robbysworks.com

Miscellaneous Writings, Page 3

C C C

   It seems that the nature of life makes impossible the wisest choices regarding eternal things. For, in life, knowledge is not complete; nor can it be complete. Therefore some element will always remain unknown. And since eternity might include all things, the wisest choices concerning eternal matters might require full knowledge. Because of this, it may be that enquiries into the nature of eternal matters is not appropriate for humans. It seems likely that, at best, such philosophies should be thought of as no better than speculations. Due to this fact, no ethic should be based on them. Derived from this may easily come the tentative expectation that it may be the case that there is no universal moral law governing human action. To answer this question requires an extremely long procedure of determination. Even so, it is not impossible that a definitive answer to it cannot be made. The implications are beyond the sum of all human activity and thought to resolve. Therefore, one question relevant to ourselves must be: "What am I to do right now?" One answer to this question would be, "I seek to do that which is most in my own enlightened self interest; I search to know what is true; and I work to make my ideas real in the world." By applying these principles, we at least stand a reasonable chance of systematically doing what we ourselves perceive is best for ourselves.

  There is not any thing more luxurious than the exactly appropriate.

C C C

  The material world is real, and if you are having trouble living in it, there is something you need to change in yourself.

C C C

  In the United States there are two political parties. These are predicated on the validity and necessity of debate. The motivation for debate is based not on discovering what is true, but on persuading someone to believe in your opinion. As long as there are two parties, each predicated on practicing debate, those in power will contend against one another. The people will align themselves with one or the other. In effect, they will take opposite positions. As long as they fight, they will be divided. As long as they are divided, their common purpose will be secondary to that which is being contended. In this way our nation's unity is destroyed.

C C C

  The idea that a human population needs persons wiser than themselves leads to rigid, authoritarian government. The worst forms of national leadership in our times have come about when persons having no real experience in life, but primarily in academic or theoretical concepts, have pragmatically siezed opportunities which resulted in their obtaining high office for themselves. Characteristically, these people use what they perceive as public need as a justification for excusing their own behavior and as a means to increase their own power. They cultivate the illusion of being motivated by something called the public good -which does not and cannot actually exist as a reality in its own right- while managing their own activities under the rule of principles having nothing to do with anyone's good but their own. The best thing anyone can do, who has in mind to improve the interests of the people, is to let the people decide for themselves how they should live their lives, and not seek public office, but merely live privately themselves as well.

C C C

C C C

[New postings are added to the final page.]

© Copyright 2007 by Robert Hampton Burt.