionic mosquito: Telosbionic mosquitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-38648740774957205332020-02-09T18:53:25.166-08:002020-02-09T18:53:25.166-08:00Thank you, Peggy. Thank you, Peggy. bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-3357259942202523482020-02-09T16:07:57.574-08:002020-02-09T16:07:57.574-08:00Dear Bionic,
I want to add my own words of apprec...Dear Bionic,<br /><br />I want to add my own words of appreciation for your blog. I read it regularly, and always discover gems worth thinking about. Admittedly, often enough the topics are over my head in education and knowledge, but I’ve been grateful for the book titles discussed and have read some of them independently.<br /><br />Admittedly, I also selfishly hope you are in excellent health such that you will continue to write for a long time to come.<br /><br />Even though I’m myself not a believer, I nevertheless find much of the discussion around religion, and the philosophy supporting it, to be thought-provoking. As you’ve mentioned, many of your commenters’ remarks are likewise compelling. On that note, kudos to ATL as I very much enjoy reading his thoughts in the discussions.<br /><br />Thank you once more, Peggy<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-10761390614294859222020-02-03T07:01:46.242-08:002020-02-03T07:01:46.242-08:00Thank you, ATL. You are, and have been, a large p...Thank you, ATL. You are, and have been, a large part of the discussions; I am better for your participation.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-33455184063144337102020-02-03T06:59:51.922-08:002020-02-03T06:59:51.922-08:00Roger: "Impossible to reach, my friend."...Roger: "Impossible to reach, my friend."<br /><br />I am coming to such a view.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-56612062154848445472020-02-03T06:58:13.487-08:002020-02-03T06:58:13.487-08:00Jeff: "Faith, hope and love, however would be...Jeff: "Faith, hope and love, however would be a necessity for an individual to endure the former, and IMO for a society to achieve the later."<br /><br />This is the view I am coming to.<br /><br />"... in what kind of society would one would be the most likely to achieve fulfillment, authoritarian, free or the fluctuating mixed society we have today?"<br /><br />ATL said it well. I will add a couple of thoughts: even in a wonderfully free society, there is adversity: sickness, natural disaster, poverty, etc. Love can still shine.<br /><br />In our mixed society, we remove the "necessity" for individual action because "the government will deal with these." In other words, complacency easily sets in to a population. We see homeless, and look to the city council; we see floods, and look to FEMA. Things like this.<br /><br />It seems true that Christianity best thrives in adversity. Maybe because it is in adversity that Christians can truly shine? But I would still take the "more liberty" side of this; as mentioned, even in such a condition, there is plenty of adversity - hence, plenty of opportunities for Christians to act. Meanwhile, the people aren't suffering in the gulag.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-23320810238775721692020-02-03T06:48:58.138-08:002020-02-03T06:48:58.138-08:00RMB, I will have a post on this later this week. ...RMB, I will have a post on this later this week. Thank you for the thought.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-84866168394178422152020-02-03T06:47:53.330-08:002020-02-03T06:47:53.330-08:00ATL, I am finding that even the four classical vir...ATL, I am finding that even the four classical virtues involve other-regarding action - two of them seem meaningless otherwise, two at least somewhat so. This examination was prompted by RMB's comment immediately below.<br /><br />My thoughts will be published later this week; there will be plenty of room to further offer advice and counsel, and I will welcome it gladly.<br /><br />As to considering the seven in two groups, your leaning seems correct to me given the post that I am working through; I don't know how one set survives without the other, or is put in action without the other. But here again, I will be quite open to other thoughts.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-30010939989591924722020-02-03T06:38:50.301-08:002020-02-03T06:38:50.301-08:00Jeff, you are correct in my reasons for writing pu...Jeff, you are correct in my reasons for writing publicly; I also see that it results in a two-way street - we all, myself included, benefit from the dialogue, as witnessed by the appreciation often shown to each other.<br /><br />"When I've been around disaster, I've noticed that it brings out the best in people."<br /><br />I agree. I notice something else as well: when we are witness to others acting in such a manner - putting themselves out, even to the point of danger, to aid another in physical distress - we are often moved emotionally and deeply.<br /><br />I used to not understand why this was so. I understand better today. bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-23431955771246853412020-02-03T06:31:57.642-08:002020-02-03T06:31:57.642-08:00Mark, your comments are a wonderful witness. Than...Mark, your comments are a wonderful witness. Thank you.