It's evidently a sign the whole thing is unimportant that people indulge in the luxury of abstract debate for making their decisions. If it were perceived as real, wouldn't we make decisions the normal way?
Phil Henshaw ¸¸¸¸.·´ ¯ `·.¸¸¸¸ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 680 Ft. Washington Ave NY NY 10040 tel: 212-795-4844 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] explorations: www.synapse9.com <http://www.synapse9.com/> -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Breecker Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 6:37 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group Subject: Re: [FRIAM] Pascal's Wager and Global Warming Kant's Categorical Imperative is the only (I think) answer: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categorical_imperative> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categorical_imperative He defined an imperative as any proposition that declares a certain action (or inaction) to be <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_possibility> necessary. A <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothetical_imperative> hypothetical imperative would compel action in a given circumstance: If I wish to satisfy my thirst, then I must drink something. A categorical imperative would denote an absolute, unconditional requirement that exerts its authority in all circumstances, both required and justified as an end in itself. It is best known in its first formulation: "Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law." <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categorical_imperative#_note-Ellington> [1] db On Aug 13, 2007, at 3:53 PM, Nicholas Thompson wrote: All, The best argument for worrying about global warming presented so far in this interesting correspondence is the one that says it costs us relatively little to worry about it and and costs us LOT if we dont. Sort of like Pascal's argument for prayer, right? I do worry about complexity thinking leading to fatalism. If a goddamned butterfly can cause a climate crash, why take responsibility for ANYTHING we do. We should all be dionysians. dba | David Breecker Associates, Inc. Santa Fe: 505-690-2335 Abiquiu: 505-685-4891 www.BreeckerAssociates.com
============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
