Christian?

Jeff Ventura writes us about a “Christian” doctor who refused to treat a child because her mother had tattoos.

http://gracefulflavor.net/2007/02/17/christian-doctor-refuses-treatment-to-child-based-on-mothers-tatoos/

Now, I feel that if this doctor wants to  refuse treatment, thats fine. I think that people should be allowed to refuse whatever they want to whoever they want. But what makes this man feel that he is acting as a Christian in doing so?

I have been noticing this trend, and it bothers me. Ultra-righteous Christians feel that they are above the Christian moral code — that is, to love their neighbors as themselves. I wish that “Christians” would quit their stupidity and honor Jesus for what he stood for — love.

 

Awesome — Ringo Shiina

 

CNET Reply on Macs

Original post:

“Ok, they said TARGET! Do I have to explain that term for you, or has that cutsie tootsie GUI of O/S X fried your brain too much? Its a target because of the all the hype its receiving as being “safe”. The honest fact that if its connected to the net, its not safe. Period. Yes, there are more viruses for MS software, yes there are virtually no spyware/adware/viruses for Mac’s. Hello…. do we have to go over this again? Why in the world would someone take the time to write a virus that will infect maybe 4% of the total pc market? God, you mac fanboi’s are almost as annoying as your commercials. Hands down, I’ll take my Windows machine over your mac anyday of the week. Why? Because I like to use my pc, I like to customize my pc, and I like to upgrade my pc, and I like to game on my pc. A mac is good for many things, yes, if all you do is surf the net, download off iTunes, write papers, or do graphic work. But for gamers, tweakers, and those who enjoy testing software, Mac is not the way to go. In otherwords, shutup, go back to adjusting your dockbar, and for gods sake beg Apple to stop those stupid commercials.”

My reply is as follows:

“The honest fact that if its connected to the net, its not safe. Period.”
This is a very unenlightened response that I’ve heard from a ton of MS fans who know nothing about programming or security.

Sure, it is true, if a computer is connected to a network the it is vulnerable. But there are scales of vulnerability. Something can be less ore more secure. A door lock can be more secure than a piece of rope. The same holds true for computers. Firewalls, not running applications with SU privileges, etc.

“Yes, there are more viruses for MS software, yes there are virtually no spyware/adware/viruses for Mac’s. Hello…. do we have to go over this again? Why in the world would someone take the time to write a virus that will infect maybe 4% of the total pc market?”

We are aware of a few things:
1. Macs don’t get viruses.
2. Windows machines get viruses.
3. Therefore, if you want a virus, get a Windows machine.
4. Therefore, if you wish to be virusless, get a Mac.

I’m putting this simply (and possibly weakly) to illustrate a point. When it comes to buying a safe computer, Tanis, the best option comes to OS X.

I suppose that what you are TRYING to say is that there may be virus problems in the future(I emphasize trying because you absolutely do not say this).

Do you deny either of these?
1. On Windows there are already many viruses and there will be more.
2. On OS X there are no viruses, however there may be some in the future.

If not, then it you’re agreeing that buying MS is buying something that is guaranteed to be vulnerable, whereas on OS X you may only be vulnerable in the future.

Which is the better option?

“Hands down, I’ll take my Windows machine over your mac anyday of the week. Why? Because … I like to customize my pc, and I like to upgrade my pc, and I like to game on my pc… But for gamers, tweakers, and those who enjoy testing software, Mac is not the way to go.”

That’s fine. Keep your PC. The Mac crowd has never claimed these abilities (or at least to the degree that you can do on a MS machine). However, you should realize that for every user like yourself, there are many, many more who only… “is surf the net, download off iTunes, write papers.” That is to say, what the Mac is good for, according to you. There are many people who like to use their computers to do things, as opposed to do things to use their computers.

Now, I’d just like to point out that your own personal position is flawed, and I’d like to use an analogy:

Suppose I told you that I liked steak better than chicken because I like sweet things. Wouldn’t you suppose me to be a crazy man?

Saying that you prefer Windows over OS X because you like to customize things is analogous.
If you REALLY wanted to customize your OS, you’d be running Linux. Multiple desktop environments (cf KDE, Gnome, XFCE, Blackbox, Fluxbox, etc).

The only point left in your stance that is hard to assail is the gaming side; however, with Wine and its improved gaming abilities, your position is much weakened. And besides, you like to tweak, right? So why not tweak your games on a far more tweakable system?

 

Against Anarchy

A friend of mine once said that they believe in anarchy. I disagreed, and gave an argument that was along the lines of what Thomas Hobbes wrote in his book, Leviathan. Check out this pasage for an interesting look into the state of nature:

From this equality of ability ariseth equality of hope in the attaining of our ends. And therefore if any two men desire the same thing, which nevertheless they cannot both enjoy, they become enemies; and in the way to their end (which is principally their own conservation, and sometimes their delectation only) endeavour to destroy or subdue one another. And from hence it comes to pass that where an invader hath no more to fear than another man’s single power, if one plant, sow, build, or possess a convenient seat, others may probably be expected to come prepared with forces united to dispossess and deprive him, not only of the fruit of his labour, but also of his life or liberty. And the invader again is in the like danger of another.

And from this diffidence of one another, there is no way for any man to secure himself so reasonable as anticipation; that is, by force, or wiles, to master the persons of all men he can so long till he see no other power great enough to endanger him: and this is no more than his own conservation requireth, and is generally allowed. Also, because there be some that, taking pleasure in contemplating their own power in the acts of conquest, which they pursue farther than their security requires, if others, that otherwise would be glad to be at ease within modest bounds, should not by invasion increase their power, they would not be able, long time, by standing only on their defence, to subsist. And by consequence, such augmentation of dominion over men being necessary to a man’s conservation, it ought to be allowed him.

