No one can tell me what to do
There are three things about life: freedom, principle and practicality. Failure to understand how these are connected causes all kinds of trouble for people.
Freedom is the ability to do or think as you want. But, are you really free? It depends upon what you value.
Principles fall into categories, from the most strong to the least. Mathematical principles are the strongest and apparently transcend reality. We cannot even imagine putting two objects next to two other objects and not having 4 objects. So, math is about as solid as principles get. Next comes physics. It seems pretty reasonable and can predict what we will see. Next comes the biological sciences, sociology, the political sciences, and finally rules of social behavior.
Practicality is how the use of money, time and effort plays against the concepts of freedom and principle.
So, in principle, you could build a new pyramid in Egypt (no mathematical, physical or insurmountable political constraint). Since I can imagine it, I am free to do so. But, practically speaking, where would I get the money, time, resources, and people to do this? How would I find out who's palms need greased? What about long term maintenance? This is where freedom comes into conflict with principle.
The latest conflict in Pittsburgh is about wearing a motorcycle helmet. Biological statistics note the frequency at which motorcycles collide with larger objects. Physics notes the force of impact and the ability of soft tissue and bone to withstand such forces. Practicality indicates that you could lose your life and your career. But the legal principle is that you are allowed to go without a helmet and you can imagine doing so. But, you can also imagine walking in space without a spacesuit. No law yet against doing just that.
Here is what I say: you are always free to do what you can imagine, but don't try to challenge the laws of mathematics, physics, or biology. You will lose the math and physics challenge and statistically may lose the biology challenge.
In the early 1980s, there was a decision not to universally test and quarantine people with AIDS as it would interfere with political principle. When, surprise, more and more people got AIDS, we wrung our hands in anguish. The principle of contagion, a biological principle, supercedes political principle by a long shot. Just goes to show how even our politicians can be led astray by a belief in their own pseudo-freedom. Practically, we have had to spend a lot of money, sweat and tears because of thumbing our nose to the principle of contagion.
So, when you think you are free, you really aren't unless you have taken principle and practicality into account.
Freedom is the ability to do or think as you want. But, are you really free? It depends upon what you value.
Principles fall into categories, from the most strong to the least. Mathematical principles are the strongest and apparently transcend reality. We cannot even imagine putting two objects next to two other objects and not having 4 objects. So, math is about as solid as principles get. Next comes physics. It seems pretty reasonable and can predict what we will see. Next comes the biological sciences, sociology, the political sciences, and finally rules of social behavior.
Practicality is how the use of money, time and effort plays against the concepts of freedom and principle.
So, in principle, you could build a new pyramid in Egypt (no mathematical, physical or insurmountable political constraint). Since I can imagine it, I am free to do so. But, practically speaking, where would I get the money, time, resources, and people to do this? How would I find out who's palms need greased? What about long term maintenance? This is where freedom comes into conflict with principle.
The latest conflict in Pittsburgh is about wearing a motorcycle helmet. Biological statistics note the frequency at which motorcycles collide with larger objects. Physics notes the force of impact and the ability of soft tissue and bone to withstand such forces. Practicality indicates that you could lose your life and your career. But the legal principle is that you are allowed to go without a helmet and you can imagine doing so. But, you can also imagine walking in space without a spacesuit. No law yet against doing just that.
Here is what I say: you are always free to do what you can imagine, but don't try to challenge the laws of mathematics, physics, or biology. You will lose the math and physics challenge and statistically may lose the biology challenge.
In the early 1980s, there was a decision not to universally test and quarantine people with AIDS as it would interfere with political principle. When, surprise, more and more people got AIDS, we wrung our hands in anguish. The principle of contagion, a biological principle, supercedes political principle by a long shot. Just goes to show how even our politicians can be led astray by a belief in their own pseudo-freedom. Practically, we have had to spend a lot of money, sweat and tears because of thumbing our nose to the principle of contagion.
So, when you think you are free, you really aren't unless you have taken principle and practicality into account.
posted by DocBrain at
4:07 AM
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