Theme: Civilization

  • Cultural Variants of Truth and the Consequences

    Truth and Adherence to Rules are two different things. (submission) Truth and Fidelity to Contract are two different things. Truth and Duty are two different things. Truth and Knowledge are two different things. Truth as Adherence – Familialism (most of the world) Truth as Fidelity – Tribalism (judaism) Truth as Duty – Nationalism (germans) Truth as Science – Universalism. (english) [T]hat members of a community follow rules and conventions with one another, does not require whatsoever that they tell the truth to one another. That members of a community fulfill promises or contracts with one another, does not require whatsoever that they tell the truth to one another. Another community may both fulfill it’s promises, its contracts, and the commitment to tell the truth at all times regardless of cost. The principle of truth to to an Adherence community consists of order. The principle of ‘truth’ to a contract community consists of fidelity. The principle of truth to a truth-telling community consists of ***SCIENCE***. If you grasp the profundity of this statement you will understand why some cultures produce science, and some produce trade, and some produce tyranny. Some create science. And some create pseudoscience. And some create only order. Some create science, innovation, trade and trust. Others create only trade, and others create only utilitarian applications of tools. Small things in large numbers have vast consequences. When we use ‘functions” such as the verb to be, or the word ‘truth’ we do not really understand their construction, just that they are shorthand approximations that tend to work. We have just knowledge of use, not knowledge of construction. But the word ‘true’ means very different things in different places: science, fidelity, and adherence. And the consequences are astounding. Truth is a performative declaration. Truth claims then, to different groups, state either epistemology, fidelity, or adherence. I have solved the problem you know. It’s ethics. —- [C]omments From: Ayelam Valentine Agaliba:

    The principle of truth to to an Adherence community consists of order. The principle of ‘truth’ to a contract community consists of fidelity. The principle of truth to a truth-telling community consists of ***SCIENCE***

    This is a most penetrating line. It has vast political implications. Do you know what? I believe that you can better Samuel Huntington. Replace his Hegelianism with your program and what you have is a far more rigorous/descriptive explanation. From: Curt Doolittle

    (^^^Thank you for all the help you have been to me. Love you man.)

    From: Frank Lovell I’d add or say:

    Where there are NO humans, truth rules; where there ARE humans, ethics rules, without which truth and knowledge of truth matter not.

  • Cultural Variants of Truth and the Consequences

    Truth and Adherence to Rules are two different things. (submission) Truth and Fidelity to Contract are two different things. Truth and Duty are two different things. Truth and Knowledge are two different things. Truth as Adherence – Familialism (most of the world) Truth as Fidelity – Tribalism (judaism) Truth as Duty – Nationalism (germans) Truth as Science – Universalism. (english) [T]hat members of a community follow rules and conventions with one another, does not require whatsoever that they tell the truth to one another. That members of a community fulfill promises or contracts with one another, does not require whatsoever that they tell the truth to one another. Another community may both fulfill it’s promises, its contracts, and the commitment to tell the truth at all times regardless of cost. The principle of truth to to an Adherence community consists of order. The principle of ‘truth’ to a contract community consists of fidelity. The principle of truth to a truth-telling community consists of ***SCIENCE***. If you grasp the profundity of this statement you will understand why some cultures produce science, and some produce trade, and some produce tyranny. Some create science. And some create pseudoscience. And some create only order. Some create science, innovation, trade and trust. Others create only trade, and others create only utilitarian applications of tools. Small things in large numbers have vast consequences. When we use ‘functions” such as the verb to be, or the word ‘truth’ we do not really understand their construction, just that they are shorthand approximations that tend to work. We have just knowledge of use, not knowledge of construction. But the word ‘true’ means very different things in different places: science, fidelity, and adherence. And the consequences are astounding. Truth is a performative declaration. Truth claims then, to different groups, state either epistemology, fidelity, or adherence. I have solved the problem you know. It’s ethics. —- [C]omments From: Ayelam Valentine Agaliba:

    The principle of truth to to an Adherence community consists of order. The principle of ‘truth’ to a contract community consists of fidelity. The principle of truth to a truth-telling community consists of ***SCIENCE***

    This is a most penetrating line. It has vast political implications. Do you know what? I believe that you can better Samuel Huntington. Replace his Hegelianism with your program and what you have is a far more rigorous/descriptive explanation. From: Curt Doolittle

    (^^^Thank you for all the help you have been to me. Love you man.)