Leviathan, by Thomas Hobbes, Chapter 13 paragraphs 2 and 3

Very interesting, and well stated.

 

Change in name

I find it hard for me to express myself via blog, which troubles me. I really want to get used to expressing myself in writing. Heck, I’d like to pick up a philosophy major or minor just to get better at expressing myself in writing.
I think my apprehension is due to my fear of who will read this. I know, lame, isn’t it? I have a hard time getting around it, though. I guess I’m afraid of being judged by what I say on here. I take that back, it isn’t really fair to myself. I’m sure you all will agree that sometimes it is hard to get at the absolute core reason for a feeling/emotion/fear — the heart is treacherous, after all. Who can know it? So I tend to attribute to myself the worst motivations imaginable motivations for my feelings. If you don’t understand what I’m talking about, never mind, I just attempted to write out an explanation, but in all reality it is too long to touch in here. Maybe another blog.
I do not actually feel that I’m afraid of being judged. I am afraid that people won’t understand me, and the issues that such problems bring about. I’m talking specifically about the Jehovah’s Witness crowd. I really don’t think that my blog gets near the readership that Brandon’s gets, though. It seems like a lot more people that care about him knew about his blog than they did mine. I guess it makes sense though. I forget how long its been since I’ve been a real regular at the meetings, and so not that many people care that much about me (if you are a specific JW and this raises your emotions in protest, yes I’m sure that YOU care about me. But many other people don’t. And I’m not blaming them at all, I’m just stating the obvious).

I don’t feel like discussing this though. The point is, I changed the name of the blog to hid in obscurity. Hopefully, anybody who read it before won’t find it now to read it again. And if you do, all I ask is that you be understanding. I realize that most JWs are tattle tales. I ask you not to be one. Not that I’m doing anythign in my life that can be tattled on anyway.

This is probably the most heartfelt I’ve been on a blog entry ever. It does feel nice. I would imagine that an actual personal journal would be better, but this has the advantage of being public for those who I want to keep up with. Though, I find that number dwindling. I don’t really have any close friends. That sucks. I’m just realizing this now. Not that I’m an unlikable guy or anything. Just, we have all parted ways in life.

I guess that is something to discuss in a later blog, if I feel like it.

PS, I downloaded a bunch of music tonight. Some old, some new. Its good to spend some time looking for music.

 

Insanity

Most of my philosophical thoughts center around the ideal. Right and wrong, and the reasons for their being right and wrong.

It all leads to very interesting conclusions. And my conclusions agree with the wise ancients.

I think I’ll discuss some of that nonsense in this blog, if I ever get in the habit of posting to it. I’m doing good at posting once per month, if that.

I put in a few applications around Shadyside. Hopefully I’ll get a call soon.

Also, I just watched Gandhi. What a most excellent movie. I teared up a number of times, and actually formed a tear twice. It makes me want to pick his biography back up and tear into it again.

It also illustrates how dumb people can be. After Gandhi everything possible to free the Indians from the British, they still were divided on religion. Its interesting how little I really know about the world. I never knew that Pakastan was once part of India, and that it split when India gained independence.

Shows my own ignorance.

Night everyone

 

So I just found out…

that . is in my path on my slack machine….

Yuck. How did that happen?

I guess thats what I get for not paying any mind to the machine -_-

 

The Republic

In my Political Philosophy class, we are reading The Republic. At first, I was unimpressed by the books. They seemed to be full of nonsense and ill reasoning, and I couldn’t get past the idea that Plato was trying to wrap fact around his ideas, specifically that justice is valuable for its own sake. I thought it was foolish — that is, until I reached the end of the Book IV.

After long deliberation, Plato concludes that justice in man is the quality in which one’s mind is ruled by its proper faculties. Meaning that reasoning > emotion > appetite. If one’s emotion or appetite dominates his reasoning, then we can expect that one to do many things that are not beneficial for him.

I like this definition, however I still am unconvinced that justice in one’s mind will lead to justice in one’s dealings with others.

Don’t fail me now, Plato.

PS, — to borrow a favored phrase from Mr. Adler — the book is worth your while to read. And so is How to Read a Book, by Mr. Adler.

Anyway, ta ta!

 

New Blog, Death of a Friend

I’m on the Blogger beta. I couldn’t move my old blog, so here it is — the new one.

My iBook died. The screen is cracked, and it won’t boot properly. The repairs would be costly, and I don’t believe in repairing old computers that are ready to be end-of-lifed.

iBook, thank you for the eye opening. You introduced me to the Apple world, where power and intuition rule, and an ultra powerful operating system can be the most user-friendly operating system around.

We learned C together. I have fond memories of you and I, chilling at the community college, debugging segmentation faults into the afternoon, writing clients and servers. Those were the days.

We learned Java together. Whenever I needed to write an application for school, my favourite method was to sit with you at the Hillman Library, with my headphones empty of music and head full of thought. We’d steadily plow through assignments — a heap implementation, an automagic maze solver, or a drawn digital clock. You were always there for me.

Together, we learned to appreciate Opera. Thanks to Cory’s introduction, the Carnegie Library became one of our favorite haunts. The wry looks from the librarians are more than happy memories for me.

You will be missed.