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-51930581307995469662020-01-31T08:05:21.447-08:002020-01-31T08:05:21.447-08:00I've been working on a symbol (not an idol, bu...I've been working on a symbol (not an idol, but a mental tool), to encompass the virtues, the manners, and the principles above. I see it as a seven pointed star with rays emanating from between the points and banners encircling the the star (under the points, but over the rays). In this symbol, the virtues are each of the points of the star (with Faith pointing straight up to orient the star - in the right direction), the manners are each of the rays, and the principles are written on the banners between the points. You can build the star yourself based on the order of the virtues and my comments next to the principles and manners above.<br /><br />The imagery is probably unnecessary, but I wanted to create something that would have a lasting impression in my children's minds. Something they could recall in an instant, a map of sorts.<br /><br />Not included in the imagery of the star, but something I want to include in the book is that there is one overriding virtue, one overriding manner, and one overriding principle, of which the others are only constituent parts. The virtue is gratitude, the manner is grace, and the principle is self-government.<br /><br />The manners I got mostly from my upbringing in South Texas but also significantly from articulations of 'Southern manners' by Don Livingston and Co. down at the Abbeville Institute. The virtues are, as I've said, pretty much straight from the Catechism with slight modification to bring Fidelity to the fore. The principles are the culmination of everything I've learned regarding the pursuit of a just political order from Hoppe, Bastiat, Rothbard, Rockwell, Mises, Kuehnelt-Leddihn, Kirk, and so many others, including many of you here, and of course Bionic Mosquito!<br /><br />Thank you to all of you for the wonderful discussions we've had, and I hope to have many more.A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-13148336549538634152020-01-30T15:52:59.594-08:002020-01-30T15:52:59.594-08:00All, I must say that I am overwhelmed with the tho...All, I must say that I am overwhelmed with the thought that you have put into the comments (to include emails I have received). <br /><br />I will address some / many of these, but will do so primarily or exclusively through subsequent posts over the next week(s). This dialogue will continue for a time; it will be a dialogue more extensive than the comments section will allow.<br /><br />I really do thank you all.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-22479688002075199912020-01-30T08:12:16.830-08:002020-01-30T08:12:16.830-08:00I should add that their are probably many Evangeli...I should add that their are probably many Evangelical Christians out there who I'd love and who are probably much better Christians than I am. Many good folks get bamboozled into supporting these wars because they want to support the troops; they don't want to be ungrateful for what they believe is their sacrifice.A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-41225424641670634792020-01-29T07:24:17.922-08:002020-01-29T07:24:17.922-08:00"I think I may copy that idea from you."..."I think I may copy that idea from you."<br /><br />Please do! I'll get you started with my outline.<br /><br />The Virtues:<br /> 1. Temperance<br /> 2. Fortitude<br /> 3. Justice<br /> 4. Wisdom<br /> 5. Fidelity<br /> 6. Charity<br /> 7. Faith<br />The Manners:<br /> 1. Honor (Temperance + Fortitude)<br /> 2. Chivalry (Fortitude + Justice)<br /> 3. Privacy (Justice + Wisdom)<br /> 4. Reverence (Wisdom + Fidelity)<br /> 5. Conviviality (Fidelity + Charity)<br /> 6. Generosity (Charity + Faith) <br /> 7. Serenity (Faith + Temperance)<br />The Principles:<br /> 1. Aristocracy [(Temperance + Fortitude) + Chivalry] <br /> 2. Polycentricity [(Fortitude + Justice) + Honor] <br /> 3. Reciprocity [(Justice + Wisdom) + Privacy]<br /> 4. Responsibility [(Wisdom + Fidelity) + Reverence]<br /> 5. Solidarity [(Fidelity + Charity) + Conviviality]<br /> 6. Mercy [(Charity + Faith) + Generosity]<br /> 7. Harmony [(Faith + Temperance) + Serenity]<br /><br />Some of these may sound similar, but I think I can differentiate between them if you have any questions. It's still a work in progress, so if you or anyone on here has any notes for me, please offer them!A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-30937932645281198882020-01-29T06:43:44.774-08:002020-01-29T06:43:44.774-08:00RMB,
Okay. I kinda figured I had looked up an ina...RMB,<br /><br />Okay. I kinda figured I had looked up an inadequate definition. Thanks again, and I'm probably going to use those Greek words you listed in my book as a reference to the ancient origins of these virtues!<br /><br />"But that is coming from a Protestant."<br /><br />Well coming from this independent Catholic, that's just fine because, as I've mentioned before, I'm a 'hallway' kinda guy in C.S. Lewis' sense. The only forms of Christianity that I have problems with are Progressive Christianity (because it's basically secular Christianity) and Evangelical Christianity (because of its relentless support of aggressive wars).A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-6627794504967259892020-01-29T06:32:01.010-08:002020-01-29T06:32:01.010-08:00*St. Michael*St. MichaelA Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-16244943261060647872020-01-28T18:46:38.984-08:002020-01-28T18:46:38.984-08:00ATL, those are all good points, especially the ide...ATL, those are all good points, especially the idea that we need adversity to build character. <br /><br />From what I've read of the Soviet Union and Mao's China, I would say too much adversity is not especially virtue building, if at all.