    From: Frank Lovell I’d add or say:

    Where there are NO humans, truth rules; where there ARE humans, ethics rules, without which truth and knowledge of truth matter not.

  • QUESTION? What is the difference, if any, between following the rules in Sinic s

    QUESTION?

    What is the difference, if any, between following the rules in Sinic society, and doing one’s duty in German society?


    Source date (UTC): 2014-07-11 02:49:00 UTC

  • CULTURAL VARIANTS OF TRUTH AND THE CONSEQUENCES Truth and Adherence to Rules are

    CULTURAL VARIANTS OF TRUTH AND THE CONSEQUENCES

    Truth and Adherence to Rules are two different things. (submission)

    Truth and Fidelity to Contract are two different things.

    Truth and Commitment to Duty are two different things.

    Truth and Knowledge are two different things.

    Truth as Adherence – Familialism (most of the world)

    Truth as Fidelity – Tribalism (judaism)

    Truth as Duty – Nationalism (germans)

    Truth as Science – Universalism. (english)

    That members of a community follow rules and conventions with one another, does not require whatsoever that they tell the truth to one another.

    That members of a community fulfill promises or contracts with one another, does not require whatsoever that they tell the truth to one another.

    Another community may both fulfill it’s promises, its contracts, and the commitment to tell the truth at all times regardless of cost.

    The principle of truth to to an Adherence community consists of order. The principle of ‘truth’ to a contract community consists of fidelity. The principle of truth to a truth-telling community consists of ***SCIENCE***.

    If you grasp the profundity of this statement you will understand why some cultures produce science, and some produce trade, and some produce tyranny. Some create science. And some create pseudoscience. And some create only order. Some create science, innovation, trade and trust. Others create only trade, and others create only utilitarian applications of tools.

    Small things in large numbers have vast consequences.

    When we use ‘functions” such as the verb to be, or the word ‘truth’ we do not really understand their construction, just that they are shorthand approximations that tend to work. We have just knowledge of use, not knowledge of construction.

    But the word ‘true’ means very different things in different places: science, fidelity, and adherence.

    And the consequences are astounding.

    Truth is a performative declaration. Truth claims then, to different groups, state either epistemology, fidelity, or adherence.

    I have solved the problem you know.

    It’s ethics.


    Source date (UTC): 2014-07-10 17:38:00 UTC

  • ARISTOCRACY AND HIGHER TRIBALISM Aristocracy can cooperate on behalf of our trib

    ARISTOCRACY AND HIGHER TRIBALISM

    Aristocracy can cooperate on behalf of our tribes, no matter what tribe we belong to. All aristocracy speaks the same language, and all of us can work to better our own tribes with the help of aristocrats from other tribes. We have no false allegiances. We have no political agendas. Our agenda is merely the advancement of the economic status of our tribes. Aristocracy under ‘higher tribalism’ is a very ‘human’ form of government. No ideologies are needed. No justification for and search for power over others is needed. All wee need is do to negotiate on behalf of our tribes large or small. Under democracy our differences are a source of conflict. Under aristocracy our differences are a source of opportunity for mutual benefit. If we are trapped in an agrarian society all that we can really do is improve the land, and fight over the land if we want greater wealth. But under industrial capitalism, we are not constrained by the productivity of our land, but by the productivity of our people. And the productivity of our people is determined by the productivity of our institutions in assisting the people in cooperating, by making possible the voluntary organization of production.

    I would much rather live in a world filled with many enterprising aristocrats feeding off the status given them by their tribes and families, than I would in a world of bureaucrats living off the status obtained by creating conflict using ideology.

