Go Back   Freethought Forum > The Marketplace > Philosophy

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11-03-2008, 10:26 AM
coberst coberst is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: DXXXVII
Default Democracy’s Faustian Bargain: Never Facing Reality until…

Democracy’s Faustian Bargain: Never Facing Reality until…

The fundamental weakness of democracy is that it rests upon the deep fallacy of human propensities: we pamper our self with delusion as long as possible. We never make drastic changes until the abyss is tomorrow.

Quickie from wiki: “Something that is faustian refers to a wider interpretation of the events of Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. In part one of Goethe's Faust, the central character's pact with the devil allows him to have energy, life and youth unless he becomes so entranced by the passing moment that he wishes that things will never change. When Faust stumbles unthinkingly into that wish, his world and his life are forfeit to Mephistopheles.”

St. Augustine’s plea: “Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.”

We use technology to paint our self onto the precipice and then rely on technology to save us from falling into the abyss.

“The religious believer assigns dignity to whatever his religion holds sacred—a set of moral laws, a way of life, or particular objects of worship. He grows angry when the dignity of what he holds sacred is violated.” Quote from “The End of History and the Last Man” by Francis Fukuyama

To what does the non believer assign dignity? If the non believer does not assign dignity to rationality, upon what foundation does s/he stand? If the non believer does depend upon rationality for dignity how is it possible that so few know anything about rationality?

Our schools and colleges are beginning to introduce our young people to the domain of knowledge called Critical Thinking. CT is taught because our educators have begun to recognize that teaching a young person what to think is not sufficient for the citizens of a democracy in an age of high technology. CT is an attempt to teach young people how to think. Like the adage about giving a man a fish versus teaching him how to fish, a youngster who knows how to think is prepared for a lifetime rather than for a day.

What about today’s adult? Today’s adult was educated in a time when schools and colleges never gave universal instruction in the art and science of thinking—rationality.

If today’s adult wishes to learn CT s/he must learn it on ‘their nickel’. I think a good read to begin with is this one:


20th WCP: Bertrand Russell on Critical Thinking
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-03-2008, 09:12 PM
Doctor X Doctor X is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: XMVCCCIII
Default Re: Democracy’s Faustian Bargain: Never Facing Reality until…

First.

--J.D.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-03-2008, 09:13 PM
Smilin's Avatar
Smilin Smilin is offline
Struggling to stay sober....
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Gender: Male
Posts: MXXLIII
Images: 25
Default Re: Democracy’s Faustian Bargain: Never Facing Reality until…

Fuck!....

Second....

:grumble:
__________________
http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/image.php?u=999&type=sigpic&dateline=1212077255
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-03-2008, 09:14 PM
Doctor X Doctor X is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: XMVCCCIII
Default Re: Democracy’s Faustian Bargain: Never Facing Reality until…



--J. "Put 'Devil' and 'Sexy' in a Search Engine . . . Truly My Google-Fu is Mighty!" D.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-03-2008, 09:16 PM
Smilin's Avatar
Smilin Smilin is offline
Struggling to stay sober....
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Gender: Male
Posts: MXXLIII
Images: 25
Default Re: Democracy’s Faustian Bargain: Never Facing Reality until…

arggggghhhhhh....

Image is blocked here at work..... fucking hell!
__________________
http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/image.php?u=999&type=sigpic&dateline=1212077255
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-03-2008, 09:26 PM
Doctor X Doctor X is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: XMVCCCIII
Default Re: Democracy’s Faustian Bargain: Never Facing Reality until…



. . . a RIVER to my people. . . .

--J.D.
Reply With Quote
Thanks, from:
Kyuss Apollo (11-04-2008)
  #7  
Old 11-03-2008, 09:29 PM
Smilin's Avatar
Smilin Smilin is offline
Struggling to stay sober....
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Gender: Male
Posts: MXXLIII
Images: 25
Default Re: Democracy’s Faustian Bargain: Never Facing Reality until…

Thanks,

My Lord..... :D
__________________
http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/image.php?u=999&type=sigpic&dateline=1212077255
Reply With Quote
Reply

  Freethought Forum > The Marketplace > Philosophy


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

 

All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:35 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Page generated in 0.89900 seconds with 13 queries