virus: Haven't we been around this bend before?

Reed Konsler (konsler@ascat.harvard.edu)
Sun, 7 Mar 1999 12:58:11 -0500

Reed:
>>What is the purpose of reason?

David:
>Reason is a disciplined way of thinking, its purpose is to create
>a useful model of the world aka knowledge.

Agreed. Could we use a different word for "aka"...I don't know exactly what you mean by it. How about simply:

"Reason is a disciplined way of thinking, its purpose is to create a useful model of the world."

and

"Faith is a disciplined way of thinking, its purpose is to create a useful model of the world."

We can develop the difference between <reason> and <faith> shortly...but can we agree that both spring from the desire to create a disciplined model of the world?

>Rule #1: All players in the game must be willing to change their mind.
>Agreed?

Agreed.

Rule #2: Each player has the right to change their mind as quickly or as slowly as they choose.

Rule #3: Changing of a mind may be accomplished either by changing terms, or by reinterpreting old terms according to a new frame of reference.

Thus, a person may state definitively that "God exists" while being infinitely willing to change what they perceive "God" to be, in accordance with their experience and evidence. Such a person is consistent with rule 1 via the "reinterpretation" clause of Rule #3.

Rule #4: The meaning of a word is context dependent, not intrinsic.

Agreed?

Reed


  Reed Konsler                        konsler@ascat.harvard.edu
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