    And I am pretty sure that no moral man can justify any other arrangement for any reason other than the selfish accumulation of power, and the power to oppress others to conform to his will.

    All aristocracy requires is the grant of property rights and the reciprocal guarantee of those rights – and a militia consisting of all able bodied men equally willing to guarantee those rights.


    Source date (UTC): 2014-07-10 12:31:00 UTC

  • THE IMPORTANCE OF TRUTH – THE CONSEQUENCE OF COLONIALISM It turns out that hones

    THE IMPORTANCE OF TRUTH – THE CONSEQUENCE OF COLONIALISM

    It turns out that honesty (truth) is the most important political institution, because it permits people to trust, which in turn permits risk taking, which in turn permits capital accumulation, which in turn produces economic velocity, which in turn produces prosperity. You might not think it matters so much, but of all the institutions humans have invented, creating an incentive to tell the truth is perhaps the hardest one. And while we in the west, particularly the anglo-germanic west, take it for granted that telling the truth is ‘good’ in some sort of civic or spiritual way, the fact of the matter is that the rest of the world, outside of christendom, not only does not think that way but does not feel that way either.

    Truth is a ‘universalist’ good. Only westerners are more universalist than familial or tribalist. We are the only people to have done it. We stomp around the world with our suicidal universalism promoted as a spiritual good, rather than contract and rule of law that hold us accountable for trades. It is quite possible to construct enforceable contracts as long as the language facilitates it,and by using an alternative language if not, and from the habit of rule of law, property rights, and enforceable contracts, an upper commercial class will form from the wealth generated by using them. Others, seeking entry into the commercial class and its resulting wealth, will adopt the behavior, and this becomes an upper class norm that people must demonstrate in order to participate in economic prosperity, and failure to participate in that norm will leave one in poverty.

    Our civilization evolved truth telling first, because of our tactics in war. But most civilizations must have a reason to evolve property, truth telling, and therefore trust.

    But just because a civilization evolves a normative technology, does not mean that the institutions that perpetuate that technology cannot be spread. They can. Anything that enforces a norm, can be used to instill a norm.

    The technology to export around the world was (a) title registry – ie property rights. (b) contract law (c) trial by randomly selected jury (d) juridical (law) universities, with extraordinary performance requirements rather than recitation. One can use recitation of facts with those who already understand the norms, but one cannot instill facts dependent upon norms that do not exist.

    For these reasons, democracy was damaging to societies. One can administer a territory in whatever way necessary for the production and service of the commons. And a leader can certainly seek rents this way, and not be threatened by commercial activity. But the means by which one conducts commerce via property law has nothing to do with that, and as such, there is no need for property rights and law to be part of the government – instead property law constructs the institutional means of cooperating within society itself, independent of government. Government need do nothing about it, except not to interfere.

    Judges resolve disputes based upon property rights. Advocacy is for the church. Administration of the commons for the government. Mixing the three functions Commerce, Culture and Commons is a recent mistake even in our western cultures – the church, law and state must be independent creatures to keep each other from excessive rents.

    We really screwed up the world. We gave them science, accounting, medicine and law, and the moral charter to service the population. But we also gave them democracy, which is dangerous luxury good. And we did not give them the means of producing the common law, which is the first NECESSARY good.


    Source date (UTC): 2014-07-10 10:20:00 UTC

  • Is there a city that exemplifies germany, like athens, jerusalem, london, rome o

    Is there a city that exemplifies germany, like athens, jerusalem, london, rome or paris do? Was there a philosohpical center of the german enlightenment? I mean kant was from prussia (now occupied by russia).


    Source date (UTC): 2014-07-09 08:04:00 UTC

  • Aristocracy : A Kinship of Property Rights

    ARISTOCRATIC EGALITARIAN LIBERTARIANISM A kinship of property rights. The initiatic brotherhood of warriors. The cult of egalitarian sovereignty The origins of western exceptionalism. The only possible means of possessing liberty. The solution to the problem of creating extra-familial trust, is achieved by the extension of property rights, in exchange for the reciprocal guarantee of defending each other’s property. I didn’t invent it. I just wrote it down. For the first time in 4000 years. (And it wasn’t easy either.)

