tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post2855612128628732290..comments2024-03-28T06:00:18.802-07:00Comments on bionic mosquito: The Enlightenment’s Evil Twinbionic mosquitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-4483779978184188272018-10-01T09:46:58.228-07:002018-10-01T09:46:58.228-07:00I agree, and more to your point, I found this wond...I agree, and more to your point, I found this wonderful little article by Bradley Birzer on Russell Kirk and the Logos at the <a href="https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/russell-kirk-and-the-logos/" rel="nofollow">American Conservative</a>.<br /><br />Quoting Kirk, Birzer says:<br /><br />"“Images are representations of mysteries, necessarily,” Kirk observed, “for mere words are tools that break in the hand, and it has not pleased God that man should be saved by logic, abstract reason, alone.” If one takes the Image properly, as intended by the Image maker, it will “raise us on high, as did Dante’s high dream.” If soiled by the prideful ego, though, “it can draw us down to the abyss.” The Image offered by the Divine allows us not to create that which can and should never be, but to discover that which has always been there, but either forgotten, ignored, or mocked."<br /><br />I think "soiled by the prideful ego" pretty much sums up those who wish to have the liberty Christianity built without its Architect. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings," a masterpiece in almost every respect, also explains along these lines why the liberal experiment failed to produce liberty when they took the reins of the state and rejected or dismissed the importance of God: they thought they could use the ring of power for good, like Saroman.<br /><br />They should have heeded Jesus' example in Matthew Chapter 4 when tempted in the wilderness with all the earthly kingdoms.A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-27695966873384185522018-10-01T07:39:06.926-07:002018-10-01T07:39:06.926-07:00I have not read it. I have also read that it is n...I have not read it. I have also read that it is not so one-sided. I think this issue is well-captured in the opening cite from Casey, above.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-57167785272236886412018-09-28T12:31:11.962-07:002018-09-28T12:31:11.962-07:00BM, have you read Leviathan, By T. Hobbes?
One bi...BM, have you read Leviathan, By T. Hobbes?<br /><br />One big lesson I got out of it was that in agency, the principal is always above the agent. That is, as I understand it, why Hobbes had to flee England, because the monarchy understood Hobbes to be saying that the King was under law and subject to it. Leviathan really helped me understand agency and the nature of usurpation. Which in turn helped me to understand some Biblical passages.<br /><br />For years I read what others wrote about Hobbes, then, I read Leviathan. I read Leviathan a looong time ago. Maybe I should re-read to refresh my memory.<br />JaimeInTexashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08729407700850451849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-65735784778450477432018-09-27T08:30:44.691-07:002018-09-27T08:30:44.691-07:00Hobbes appeals to those who live life strictly by ...Hobbes appeals to those who live life strictly by virtue of what's in their head (reason), though their reason is often wrongheaded. They deny the appetites of the stomach (desire) and disregard the values of the chest (morality, faith). Vainglory is the primary sin of the Hobbesians.<br /><br />Rousseau similarly appeals to those who deny the values of the chest, but in contradistinction to Hobbesian head dwellers, the Rousseauns reside primarily in the realm of the stomach, giving their passions full reign, though their passions are often perverted. Intemperance is the primary sin of the Rousseans.<br /><br />Am I close?<br /><br />I'm speaking with reference to C.S. Lewis' excellent essay, <a href="http://www.samizdat.qc.ca/cosmos/philo/AbolitionofMan.pdf" rel="nofollow">"Men Without Chests"</a>.<br /><br />"“In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.” - C.S. LewisA Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-30846196201882707862018-09-27T04:02:39.243-07:002018-09-27T04:02:39.243-07:00ATL: "The modern world is full of the old Chr...ATL: "The modern world is full of the old Christian virtues gone mad."<br /><br />A wonderful quote!<br /><br /><br />About Hobbes/Rousseau: I believe that philosophies/religions work as attractors in a chaotic system. When somebody changes so much in his mental department that he can no longer use the philosophy (or religion) of his parents to rationalise his pre-programmed procreation strategy, he must find a new philosophy. This is where the existing work comes in and they will adopt H or R (or something else). It is unlikely to provide a perfect match, but I also believe that there is a certain flexibility where the chosen philosophy may impact the procreation strategy to make the fit 'perfect'.<br /><br />What makes this tragic is that nurture plays an important role (see r/K strategy) and hence parents may 'drive' their children into other philosophies (or religions) without wanting to.Rienhttp://overbeterleven.nlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-34333344040242369502018-09-27T04:02:19.300-07:002018-09-27T04:02:19.300-07:00Society (or at least libertarians within society) ...Society (or at least libertarians within society) wants the liberty born from Christian roots and values, without living within and integrating Christian roots and values.<br /><br />It isn't working out so well.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-6032389697446779902018-09-27T03:58:11.040-07:002018-09-27T03:58:11.040-07:00I think all of the above. I will also add: they h...I think all of the above. I will also add: they helped give justification to the absolute, sovereign state. So those with power pushed these theories on the rest of us.<br /><br />The state will educate your children: one of the more evil ideas ever foisted on man.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-10419791517697173942018-09-26T15:01:27.924-07:002018-09-26T15:01:27.924-07:00I just wrote a comment yesterday on a different si...I just wrote a comment yesterday on a different site talking about the two sides of the leftist totalitarian coin: the Yankee (the godless Puritan or Progressive) and the Gramsciite (the cultural nihilist socialist). I identified the modern roots of the former with Calvin and the later with Rousseau, but Hobbes is probably a more complete precursor of Yankee-ism, since he was not a Christian.<br /><br />As EvKL pointed out, both variants originated as Christian (or Catholic) heresies or off-shoots. Any worthy values in either one are from Christian origin, and its the hint of these values that attract so many to them. Of course, in these systems, the Christian virtues have become distorted and alienated from one another.<br /><br />"The modern world is full of the old Christian virtues gone mad. The virtues have gone mad because they have been isolated from each other and are wandering alone. Thus some scientists care for truth; and their truth is pitiless. Thus some humanitarians only care for pity; and their pity (I am sorry to say) is often untruthful." - G.K. ChestertonA Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-80970930037952264382018-09-26T08:21:01.805-07:002018-09-26T08:21:01.805-07:00My big question is what is it about Hobbes and Rou...My big question is what is it about Hobbes and Rousseau's philosophy that attracts people to believe in it? Is it the space it makes for narcissism for the believer? Is it simple hatred for God? It has to be more than that because it includes hatred for other people too.<br /><br />I read about these ideas and my gut reaction is disgust and dismissal. They sound like crazy people. I guess many are just as crazy?RMBnoreply@blogger.com