In a message dated 2/5/2005 12:50:34 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> So, this tendency to hold onto "known truths" no matter how they are called > into question by evidence is seen in many forms, not just religious or > political. There are many times when the first criterion for accepting > evidence is whether or not it supports what one "already knows
I have here all along but lurking. The social security arguements leave me
cold (Bush's plan leaves me colder). I think the thing is that socieites that
make "faith based" rather than "fact based" decisions are most often in
decline. They are old established societies whose members believe that their success
is due to the fact that they are instrinsically superior to other groups.
(Obviously the Soviet Union is an exception to this generalization). I am looking
forward to reading Jarod Diamond's Collapse to see what he has to say on this
matter.
It's excellent. I think my work in EP and wars is a little ahead of what he writes, but his work is very supportive of mine.
Keith Henson
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