<br /><br />Then I see the kids of wealthy parents wasting their university years protesting the very things that made them wealthy. Foul mouthed, violent and completely clueless. I have no idea how they could ever achieve anything like fulfillment.<br /><br />I think true Christianity will always be a minority, and true Christians will always be persecuted. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be, but I hope not! Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14010513213569295642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-82968463653437121612020-01-28T10:06:02.758-08:002020-01-28T10:06:02.758-08:00Jeff,
Your question is an interesting one. I want...Jeff,<br /><br />Your question is an interesting one. I want to say a free society would provide the best opportunity for fulfillment, but I'm not so sure this is the case.<br /><br />A free society would most likely 1) provide more options of employment and association, 2) result in a wealthier population, and 3) enjoy more leisure and vacation time, which increases the likelihood respectively that 1) one will find his 'calling' and enjoy good company in life, 2) he will enjoy a higher standard of living, and 3) he will have more time to devote toward education, religion, entertainment, and 'other-regarding behavior'.<br /><br />Anyone might say that what I list above as the results of a free society would be wonderful, but what about that pernicious little relationship between good times and corrupt (or unfulfilled) people and bad times and virtuous (or fulfilled) people?<br /><br />It seems that we often need adversity in our lives to build character and virtue. If everything is good, then where is this virtue supposed to come from? I'm hoping that open competition in the provision of goods and services, as well as the lack of a centralized authority usurping personal responsibility for our actions, will be enough to build some virtue.<br /><br />I'm just thinking n inking here, but what should be our goal if it turns out that Christianity is healthiest and most ardently accepted by a population when it is a minority under tyrannical conditions? Think the early church under Roman persecution, the Orthodox church under Soviet persecution, <a href="https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14448/africa-christians-persecution" rel="nofollow">the Christians being persecuted by radical Muslims in Africa right now</a>, etc.<br /><br />This relationship between nobility and adversity was also the justification of Michael's plot to unleash the forces of Hell on earth in the movie "Constantine". It's an interesting movie. (Not thrilled Shia Le-baffoon is in it, but hey, what can we do? Boycott all entertainment because it is made by awful people? Probably should, but I bet most of us [including me] won't.)A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-26584411547322487092020-01-28T05:38:33.346-08:002020-01-28T05:38:33.346-08:00Pistis is used in the bible broadly. Faith toward...Pistis is used in the bible broadly. Faith toward God is within scope.<br /><br />That is really cool what you are doing for your children. I think I may copy that idea from you. I have done something similar in the past but not as developed.<br /><br />My thought was faith produces righteousness which gives a path for freedom. Freedom's ultimate fruit is beauty.<br /><br /><br />But that is coming from a Protestant.RMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13603112499567064214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-62600505048559946212020-01-27T19:55:30.621-08:002020-01-27T19:55:30.621-08:00Excellent question, Jeff, but I don't think it...Excellent question, Jeff, but I don't think it matters. In every society there will be people with needs and there will people who can fill those needs. Those who practice 'other-regarding action' in a spirit of love will be fulfilled, regardless of the political and social climate of the society. Rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08156823478509665137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-30928752648486451182020-01-27T19:46:55.044-08:002020-01-27T19:46:55.044-08:00"Fulfillment or other-regarding action? If y..."Fulfillment or other-regarding action? If you had to pick the one specific core feature of human telos – the best definition for happiness – which one captures it better? Why?"--BM<br /><br />I am not sure that fulfillment and other-regarding action can be separated so easily. I am quite sure they are not the same. I tend to think of 'fulfillment' as the end of the journey and 'other-regarding action' as the vehicle which gets me there. <br /><br />Fulfillment, at its most pure, would be knowing and understanding that, in any given situation, you had done and said everything that God wanted you to do and say in precisely the manner which pleased Him most. At that point, you would be full-filled, unable to eat another bite, so to speak. This is attainable, but may not be possible if we are deliberately trying to gain fulfillment for its own sake. <br /><br />I think fulfillment comes as a result of serving others out of a spirit of love for them. Other-regarding action in love is an attribute of Christ, which He selflessly performed while here and it brought Him to the highest pinnacle of fulfillment, the Throne of God. We cannot have fulfillment without the other-regarding action of love at work. <br /><br />"Further, absent the three Theological Virtues – especially Love, or other-regarding action in the most meaningful sense – what happens to the possibility of achieving liberty?"