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Thomas Sowell was a Marxist until his late 20's and made a U-turn after a stint as a Federal government employee.
Marx is distinguished in philosophical circles for being the founding father of Scientific Socialism. Since Marxism was Sowell's original home, a lot of his work seems to fight Marx on the same philosophical terrain. Scientific Socialism, meet the Scientific Free Market approach and a man just as skilled (if not more so) at drawing philosophical conclusions.
Marx is distinguished in philosophical circles for being the founding father of Scientific Socialism. Since Marxism was Sowell's original home, a lot of his work seems to fight Marx on the same philosophical terrain. Scientific Socialism, meet the Scientific Free Market approach and a man just as skilled (if not more so) at drawing philosophical conclusions.
G
I think maybe believing you can be objective is a form of pride. If a person thinks he is objective, they are at least deluded into thinking they have no biases. I am sure there are many people who THINK they are objective.
I am curious to see who he picks, I think it will be a good choice. I hope so, anyway.
I am curious to see who he picks, I think it will be a good choice. I hope so, anyway.
G
I've only read some of his columns in the newspaper, but did not think they had a socialist bent. Of course, if they did, it was probably over my head.
I probably need to see that movie too, Sowell first races for the Marx gang, takes a u turn and starts to race for the Reagan gang. As they race, they accidentally run over the chickens crossing the road.
I probably need to see that movie too, Sowell first races for the Marx gang, takes a u turn and starts to race for the Reagan gang. As they race, they accidentally run over the chickens crossing the road.
Oh no, there is no socialist bent to his writings if we're talking policy. At all.
Sowell and Marx both propose they interpret economic data and draw conclusions on the nature of man and the place of social and political institutions from that economic data. Their similarity is not the socialism, but the proclaimed method of evaluation.
Sowell is, of course, better.
Sowell and Marx both propose they interpret economic data and draw conclusions on the nature of man and the place of social and political institutions from that economic data. Their similarity is not the socialism, but the proclaimed method of evaluation.
Sowell is, of course, better.
Objectivity
Sometimes when an issues is really messy, like objectivity, it's best to camp in the scripture, instead of playing an endless philosophical game of hide-and-seek with the lost world.
1. The lost world is free to create their own myriad of objective standards, based on their own epistemology, however they please.... and they do.
They can create their own objectivity, or lack of objectivity, in any way they choose, by any means they choose.
They CAN do this, and they DO.
This has nothing to do with logic or reality.
It has ONLY to do with a lost man's efforts to avoid God,
and maybe try to arrive at some moral code without him.
2. For the Christian, well, maybe we need an entirely new definition of "objective".
"Objective" means to ignore your personal feelings, and look only for truth, and facts.
Hmmm.
Well, as Christians we are to rely on the Bible, and the Bible is, by definition, TRUE.
The Bible is the very epitome of truth itself.
So, what if your "personal feelings" are to believe the bible in all things, but the bible is also the very epitome of truth?
What then?
Is it no longer objective to have personal feelings?
"Objective" by definition, is that which is factually true.
If the Bible is true, then the bible is, by definition, OBJECTIVE.
- How many people in the world would define the bible as objective?
- How many Christians would even define the bible as objective?
- A better question is, why wouldn't we?
This line of reasoning means nothing to the lost world,
but as Christians, it should mean something to us...
it's our foundation.
Sometimes when an issues is really messy, like objectivity, it's best to camp in the scripture, instead of playing an endless philosophical game of hide-and-seek with the lost world.
1. The lost world is free to create their own myriad of objective standards, based on their own epistemology, however they please.... and they do.
They can create their own objectivity, or lack of objectivity, in any way they choose, by any means they choose.
They CAN do this, and they DO.
This has nothing to do with logic or reality.
It has ONLY to do with a lost man's efforts to avoid God,
and maybe try to arrive at some moral code without him.
2. For the Christian, well, maybe we need an entirely new definition of "objective".
"Objective" means to ignore your personal feelings, and look only for truth, and facts.
Hmmm.
Well, as Christians we are to rely on the Bible, and the Bible is, by definition, TRUE.
The Bible is the very epitome of truth itself.