  • Aristocracy : A Kinship of Property Rights

    ARISTOCRATIC EGALITARIAN LIBERTARIANISM A kinship of property rights. The initiatic brotherhood of warriors. The cult of egalitarian sovereignty The origins of western exceptionalism. The only possible means of possessing liberty. The solution to the problem of creating extra-familial trust, is achieved by the extension of property rights, in exchange for the reciprocal guarantee of defending each other’s property. I didn’t invent it. I just wrote it down. For the first time in 4000 years. (And it wasn’t easy either.)

  • More On Salon's "Coming Apart" Article (Response 2)

    MORE ON COMING APART : SALON’S ARTICLE : RESPONSE 2 DECEPTIONS IN THIS ARTICLE 1) NATION: A ‘nation’ describes a body of people with similar genetic, linguistic, cultural, normative, and religious properties. When we discuss a diverse populace we do not use the term nation, we use the term EMPIRE. All diverse states must be either federations(voluntary and excitable) or empires (involuntary and non-exitable). If a diverse body of people contains a minority that cannot succeed then it is an empire. China is an empire. America is an empire. Labeling the USA as a nation is a dishonest attempt to label a heterogeneous voluntary polity with the legitimacy of a homogenous nation state, when in fact, it is merely a heterogeneous empire with a record of violence to oppress attempts at secession. 2) MORAL AND “CHOICE” RATHER THAN ECONOMIC AND “POSSIBLE” ARGUMENTS —“Yet somehow the republic kept experiencing what Lincoln called “a new birth of freedom,” thanks only partly to the fortuitous confluence of two oceans’ protection, a vast continent’s ever-alluring frontier and unending streams of aspiring immigrants:”— Lets not be dishonest here, and cast this as a moral argument. The reason for American economic success is that the colonists used british weapons and might to conquer a continent, then steal that continent for themselves. Then sell it off to immigrants, and profit from it. It has been the most profitable conquest and sale of a territory in history. Even today, for all intents and purposes, the american economy consists largely of the housing business. As the housing business goes, so does the american economy. The problem is that we have run out of immigrants from high trust societies, from nuclear family societies, from empirical societies, from rule of law societies, and from truth-telling societies. And contrary to dogma, the evidence is that immigrants from these cultures are not adapting to the (a) absolute nuclear family (b) meritocracy (c) self-supporting productivity (d) minimal statism, (d) civic society, (e) common language, that was what was required of immigrants in order to participate in the american dream of having land so that one could control one’s destiny. WIthout those norms and habits, america has evolved from a polity of ideas, to a simple empire of increasing totalitarianism as the productive classes are slowly farmed to service the unproductive classes, and single motherhood and requisite poverty of single motherhood, has now reach near majority status. Thousands of years of suppressing single motherhood and its endemic poverty and dependency have been reversed in less than a century. 3) ECONOMIC TRUTH vs MORAL JUSTIFICATION Economic history is the only form of truth we can extract from the past. Humans justify their wants, given the conditions that they live under. This article is not much different from ‘god wills it’ because its arguments are allegorical and moral, with a thin veneer of rationalism. Whereas a scientists would look at the economy, the incentives, and demonstrated human behavior and dismantle the authors entire line of argument as a series of childlike justifications of pre-cognitive, non rational, counter-productive human cognitive biases – just as easily as he could dismantle the composition of a rock by mass spectrometry, and just as accurately. The truth is quite different. Humans act as tribes, and these tribes make best use of the circumstances that they can to increase their status and reproductive ability. SOme of theses strategies are successful (rapid population expansion of poor peoples) and some are unsuccessful (progressive status seeking at the expense of child bearing). Time determines winners, not words. Words are used to deceive. We deceive in order to steal. The only true words are operational words. Everything else is analogy. And almost all analogy is a lie.