From the Malthusian Garrote to the Gatesian Borg...

[lkwalker]

.

[lkwalker]

.

[Pana]

Psychology and psychiatrity would fail being a science then.

[lkwalker]

.

[Egg]

2. Big theory, small theory- The didactical nature of Thesis

Natural Selection

In any enquiry a point departure is an arbitrary and necessary evil. In considering Society, Natural Selection, owing to that field's hold on post modern analysis of societal process, would seem to be a decent place to start. It is what I term 'a big theory' since it purports to explain the necessary material basis of the human condition. But is it's essential premise, the it is always 'the fittest that survive' any given set of conditions a statement of truth derived from theory or simple observation? In other words is the theory flawed in the sense that that premise is tautologically deduced? And might that flaw alarmingly apply to all social scientific theory per se?

In order for any theory to have any value it must be: A. inclusive, B. predictive, C. descriptive, and D. explanatory without fail.

Just to be a stickler - it's really survival of the most fit and not survival of the fittest. Those creatures most fit to live in a certain place will thrive and not necessarily the fittest creature.

[TraumaT]

Just to be a stickler - it's really survival of the most fit and not survival of the fittest. Those creatures most fit to live in a certain place will thrive and not necessarily the fittest creature.

Also, a tribe where people cooperate, work together and take care of each other will have a better chance of surviving than a tribe where people only look out for themself.

[Egg]

I agree. In most cases, the group wins out. A lion can be taken down by a pack of hyena. But, I think we're starting to get off BE's point. HAHHAHA!

[Egg]

From the Malthusian Garrote to the Gatesian Borg...
Adventures in Social Symmetry

All of philosophy is a footnote to Plato Alfred North Whitehead

Symmetry


The future is always a logical extension of the past- unmitigated by conscious appeal. Or so believed Marx. And from a study of material conditions inevitable outcomes for human society can be deduced. But what of the transcendence of symmetry? The dialectic posed by Plato, and embraced by materialism, is subsumed by a categorical sense of symmetry based upon observation of the natural objects of creation. The resultant circularity of this philosophical presupposition is relieved by an appeal to temporal advance resulting in a Spiralar process from which freedom is allowed and derived and enjoyed. But the question must arise- that just as Dialectic consists of and adheres to, natural symmetry- should it not be the case that the dialectical process itself have an antipode required by the same presupposition in order that it also avoids the prison of circularity? In other words, is there an essential "crystalline" nature to all natural processes and objects? And is there evidence of this that can be observed or deduced?

...to be continued

This is a really interesting question, BE. An antipode to the dialectic. An antithesis to its thesis. But, wouldn't that look pretty much the same? It would come from the opposite angle for the same question, no?

[Pana]

No! I just thought!

The future is not from the past - it's from this moment.

[lkwalker]

.