Unless they are carrying Plasmodium.
The Examined Life
- Sculptor1
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Re: The Examined Life
OR.... Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, and dengue virus
- Angel Trismegistus
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Re: The Examined Life
See what you started? Much obliged.Steve3007 wrote: ↑August 17th, 2020, 4:06 amDo you love insects as much as you love cats and dogs? Would you say that there is a sliding scale of love from animals that are closely related to humans towards animals that are closer to the boundary with other living things, like plants? Or is the love equal for all animal species?Angel Trismegistus wrote:I love cats. I love dogs too of course. All animals in fact. Including insects.
(I forgot to say: Welcome, by the way.)
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Re: The Examined Life
You're welcome! I guess any time someone raises the subject of the ethical status of various forms of life it's going to provoke a lot of comment.Angel Trismegistus wrote:See what you started? Much obliged.
For my part, I don't tend to use the word "love" for any person or animal that I don't personally know in any way. I usually can't say things like "I love the human race" or "I love cats" (i.e. "I love group X") with any conviction. My love tends to be reserved for individuals and tends to be a result of knowing them personally in some way.
- Angel Trismegistus
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Re: The Examined Life
Do you love your country?Steve3007 wrote: ↑September 9th, 2020, 5:58 amYou're welcome! I guess any time someone raises the subject of the ethical status of various forms of life it's going to provoke a lot of comment.Angel Trismegistus wrote:See what you started? Much obliged.
For my part, I don't tend to use the word "love" for any person or animal that I don't personally know in any way. I usually can't say things like "I love the human race" or "I love cats" (i.e. "I love group X") with any conviction. My love tends to be reserved for individuals and tends to be a result of knowing them personally in some way.
Do you love wisdom?
Do you love music of a certain kind?
Do you love life?
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Re: The Examined Life
A very American choice of first question, if you don't mind me saying so.Angel Trismegistus wrote:Do you love your country?
No. I'm fond of my cultural reference points, but that's not love. It's mostly nostalgia and humour. A nostalgia for such things as childhood TV programmes (We watched some old episodes of The Sweeney the other day. Interesting to see them in the context of their time.) isn't what I'd call love.
I value those things but don't love them as I love my children.Do you love wisdom?
Do you love music of a certain kind?
Do you love life?
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Re: The Examined Life
Do you love wisdom?
Then begone from a philosophy website! Eh?No
- Angel Trismegistus
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Re: The Examined Life
Nope. Don't mind one little bit. I understand political fashion well enough to know not to take this season's hemline to heart.
- Angel Trismegistus
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Re: The Examined Life
I don't know what political fashion you're referring to here. Conspicuous displays of patriotism (pledges of allegiance, displaying of the flag etc) have been part of US culture for long enough for them to be more than political fashion. They're a long term part of the culture.Angel Trismegistus wrote:I understand political fashion well enough to know not to take this season's hemline to heart.
- Angel Trismegistus
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Re: The Examined Life
I was referring to the fashionable European political cynicism that sneers at love of country.Steve3007 wrote: ↑September 10th, 2020, 5:33 amI don't know what political fashion you're referring to here. Conspicuous displays of patriotism (pledges of allegiance, displaying of the flag etc) have been part of US culture for long enough for them to be more than political fashion. They're a long term part of the culture.Angel Trismegistus wrote:I understand political fashion well enough to know not to take this season's hemline to heart.
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Re: The Examined Life
I wasn't sneering at love of country; just noting an interesting cultural difference. I think cultural differences are particularly interesting when they exist between societies that have similar cultural roots.Angel Trismegistus wrote:I was referring to the fashionable European political cynicism that sneers at love of country.
- Sculptor1
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Re: The Examined Life
A "cynicism" that has, since 1945, and for the first time in history saved Europe from the usual Bellum omnium contra omnes that has plagued it since the dawn of the concept of the nation state.Angel Trismegistus wrote: ↑September 10th, 2020, 5:37 amI was referring to the fashionable European political cynicism that sneers at love of country.Steve3007 wrote: ↑September 10th, 2020, 5:33 am
I don't know what political fashion you're referring to here. Conspicuous displays of patriotism (pledges of allegiance, displaying of the flag etc) have been part of US culture for long enough for them to be more than political fashion. They're a long term part of the culture.
Thank F for that healthy cynicism.
- Sculptor1
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Re: The Examined Life
- Angel Trismegistus
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Re: The Examined Life
Patriotism, as I'm sure you know, is older than nationalism, and has deeper roots in the human spirit. Now, the moral incontinence of the modern European state may indeed make as compelling a case for "that healthy cynicism" as you suggest in your perfervid post, and like the recovering alcoholic Europe cannot afford to fall off the wagon again, so let's hear an "Amen!" for the EU. But, to carry the conceit a little further, it is humility and not self-righteousness that the modern European needs to show for Europe's disastrous role on the world stage over the last few centuries, and to denounce patriotism in the United States of America or patriotism tout court on account of the past sins of European nationalism is simply the foolish conflation of the addict with a troubled conscience who troubles not with fine distinctions.Sculptor1 wrote: ↑September 10th, 2020, 6:45 pmA "cynicism" that has, since 1945, and for the first time in history saved Europe from the usual Bellum omnium contra omnes that has plagued it since the dawn of the concept of the nation state.Angel Trismegistus wrote: ↑September 10th, 2020, 5:37 am
I was referring to the fashionable European political cynicism that sneers at love of country.
Thank F for that healthy cynicism.
2023/2024 Philosophy Books of the Month
Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul
by Mitzi Perdue
February 2023
Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness
by Chet Shupe
March 2023