Disqus - Latest Comments for zoolish

Re: The suggestion of power hungry bureaucrat not of a scientist

zoolish — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:46:20 -0000

Restriction should definitely be applied (and is indeed applied) to science, and scientists. However, I am a strong believer that application of restrictions needs to be balanced, and in accordance with the expected damage that might arise if restrictions are not put into play.

As to “American” stereotypic argument, I mostly find them dull. There’s a lot of great thinking going on in America. But, American politics and public debate do an excellent job ignoring it. In academic circles, however, I find a lot of the debate stimulating.

One final point. It is my own opinion that legal relationships in today’s corporate orientated world have nothing to do with personal freedoms of any kind, unless used as a mirror (reversed) reflection. These relations are a prime example of power-politics in which those with ample powers have obtained what I would label as undesired civil advantages. In this regard, modern economies going under the pretence labeling of “capitalism” would far better fit what Adam Smith labeled “mercantilism”, or “mercantile societies”. The difference, stripped of all nuance and quite simply described, is that while capitalism would infer the acquisition of capital by most tiers of society, mercantilism relates to the acquisition of capital by a select, small numbered, group of “merchants” and the translation of this capital into formal political dominance. Despite the widespread (mis)use of democratic lingo, I find that the social and political relations in most countries today resembles the mercantile stereotype to a far greater extent than it does capitalism. The “merchants” however exercise their powers (and invest many milliards of dollars) to have us educated to think otherwise.

I think we’ve more or less (figure of speech… it’s definitely more…) exhausted this topic.

Cheers,
Zoolish

Re: The suggestion of power hungry bureaucrat not of a scientist

zoolish — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:56:35 -0000

Unlike you, and the all too American stereotypic argument regarding the so called freedom of speech, I think it definitely should be, and definitely is, restricted in numerous occasions. When a professional uses his professional earned reputation, and/or recourses, in a deceptive manner, I do indeed think professional bodies should apply sanctions (which if severe enough can be very useful restrictions). However, going back to science, and scientist, I don’t think this is a good case where such should apply.

Re: The suggestion of power hungry bureaucrat not of a scientist

zoolish — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:46:39 -0000

Like pornography, it will always exist, whether you (or I, or anybody else) think it should or should nt. Aren’t you the individualist type that if I were to, say, want to restrict pornography tell me that I can ignore it on my own if I choose?
Unlike pornography the nonsense of bad science is hardly damaging to children, as bad scientists (like good ones, unfortunately) choose to speak in so-called sophisticated high jargon, which is not comprehendible to most (children apply here) and of little interest to the rest (well educated, yet reasonable, adults apply here).
Unlike pornography, the dangers of disturbing good scientists via contribution to the ill understanding of science by most of the general public, even if done to denounce bad scientists, is usually higher than the actual gain of denouncing bad science.

Re: The suggestion of power hungry bureaucrat not of a scientist

zoolish — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:22:52 -0000

Science, as an abstract idea, is value neutral. It has, as an abstract idea, no intension of causing good nor bad, just a method of increasing knowledge. Scientists, however, are human and humans engage in the doing of good and bad. That has nothing to do with the notion of science, and everything to do with the notion of humanity. That said, science is a human endeavor (I know not of any other living species engaged in science) and therefore the two (good/bad intent and science) are only separate analytically. That is, the separation exists only in our mind.

Re: Open letter to Dr. Ron Paul

zoolish — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 12:31:54 -0000

... I find the remarks here as interesting as your own letter...

all I wanted to add was:
Surely you are joking Mr. Rogel. You entered a political campaign, and now you are surprised to find that it involves politics?

Re: NH stories

zoolish — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:06:57 -0000

See, my wife always tells me that I must choose... either annoy the keeper, or eat the grapes... but I've always believed you can do both. . . I'd be happy to read that.

Re: NH stories

zoolish — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 08:51:13 -0000

LOL. I remember the time I visited Upsala, a small university town in Sweden. I could not get my head around the fact that all it takes is for a pedestrian to glance towards the road, and the cars actually slow down. Some even stop and ask if you need anything. How strange is that?
Needless to say, for this reason, and countless others, I've fallen in love with the Swedes. Far more desirable culture they've got to spread than that proposed by your pro-guns, pro-death penalty, pro-die-of-ill-health-if-you've-miscalculated-your-earnings candidateâ€¦
â€¦ more desirable than anything "my" (in this case, I'm not sure they're any more mine than yours) politicians have to spread tooâ€¦

Ohâ€¦ I guess that promised piece about your trip to Israel will remain a mysteryâ€¦

Re: Short announcement

zoolish — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:34:35 -0000

I'm not exactly senior faculty, but trust me... what's going on here is nothing short of amazing...

Re: Short announcement

zoolish — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:47:11 -0000

... that actually makes sense... I'm willing to bet that most of man's finest qualities are mutations :)
I'd probably be very interested in the experience... as an observer... but, I don't think I'll be anywhere near NH this weekend.

