Diversity constitutes reality, we know that for a fact. Those who have shared my epistemological contemplations will be familiar with the fact that I believe that DIVERSITY is fundamental to everything that exists. In short, diversity constitutes reality, as it always has and as will always be the case.
Those who are smart and new here may ask how I can know this for a fact. Indeed, how can diversity be rhymed with the singularity inherent in facts? Indeed, how can I write the word "fact" in above sentence, before even mentioning diversity? In fact, I have always accepted facts, I actually like to start with the facts and focus on reality. What I do NOT accept is the idea that facts were inherently singular and therefore excluded diversity. Those who know me, know that I do start with the facts and stick with the facts, while all the time believing that diversity is fundamental to reality. But let's have a look at an example, perhaps that will clarify things. Imagine a motorcycle driver, young and reckless, stupid and brave, driving fast through the night on a lonely country road. The driver chases a car that manages to just stay ahead, by similarly driving at speeds far too fast for such a windy road. At the next curve, as the motorcycle starts overtaking the car, two lights appear from the opposite direction. The motorcycle driver has only a split-second to decide to either slow down or keep overtaking. Naturally, the motorcycle driver, in such a crucial decision, will resort to the facts. What do the facts say? Fact is that motorcycle drivers are prone to fatal accidents, a good many of which are head-on collisions. Fact is that it's dangerous, often even prohibited to overtake a car in a curve. Fact is that motorcycles constitutes a small minority of vehicles, so the chance is small that the two lights approaching from the opposite direction are two motorcycles. The chance is even smaller that two motorcycle would - stupidly - drive next to each other on a windy country road in the night, instead of one behind the other. So, what goes through the head of the motorcyclist while overtaking the car? There may be a tiny chance that the approaching two lights are of two motorcyclists. So, there is a tiny chance to continue to overtake the car, and stay in between these two motorcyclists without causing accidents. But the probability is low, in fact, there's a bigger chance that the two lights from a car, or even a bus or a truck. Was there an emergency that justified taking such risks? What exactly are the odds and the risks? Is there time to contemplate such questions when one's survival depends on a split-second decision? Of course, we all know the answer and any mature motorcycle driver knows it too. We know what to do, not so much because we were in possession of all the facts, We know what to do, not so much because we did explore all alternatives, exhaustively testing them and proved them to be wrong. Instead, we know what to do, because experience and maturity tells us what to do. Similarly, we've got to act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We know that for a fact. Global warming is a fact and there IS no alternative but to reduce emissions. This conclusion is not in conflict with the diversity that is inherent to reality. We simply do not have the luxury to first explore the alternative and await proof that temperatures will indeed rise with catastrophic results. We do not have that option. We know that global warming is taking place and we know that we must act now. That conclusion is fully in agreement with the principle that diversity is fundamental to reality. We know that we must act now to reduce emissions, we know that for a fact - wisdom, experience and maturity tells us so. Cheers! I am Sam Carana, and I like ti start with facts and focus on reality. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Epistemology" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/epistemology?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
