Disqus - Latest Comments for doubtinggaurav

Re: I am still on 24

doubtinggaurav — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:29:44 -0000

What I can say, it was a long,cold night and I was very ronery.

Re: Ah, these beautiful people

Pramod Biligiri — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:25:00 -0000

Damn, wrong thread again. See my comment below.

Re: I am still on 24

doubtinggaurav — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:53:13 -0000

I am awesome and something.

Re: Bit of role playing

doubtinggaurav — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:33:19 -0000

You continue to disappoint me, Respected Ma'am.

Re: Bit of role playing

doubtinggaurav — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:32:49 -0000

Awesome :-)

Re: Ah, these beautiful people

doubtinggaurav — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:28:40 -0000

Actually my point is that libertarian is seriously flawed in the sense there is a mismatch between what it seeks to accomplish (a GUT of sociology) and the boundaries it places on discussion (state and individual, with no mention of communities).

Well one can reasonably differ on progress, but there is a constraint. Progress, however you measure it, should be stable, from this we conclude that progress must increase the survival probability of group.

Which brings me back to our basic difference, as a Nihilist for you any ethicals position is arbitrary, and hence your preference for liberalism is a matter of whims (pardon for being presumptious). I, on the other hand, being a believer in eternal and immortal, have preference for one system over other.

Re: Give me a break

doubtinggaurav — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:04:46 -0000

Amit,

Thanks. Actually I have sort of read the libertarian perspective. I don't agree with it and I think it is flawed, but well it is complicated for a comment.

Re: When are we going to wake up

doubtinggaurav — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:39:59 -0000

Some anti terror law is necessary and part of the overall strategy. Go to this post

Re: When are we going to wake up

doubtinggaurav — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:36:28 -0000

Although no fan of Modi, I will start a group Modi for PM, just to spite the morons.

Re: When are we going to wake up

doubtinggaurav — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:35:37 -0000

I don't know, I don't want to think of such eventuality.

Re: Ah, these beautiful people

Pramod Biligiri — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 10:21:15 -0000

I agree that humans gain a lot of freedoms by being in a group. Even by instinct, man is indeed a social animal.

The conflict arises in specific issues. Like, should we restrict freedom of speech because it can lead to trouble at times? Should we give government the right to usurp private property through eminent domain? (to be frank, I'm ambiguous abt private property).

Great point that societies evolve and can't be organized. That's one reason i don't support laws which require great government power to enforce. It's all fine and dandy to preach freedom of expression, but what if 99% of a crowd wants to pack off M F Hussain. It requires much strength of conviction to stand up for one's beliefs in such times.

Another problem with writing utopian ideals into a constitution is, where will you find all the money to finance the police and judiciary that will be required? Both are woefully underfunded in India. Our present freedoms owe more to a civilizational history of 1000s of years than to words written on a piece of paper 60 years ago.

Libertarians stress on the fact that the Social Contract is between individuals and the State. Communists feel that an individual is inherently weak and it's only groups (collectives) that can protect themselves. Both have their merits.

I prefer empowering government to cater to the needs of the individual. Because every form of (political) groupism I have seen in society I've found it ugly.

Hm, regarding measuring "progress", I don't know. I see individual freedom as the end in itself. If people are free to say and do whatever they want without hurting others, that seems like a goal achieved. With taxation and coercion, you have other people telling someone they're better off. By definition that experiment can't measure anything! You will have to go by GDP, GNP, Gini and what not.

That is my problem with the Chinese government. Once you curtail free speech, religion and movement, it's not worth bothering to "measure" anything in that country.

I just googled Nihilism and it seems like something I'd agree with. That's why I don't like government espousing any moral values...er, except liberalism :P

Re: When are we going to wake up

Pramod Biligiri — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 09:19:21 -0000

My below comment was in response to this :|

Re: When are we going to wake up

doubtinggaurav — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 17:38:17 -0000

I don't know, road safety in India isn't great either.

Re: Ah, these beautiful people

doubtinggaurav — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:57:43 -0000

I am saying nothing except that you guys look it from the wrong end. Societies are not organized, they evolve. You assume that liberty came first, not so, it is society which came first. Man can not have freedom except in safety of group. We are like that.

My alternative ? I don't know, though long time back I did write something on it, now I am not sure. Guess I am OK with any form of society as long as it results in progress, so far I have yet to see the proof that individual liberty is the necessary and sufficient condition.

Btw since you are saying that all ethical values are arbitrary, shouldn't you be a nihilist or post modernist at any rate.

Re: Just one last thing

Sakshi — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:06:38 -0000

Mathematicians can fool themselves all they want, but Physicists kick their ass each time.
But admit it, if you want a mean army to rule the world dont you need a geneticist? :-)

Re: Give me a break

doubtinggaurav — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:49:03 -0000

You are right here. But I don't think Palin has attempted to push on creationism agenda while she was governor. Mind you, I am still not saying that advocating creationism makes any sort of sense, just that in practice Palin irrespective of her belief doesn't seem like a creationism warrior.

Re: Just one last thing

doubtinggaurav — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:28:07 -0000

I denounce your blatant attempt to smear my respected opponent Sen. Obama.

I repeat, This is not Sriram I knew

Re: Just one last thing

doubtinggaurav — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:22:56 -0000

Fess up you were just telling Respected M'am how you mathematicians are superior to geneticists. This is downright mean, and I love it. :-)

Re: Wohooo !

doubtinggaurav — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:19:58 -0000

Oh come on you are just jealous because you never played Max Payne.

Re: Give me a break

Sakshi — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:16:07 -0000

<Palin on Creationism>
Sadly, she does advocate teaching IDism. In a country so divided about this, it is dangerous to see potential candidate talk about doing what is actively fought against. And while the decision rests with the school board, having an openly endorsed view just makes it more likely that creotards on the board will change the syllabus.
I dont know where you get your 90% number - I am in science and I am one of few. Its a mistaken belief. In US, I have seen many shades of religious following in scientists but the number that is on the "right" side is very little.

And I did read the link but I think that in a religious society like US, it does not really explain the phenomenon.

Re: Just one last thing

Sriram — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:05:24 -0000

I was watching a documentary and Obama fits the description of antichrist to a T. Somebody should warn the obama groupie at desipundit.

Re: Give me a break

doubtinggaurav — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:10:00 -0000

If you are right then Yes McCain is in big trouble. However if I am not mistaken I thought School board is a local issue, so not sure how much this will spill into national scene.

Reg. Palin and Creationism, I am afraid we are talking past each other. AFAIK, Palin has never said that creationism should as discussed as one of the "alternatives" to evolution, only that it could be discussed.

Reg. Science and atheists. I think since more than 90% of scientists are atheists it is easy to fall into category error, made even more easy by dishonest crap like Religion root of evil.

I think it is design not bug. (I know you didn't read it last time, read it now.)

Reg. Science I am on evolution side. Only difference is if I were to vote in USA it would not be a deal breaker for me.

Re: Give me a break

doubtinggaurav — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:28:11 -0000

I agree with you. In fact this was one of the reason I said Republicans deserve to lose.
slightly OT Megan McArdle has written something on Fannie and Freddie crisis that might interest you.

Re: Just one last thing

doubtinggaurav — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:21:38 -0000

Hater !

Re: Just one last thing

doubtinggaurav — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:07:26 -0000

So many ways to destroy world. Awesome !