jakelafort

I suspect we all were ready to jump on Simon for his apes cooperation take. But how about that Grape Ape? If you know that cartoon you are probably 50 yrs old minimum.

Cool article Reg.

Springer sounds like the perfect unstuffathon. Or even the precaloric super burner. Author i just read indicates average through hiker burns 5 to 7 thousand calories a day on app trail. I often am killing myself hiking and somewhat oblivious but when i walk with someone less fit or zealous i get to enjoy my surroundings so…[Read more]

Just completed a book involving hiking the App. Trail. Not surprisingly through hikers are typically generous when encountering on the trail a hiker in distress. Even former through hikers are wont to leave so called trail magic for those making the journey. Makes sense. Same basic dynamics as nomads in which there is no assurance of resources…[Read more]

Robert’s words of wisdom-A democratic socialist society makes sense because you put into the system only when you can afford to and those in need are cared for. The idea being that you may need care yourself someday. This is how early humans succeeded. I resent how many Americans are reduced to beggars when life takes a turn. Then they rely on…[Read more]

Unseen writes: Do you see the universe as absolute or not, and why?

Someone might argue that the universe just IS, and that that’s about as absolute as anything can be.

I think i may have laid an egg with a non sequitur.

As to the universe i suspect there is no reality as we conceive it.

If the universe isn’t absolute does it follow that ethical precepts are or can be?

Robert writes: I think we have an huge voting block that consistently harms themselves, voting against their own interests while chasing some absolute idealist goals setup by dictators, be they celestial or Earthly . The idea that there is some absolute morality can only lead to some absolute authority who imparts justice.

Strong idealism is the…[Read more]

Unseen, props on the ode to a watch. Good scribbles.

I stopped wearing watches at age 12. I have no use for tattoos, jewelry or any other frivolous adornments notwithstanding the conceded utility of a wrist watch. If i had to get a tattoo i think Reg’s Sleep of Reason or Paul Klee’s The Twittering Machine would do nicely. Even in my office i…[Read more]

From Robert: ‘Harm’ and ‘benefit’ are subjective and relative so a slaver can use your logic to do whatever because Africans are beneath him and he is benefiting them in his mind. So ‘benefit’ or ‘harm’ are the just current consensus and hardly absolute. And our so-called ‘good’ today might be ‘harmful’ in thirty years. In fact we may be condemni…[Read more]

The nexus between authority and morality is a religious/dictatorship concept that inures to the benefit of the upper echelon of power structures.

I am with Reg who writes…I disagree with the idea that any workable framework for ethics or morality can be based on “absolutes”.

Circumstances are often so nuanced and complex that absolutes are…[Read more]