So, what if your "personal feelings" are to believe the bible in all things, but the bible is also the very epitome of truth?
What then?
Is it no longer objective to have personal feelings?
"Objective" by definition, is that which is factually true.
If the Bible is true, then the bible is, by definition, OBJECTIVE.
- How many people in the world would define the bible as objective?
- How many Christians would even define the bible as objective?
- A better question is, why wouldn't we?
This line of reasoning means nothing to the lost world,
but as Christians, it should mean something to us...
it's our foundation.
Russell Kirk was a conservative traditionalist scholar. He did most of his writing during the Cold War. I'd read him before Sowell, even.
Yeah, I'm not much of an economics guy. I read enough of it to refute idiotic socialist proposals and converse with libertarians in their mother tongue.
Beyond that? Meh. Hand me Thucydides.
Yeah, I'm not much of an economics guy. I read enough of it to refute idiotic socialist proposals and converse with libertarians in their mother tongue.
Beyond that? Meh. Hand me Thucydides.
G
1. You are absolutely right. I myself have a problem leaning on my own understanding instead of leaning on the Word of God. As the Bible says in the days of Noah, everyone was doing what was right in their own eyes, ignoring God. I have heard the philosophy "what is right for me may not be right for you", this has become so prevalent in the world, that people can actually justify Hitler's deeds and say he was "morally right according to his own ethics". I have heard the phrase "my truth is not your truth", ignoring the idea of absolute truth.
2. I think some Christians do not believe the Bible is objective because they will say the Bible was "written by men" instead of being written by the Holy Spirit through men. That is one problem, how people view the Bible. Is it inspired? Is it inerrant? Is it the verbal, plenary word of God? If Christians do not accept these things, then they think the Bible is subjective and not objective truth.
2. I think some Christians do not believe the Bible is objective because they will say the Bible was "written by men" instead of being written by the Holy Spirit through men. That is one problem, how people view the Bible. Is it inspired? Is it inerrant? Is it the verbal, plenary word of God? If Christians do not accept these things, then they think the Bible is subjective and not objective truth.
It's good that I'm name-dropping in a book thread.
Thucydides was an Athenian historian who wrote A History of the Peloponnesian War. Good stuff! It resonates so well that I pictured modern nations duking it out, not a bunch of guys with skirts and spears.
It isn't a matter of intelligence. More like how I spend my free time. Catch me in a month or two and I'll be more apt to discuss hot dogs.
Thucydides was an Athenian historian who wrote A History of the Peloponnesian War. Good stuff! It resonates so well that I pictured modern nations duking it out, not a bunch of guys with skirts and spears.
It isn't a matter of intelligence. More like how I spend my free time. Catch me in a month or two and I'll be more apt to discuss hot dogs.
G
It's good that I'm name-dropping in a book thread.
Thucydides was an Athenian historian who wrote A History of the Peloponnesian War. Good stuff! It resonates so well that I pictured modern nations duking it out, not a bunch of guys with skirts and spears.
It isn't a matter of intelligence. More like how I spend my free time. Catch me in a month or two and I'll be more apt to discuss hot dogs.
Thucydides was an Athenian historian who wrote A History of the Peloponnesian War. Good stuff! It resonates so well that I pictured modern nations duking it out, not a bunch of guys with skirts and spears.
It isn't a matter of intelligence. More like how I spend my free time. Catch me in a month or two and I'll be more apt to discuss hot dogs.
It's good that I'm name-dropping in a book thread.
Thucydides was an Athenian historian who wrote A History of the Peloponnesian War. Good stuff! It resonates so well that I pictured modern nations duking it out, not a bunch of guys with skirts and spears.
It isn't a matter of intelligence. More like how I spend my free time. Catch me in a month or two and I'll be more apt to discuss hot dogs.
Thucydides was an Athenian historian who wrote A History of the Peloponnesian War. Good stuff! It resonates so well that I pictured modern nations duking it out, not a bunch of guys with skirts and spears.
It isn't a matter of intelligence. More like how I spend my free time. Catch me in a month or two and I'll be more apt to discuss hot dogs.
I got a bad case of thucydides when I went swimming last year in a public pool.
The doctor nearly had to remove my peloponnesus.