-BM<br /><br />Impossible to reach, my friend. With the absence of Faith, nothing is believable. With the absence of Hope, nothing is worth risking. With the absence of Love, all personality is selfish and concerned only with myself, my wants, my desires, and how I can use everyone else to reach those ends. In such a society, there will only be those who are slaves and those who rule over them. No one will be free. <br /><br />"God is love." "You shall know the truth and it shall set you free." As we learn of God's love for us, we become free--free to love God, to love ourselves and to love those around us, acting towards them in the same manner that God has already acted toward us. <br /><br />This brings fulfillment AND freedom. Nothing else even comes close. <br />Rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08156823478509665137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-6246764237448722482020-01-27T16:16:59.794-08:002020-01-27T16:16:59.794-08:00Being an engineer I think in terms of boundary con...Being an engineer I think in terms of boundary conditions when I see these kinds of discussions. Living in a completely authoritarian society, or in a completely free one, I don't see any or all of the natural virtues as particularly fulfilling. Faith, hope and love, however would be a necessity for an individual to endure the former, and IMO for a society to achieve the later.<br /><br />It makes me wonder though, in what kind of society would one would be the most likely to achieve fulfillment, authoritarian, free or the fluctuating mixed society we have today?<br /> <br /> Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14010513213569295642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-76680359213043124572020-01-27T07:33:09.642-08:002020-01-27T07:33:09.642-08:00RMB,
Thanks for the Greek words. I had fun lookin...RMB,<br /><br />Thanks for the Greek words. I had fun looking them up (I was only familiar with 'agape' thanks to C.S. Lewis).<br /><br />I agree with all except for 'pistis', since I believe faith is more (or solely) directed towards God rather than our fidelity to each other. (Or maybe I found an incorrect definition of pistis)<br /><br />I've been putting together my own family 'lodestar' for a few years now. It's been a fun exercise. I've selected 7 personal virtues, 7 social manners, and 7 political principles (NAP not one of them surprisingly). I plan on writing a small book about it and giving a copy to my son and daughter when they each leave the house. (I like the number seven because in the Catholic numerology it means 'complete')<br /><br />For the virtues, I basically lifted the seven from the Catholic Church except that I combined hope and faith (because they are the same thing to me) and added fidelity. I think fidelity is a heavily underrated virtue.<br /><br />Faith to me is honoring our duties to and trusting in the word of God. Fidelity to me is honoring our duties to each other (those which God has laid down for us and those we make ourselves) and trusting in the word of others (those who've earned it, or at least those who've not yet proven themselves unfaithful). Faith and fidelity will probably often be coincident with one another, but then, I don't know that we can truly isolate any of the virtues.A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-76781343924972339172020-01-27T05:46:03.793-08:002020-01-27T05:46:03.793-08:00Jeff, no worries. I am purposely not responding o...Jeff, no worries. I am purposely not responding on comments to this post for a few days. I want to properly absorb the feedback here (and in emails), before I interject my thoughts. <br /><br />I know that your comments, and those of the other regular commenters, are always sincere and meant to add and build, not subtract and destroy.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-72004596566156862162020-01-27T04:31:00.754-08:002020-01-27T04:31:00.754-08:00BM, I wrote this with a bit of haste, and I hope t...BM, I wrote this with a bit of haste, and I hope that not addressing you directly does not dissuade you from responding to my thoughts. <br />Jeff LeVesquehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10965742156279448637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-84234117016389066322020-01-26T21:13:22.220-08:002020-01-26T21:13:22.220-08:00The greek words I would associate with the 7 virtu...The greek words I would associate with the 7 virtues are:<br /><br />The 4 natural virtues: sophia, hupomone, sophrosyne or sophron, dikaiosyne.<br /><br />The 3 theological virtues are: pistis, , elpis, and agape<br /><br />Look into how those words are used and the ideas Aquinas was getting at will probably become clear. Augustine probably had similar things in mind too.RMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13603112499567064214noreply@blogger.com