No, on my account.  Overcoming skepticism in some legitimate way is what I
mean by "getting somewhere".  Skepticism is like a sheep dip; good to pass
through regularly, but not good to stand around and drink it.  

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf
Of glen e. p. ropella
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2010 3:47 PM
To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] Chomsky Supports Thompson

Nicholas Thompson wrote circa 10-10-22 01:11 PM:
> Is there an example of a pomo discussion that actually got anywhere?  
> Or by using the terms "getting anywhere" have I already imposed values 
> hostile to the enterprise.

Unfortunately, that question is too vague to answer.  You have to be a bit
clearer about "got anywhere" to make it answerable.  Has PoMo advanced
modern physics?  Not likely; but perhaps the ability to tolerate PoMo
discussions is similar to the ability to tolerate philosophical
extrapolations of quantum mechanics. ;-)

Personally, the only benefit I've ever gotten out of PoMo is some good hard
belly laughs.  PoMo is great at juxtaposing things that don't belong
together.  It's funny.  And funny is _good_ ... and good for you.
 And there's an old saying that "it's funny because it's true."  Perhaps the
truth PoMo leads us to is the realization that we're deeply embedded in a
quagmire of language, culture, hysterical rearing, genetic memory, and
circumstance and that you'd better be crazy careful before you ever commit
to believing any given idea, especially if you (we, people) came up with
that idea.  I.e. PoMo fosters skepticism.

Is that "got anywhere"?

--
glen e. p. ropella, 971-222-9095, http://tempusdictum.com


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Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
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