Dear Fr. Ajaya Singh, Please inform friends in Kandhamal. On Sat, Aug 15, 2020 at 6:23 AM Mohanan K P <[email protected]> wrote:
> 1) 2ou haven't yet said where we can watch the film. > > 2) "Well, the academic language can be vague on its own terms. " > The issue is not the practice of academic language, but the norms of > academic language. There was a time in human history where slavery was not > against the norm. It is, now, even though it is in practice not yet > abolished. The same way, it is true that in actual practice, academics > often use vague and ambiguous words (in many cases deliberately vague and > ambiguous), and quite often they use meaningless words, the norms of > academic inquiry demand clarity and precision. In contrast, ambiguity is a > virtue in poetic language (e.g. William Empson's *Seven Types of > Ambiguity.*) > > In those domains of academic inquiry that I practice, every academic term > must be defined in such a way that one can draw out the logical > consequences of the definition. The value attached to clear and precise > definitions is part of my own teaching. For instance, if you define > triangles as > > three vertices joined together with straight line segments > > the answer to the question "Do straight angled triangles exist?" is yes. > If, on the other hand, we define triangles as > > three nonlinear vertices joined together with straight line segments > > the answer to the same question is no. > If we define parallel lines as > > a pair of equidistant straight lines, > > the answer to the question "Do straight lines exist on spherical > surfaces?" is no. But if we define parallel lines as > > a pair of lines through which another line perpendicular to both can be > drawn, > > the answer to the same question is yes, > > Aristotle and Galileo define the concepts of force and inertia > differently. As a result, Aristotle's theory of motion fails to make > correct predictions while Galileo's theory succeeds where Aristotle's > theory fails. > > If we define the concept of God as the ultimate spaceless timeless > reality, even Richard Dawkins would agree that God as defined by that > definition exists. Conversely, if we define God as an > omnnipotent (omniscient, omnipresent, perfectly moral) entity, we can > prove, using reductio ad absurdum argument, that God does not exist. Under > one definition, soul exists, under another, it doesn't. > > Under one definition of democracy, there obviously is democracy in India > and US. Under another, there is very little democracy in US or India, in > contrast to the earlier monarchy in Bhutan which was far more democratic, > > In the handout on terrorism and freedom struggle, we were trying to > illustrate the same intellectual hygiene of definitions to domains in which > that hygiene is not respected. > > > > On Sat, Aug 15, 2020 at 5:22 AM KP Sasi <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Well, the academic language can be vague on its own terms. The language >> of politics has to have at least a `pretension of accountability to people' >> . And that is not seen in today's Governance. And one is also offered a >> limited space to say: `that is not real academics' or `that is not real >> politics'. It is just a matter of choice. But when it comes to a notion of >> social justice, the human beings are survivalists. At one stage or the >> other, people will have clarity and precise notions on social justice. How >> do you explain the collapse of the greatest empires throughout history. A >> person like Hitler who could mesmorise millions had to end up in a debate >> whether the teeth of his corpse belonged to Hitler or not. >> >> On Sat, Aug 15, 2020 at 4:50 AM Mohanan K P <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> "The definition is too vague." >>> That is exactly the difference between >>> >>> a) academic language (as it ought to be, not necessarily the way it is >>> practiced), and >>> b) the language of politics seeping into state controlled 'law', as well >>> as bureaucracy. >>> >>> The language of (b) ensures the prohibition of what the decision makers >>> do not want while allowing for what they want. The confounding of the >>> individuals who control the state and the abstract entity called the state >>> is deliberate: it allows for punishing, in the name of the glorified entity >>> called 'nation', those who speak up against the individuals , which in >>> effect is the group of rulers. So, of those who are ruled make the rulers >>> afraid, that counts as terrorism. But if a US ruler makes Saddam Hussain >>> afraid or assassinates Saddam Hussain, that is not terrorism under >>> definition 5. >>> >>> As an educator, my goal is to educate the young such that they have the >>> capacity to think with clarity and precision, see through the fancy words >>> of the 'authorities' (authorities = parents, teachers, 'experts', leaders, >>> ...) and to doubt and question themselves as well as the authorities. (see >>> the Socratic Oath of educators at >>> http://confluence.ias.ac.in/tag/socratic-oath/ ) Democracy in the >>> real sense (which is the same as anarchy (absence of rulers)) is not >>> possible without true education. Schooling that provides degrees and >>> certificates without educating the mind is what the >>> Corporation-State-OrganisedReligion triad wants, and what we need to fight >>> against if the human species needs to survive. >>> >>> >>> >>> On Sat, Aug 15, 2020 at 4:25 AM KP Sasi <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Definition 5: `Criminal acts against State' and `Creation of a state of >>>> terror' are two different entities. The definition is too vague. The usage >>>> of `criminal acts against state' is more an excuse of the State to exercise >>>> its creation of fear over people. You can have criminal acts against a >>>> representative of the State. That doesn't mean criminal act against the >>>> entire State. You can have criminal acts against nations like Vietnam war, >>>> Iraq war or any other American invasions. That is also not just a criminal >>>> act against a State. It is against the people confined to a boundary called >>>> a `nation'. But the `creation of a state of terror' is just the act of what >>>> Modi Government is trying to do now. Just look at the number of >>>> intellectuals who are imprisoned under draconian laws in India today. The >>>> draconian law called UAPA itself is a criminal act of the State on its own >>>> people. >>>> >>>> On Sat, Aug 15, 2020 at 3:58 AM Mohanan K P <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Not ALL the definitions. Given definition 5, it follows that Stalin, >>>>> Hitler, Mossolini.... couldn't have been terrorists. No State can be a >>>>> terrorist under definition 5. Why do you think UN changed def 4' (1994) to >>>>> def 5 (2006)? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Sat, Aug 15, 2020 at 3:54 AM KP Sasi <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Thanks for the response. From all these definitions it is too clear >>>>>> that the Indian State and the Hindutva forces are the biggest terrorist >>>>>> outfits in this country. Thanks. >>>>>> >>>>>> On Sat, Aug 15, 2020 at 3:48 AM Mohanan K P <[email protected]> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Sharing the handout on Terrorists and Armed Freedom Struggle that we >>>>>>> esed for a web workshop on Aug 1 and 2 that I think would be of >>>>>>> interest >>>>>>> to many of you. >>>>>>> Mohanan >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Sat, Aug 15, 2020 at 3:43 AM Mohanan K P <[email protected]> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> is there a way to watch the film before the webinar? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Sat, Aug 15, 2020 at 3:31 AM KP Sasi <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Sharing information about the screening and panel discussion >>>>>>>>> with the film Fabricated from 14th to 16th on thumanhe net. Webinar >>>>>>>>> on 16th >>>>>>>>> at 5 pm. Those interested can register. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> https://countercurrents.org/2020/08/screening-of-the-documentary-fabricated-by-k-p-sasi/ >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/greenyouth/CAEuZ0T2HZ8DkdujOOv%3Db8F-bngWA-1PY4vjqF-skrB8uwXJQ5Q%40mail.gmail.com.
