[peacegirl]

Originally Posted by koan

Yes. That was my cartoon explaining emission theory. It's not hard to understand why Lessans believed it when you consider his esteem of Plato and his lack of understanding of why Plato's emission theory was rejected. He missed that it was accepted then found to be wrong. Emission Theory of vision involves rays of sight being emitted or projected from the eyes. Even if it was true it would still take time for the "seeing rays" to get to what they saw. So Lessans made Plato's theory even worse... though he was too uneducated to know that it was either falsified or that his description made it worse than the falsified version.

I found out about Emission Theory because I figured he got his "original idea" from somewhere. All of his original ideas are actually not original at all. And he conglomped them together in a way that makes the Mad Hatter's tea party look like a lunch meeting of scholars.

And you say you read what he wrote? You're completely out of line koan. His claim has nothing to do with "emission theory" of Plato, or rays of sight being emitted or projected from the eyes. This is nuttier than nutty. Why are you so upset that he actually found something original? It's interesting to note how hard you are trying to turn him into something that is in your head only. For what reason, only you know.

The truth is he never did take credit for his discovery. I hope that one day you'll be able to recognize your own personal reasons for trying to discredit him, even if it hurts your pride, which is really what this is all about.

Decline and Fall of All Evil: Chapter Eleven: The New Meaning of Education

p. 547 My efforts to write the book, Decline and Fall of All Evil, are of
no greater importance than your efforts to play pool or do something
else because we are all following our nature which dictates that we
move in the direction of what is better for ourselves at any given
moment in time. I cannot take credit for removing the evil when my
will is not free, only for writing this book; there is a big difference.
Durant’s Story of Civilization, his Mansions of Philosophy, and all
the other books he wrote played just as important a role in this
discovery.

My understanding of what it meant that man’s will is not
free was the end result of the knowledge given by everyone who ever
lived. Through the process of reading and studying I was privileged to
acquire information that led me to this answer. All knowledge is a
gigantic accumulation of what everybody does in his motion towards
greater satisfaction. Just because I happen to be at the end of the line
when everybody pushes me or sets the stage that induces me to find
answers that were never before possible does not allow me to take the
credit, nor is an individual to blame when everybody pushes him
towards murder and war. I am only obeying a law that forces me to
move in this direction because it gives me greater satisfaction. God
deserves the credit, not me. Before long tears will be flowing in
abundance, but happy tears, and the whole world will thank God for
this wonderful new world. I am just a child of God, like everyone else.
None of us are given a free choice.