[Ham] the MoQists by their own description are selfless automatons... [Arlo] Kindly provide us with one MOQist who has ever self-described themselves as such. Who's "own description", I'm curious, is this?
[Ham] ... produced and controlled by biological, social and intellectual forces... [Arlo] Controlled AND enabled. You fail to see that. While biological forces constrain our agency (I can't fly), they also enabled an agency far greater than the level beneath them (but I can walk). Social and intellectual forces are equally constraining and enabling. Our "freedom" is always part of this dual coin, we are "free" to do what we do because of our being "on" a certain level, but we are also always "constrained" by the structures therein. [Ham] ... whose only purpose is to move an insensible universe toward its own inevitable betterness.... [Arlo] This isn't my purpose. Quality may be "moving" the universe towards its own inevitable betterness, but Arlo's purpose in life is to purse Excellence, as a father, son, friend, and all my chosen (an unchosen) roles. And I don't need your "God", or an immutable negated negation, to give me that purpose. But I do think "purpose" is overrated. What was the "cosmic purpose" of little Caylee, the child missing and presumed dead (at her mother's hand!) in Florida? What "cosmic purpose" was fulfilled by the toddler who (as a disturbingly many appear to be these days) died as the result of being left by accident in his mom's car on a hot summer day while she went in to work? And you know, when I think about it, I'm a little miffed that Paris Hilton was given a "purpose" that includes being an idiot while having millions of dollars while mine apparently involves working hard until almost the day I die. I think Despair.com nails it, who the hell wants on their epitaph, "His only purpose in life was to serve as a warning for others."? But, it seems, this really is the only "cosmic purpose" for a great number of folk. [Ham] This is worse than postmodern nihilism. This is living in a state of total self-denial. [Arlo] Worse than... gasp!... postmodern nihilism?! Say it ain't so! Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