Re: Short announcement

zoolish — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 09:53:55 -0000

Fits my opinion on RP. That's more than you'd expect from a computer application :)

Re: Short announcement

zoolish — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 03:53:50 -0000

How fitting that my gmail account chose to define this specific announcement as spam :)

Re: Impressive

zoolish — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 03:11:27 -0000

Expectations from people you belittle (and that, in fact, was the only real objection of mine to your original post) seem to backfire on you....
I agree with everything else written. See, I knew that rhetorical questions were the way to go with you :)

Re: Impressive

zoolish — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:06:51 -0000

Do not answer, the following is a rhetorical question: Just out of curiosity, just how reliable do you deem news reports on matters of military intelligence?But, isn't it swell putting government down whenever you can? Cause, the news… now those are facts… one for one… has anybody ever heard of a news reporter being wrong/misleading/just dumb?Since your favorite candidate of the day probably won't be able to hold a nation wide campaign for presidency with any likelihood of success, you've probably considered the plausibility that most of his supporters will eventually be voting for a party responsible for some serious misunderstanding of military intelligence, right? You are also aware of the fact, I'm guessing, that nobody (not even the current Republican President, although some might wonder…) is that stupid… so… you're probably backing a political party (even if indirectly so) that is in the business of manipulating military intelligence reports in order to obtain some other interest… private investments in the oil industry maybe? Would that be too far fetched? Or, friends in the arms industry? Perhaps just their way of leveraging the same fanatics that would have you believe that the sale of semi-automatic arms in supermarkets would promote safety, freedom and the, so called, American way?You know what, just answer this… say international sanctions on Iran are lifted… how long are you willing assume that their development of such weapons will take? Never (cause they've stopped in 2003…)?

Re: Observation

zoolish — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:46:17 -0000

(a) I doubt the person who said that is actually "wise"; and (b) I dare to relocate your family to a country with a really bad government. I think even you will identify some differences. Putting government down in modern democracies is a national pastime. But, don't let that that confuse you... our governments, both of them, are far better than we usually give them credit.

Re: Observation

zoolish — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 03:00:16 -0000

This is what I disagree with: "Once you open the door for the paternalism you like - you legitimize the paternalism you don’t like"… I don’t care too much for slippery slope type argument. Borders can and should be set (regarding both rhetoric, reasoning and behavior), and avoiding activity because it can potentially lead to misuse of that activity doesn't make much sense to me. We should concentrate out efforts against Huckabees and the Giulianis, and not give up on good government because of these bad examples.

Re: Observation

zoolish — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 18:03:22 -0000

National security is a "fit all" cure… almost as effective as good old chicken soup. Seriously, how can superpowers claim a serious threat to national security (in any serious definition of the term) by marginal and eccentric organizations or even countries? I can quite as easily make the claim that the pretext of national security diminishes human rights more so than it protects them. The US, under the leadership of your so called small government proponents, would make a wonderful example. Moreover, as far from perfect as twentieth century democratic governments are, never in history have so many people enjoyed so many basic human rights. If this, in your eyes, is a petty advantage – so be it. I myself prefer this situation over any other known history. You can marginalize the benefits of modern governments as you please, but I've no knowledge of any factor more dominant in the overall wellbeing of so many people, or any other political organization more effective than what you so eagerly relate to as currupt and coercive governments.

Re: Observation

zoolish — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:38:43 -0000

Very American way of thinking. Never seen any evidence to that (a) being put to work (not even in America); nor (b) proving any worth. Can't seem to see past the rhetoric of such statements. Ironically, those who claim such claims in the US prove themselves as no less intrusive on the American public, and on international ones. I find the fact that they do so in the name of national security and other such pretext more offensive than those who exercise the power of government towards social benefits, education, healthcare, childcare and the likes. If I were American, I'd rather see my tax dollars spent on welfare than on aggressive foreign policy, and intrusive internal (so called security). But, that's my own individual preference. After all rhetoric aside, government is no smaller and definitely no less intrusive when those advocating small governments are in power.
Truth be told, I find the quality of government much more to my liking in other parts of the democratic world.

Re: Observation

zoolish — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:27:11 -0000

Perhaps you'd like to further your observation by taking a good look at the monstrosities characterizing week and dysfunctional regimes & political system. Political systems characterized by a lack or deficiency of (what political scientists call) governability are arguably far worst off than those with efficient, deep rooted, government practices. I fear, my friend, that your observation is nearsighted… unable to see a distant devil, you suspect a friend of worse evils…

Re: Back at work

zoolish — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:31:47 -0000

Well... at least I'm not disturbed alone...

Re: Back at work

zoolish — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:13:58 -0000

These thoughts of yours have gotten me interested… hurry up and write your thing. It's really not fair to keep us natives at suspense, while you people of the big word recover from your journeys…

Re: Customer “Service”

zoolish — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:43:45 -0000

I would love for you to point me a, so called, "free market"... so that I may see what the glorified theory is all about. My main quarrel with the so called fee market idealists is exactly that - no such thing in reality.

Re: Customer “Service”

zoolish — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:32:03 -0000

It's always good to resist the temptation to change your mind only because your thoughts don't agree with facts. Don't get me wrong, I'm not at all saying this as a bad thing. After all, it is Einstein who is credited with the saying "if the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts".

Re: Customer “Service”

zoolish — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:58:44 -0000

Good to finally read about some injustice caused by the "free" market. I was beginning to thing that governments were the only evilâ€¦

Re: Finaly here

zoolish — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 09:02:40 -0000

Yes, the US does tend to make you comfortably numb.
Then agian, it's not that bad here in native-ville...

Re: Educating children to be free individuals: one small school’s success at a supremely challenging task

zoolish — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 02:25:26 -0000

Guess the laughter even made me replace piece for peace. LOL. God that's funny...