Comments for Epistemological Relativism http://www.thummy.com/roodee My Wrong Opinions.. Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:34:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on The Goal of Education by Rudy Ruiz http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2008/05/04/the-goal-of-education/#comment-8811 Rudy Ruiz Sun, 11 May 2008 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2008/05/04/the-goal-of-education/#comment-8811 Good question! If education is aimed towards the development of techne, arete and episteme and one belongs to a particular society then it follows, I think, that what we learn will spill over into the world. Our ability to contribute something meaningful to the society to which we belong is determined in some part by our education. Arete is of particular interest here. If ethical and moral development are underemphasized or absent how can a society really flourish? What we would end up with is some Hobbesian bad dream of everyone against everyone. I know that is a trite example, but the point is the same. We have some obligations to the community to which we belong and a proper education (one that develops all three aspects in proper proportion) is a valuable, if not necessary, tool for success. The answer to your question or your agreement with mine really depends upon your views of individuals, the state and their inter-relationships and obligations. I hope that helps. Good question! If education is aimed towards the development of techne, arete and episteme and one belongs to a particular society then it follows, I think, that what we learn will spill over into the world. Our ability to contribute something meaningful to the society to which we belong is determined in some part by our education. Arete is of particular interest here. If ethical and moral development are underemphasized or absent how can a society really flourish? What we would end up with is some Hobbesian bad dream of everyone against everyone. I know that is a trite example, but the point is the same. We have some obligations to the community to which we belong and a proper education (one that develops all three aspects in proper proportion) is a valuable, if not necessary, tool for success. The answer to your question or your agreement with mine really depends upon your views of individuals, the state and their inter-relationships and obligations. I hope that helps.

]]> Comment on The Goal of Education by Jon Robinson http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2008/05/04/the-goal-of-education/#comment-8746 Jon Robinson Thu, 08 May 2008 22:08:55 +0000 http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2008/05/04/the-goal-of-education/#comment-8746 I can't remember how I found your site, but it was in my rrs feed and I happened on this page. Why in the world would you care about benefits to the state when considering the ultimate aim of education? I can’t remember how I found your site, but it was in my rrs feed and I happened on this page. Why in the world would you care about benefits to the state when considering the ultimate aim of education?

]]> Comment on About by Martin http://www.thummy.com/roodee/about/#comment-8601 Martin Tue, 06 May 2008 16:48:49 +0000 http://www.thummy.com/roodee/?page_id=19#comment-8601 So when driving down the 405 in your new Mini convertible, make sure to look over to your left when someone honks, also careful on the chatting and driving - a bit swervy :) hope all is going well Martin So when driving down the 405 in your new Mini convertible, make sure to look over to your left when someone honks, also careful on the chatting and driving - a bit swervy :)

hope all is going well

Martin

]]> Comment on The Reflections of a Prison by Leesa http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2008/04/04/the-reflection-of-prison/#comment-7673 Leesa Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:28:23 +0000 http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2008/04/04/the-reflection-of-prison/#comment-7673 I love that quote! I'm going to have to read that book too.. You can recognize a great quote when someone can say so much in such few words. I love that quote! I’m going to have to read that book too.. You can recognize a great quote when someone can say so much in such few words.

]]> Comment on Being Objective by Alex http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2007/03/05/being-objective/#comment-3243 Alex Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:32:31 +0000 http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2007/03/05/being-objective/#comment-3243 I'm of the inclination that objectivity/subjectivity is not a binary state, but a spectrum. The best we can do is attempt to account for that lack of objectivity (when appropriate). I’m of the inclination that objectivity/subjectivity is not a binary state, but a spectrum. The best we can do is attempt to account for that lack of objectivity (when appropriate).

]]> Comment on The Mystery of the Ordinary by Lisa V http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2007/08/23/the-mystery-of-the-ordinary/#comment-3186 Lisa V Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:43:29 +0000 http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2007/08/23/the-mystery-of-the-ordinary/#comment-3186 Thanks! oh and I'm glad you didn't answer my last question! Have a great work week lisa Thanks!
oh and I’m glad you didn’t answer my last question!

Have a great work week

lisa

]]> Comment on The Mystery of the Ordinary by roodee http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2007/08/23/the-mystery-of-the-ordinary/#comment-3184 roodee Sun, 28 Oct 2007 05:10:13 +0000 http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2007/08/23/the-mystery-of-the-ordinary/#comment-3184 You raise some interesting questions. Unfortunately, this medium is challenging for any sort of dialectic endeavor. As a start I would ask what particular principles are used to derive your general rules for censorship. After understanding what these principles are it may be useful to evaluate whether these principles have sound reasons (theological, pragmatic, etc). To answer your first question though, I attempt to avoid certain novels that expose my children to ideas that I have not personally discussed with them. The rationale I used with my oldest (that seems to work so far) is that reading/watching/hearing certain things has a tendency to "grow her up" faster than she was designed to. This, as you can see, is purely pragmatic. This is only for those overt activities and themes present within novels. As for "witchcraft" in Harry Potter, it is hard to argue that they use magic as their means for manipulating the world around them. Having said that, it is equally hard to claim that such fictive accounts having any grounding in reality. Even if they did, given that it is a work of fiction, what is the risk? Is it that a child may become curious? Surely it is not that a child will become "infected" somehow. Furthermore, if the child is of an appropriate age, he can surely distinguish between reality and "make-believe". This is why "make-believe" is so much fun. It bends the rules which we are all under. As you can see, there are numerous "principles" at play here that a post cannot easily cover without additional questions and answers, but maybe this gives you enough to think about to enumerate your principles and put them under the microscope of personal inquiry. -rudy You raise some interesting questions. Unfortunately, this medium is challenging for any sort of dialectic endeavor. As a start I would ask what particular principles are used to derive your general rules for censorship. After understanding what these principles are it may be useful to evaluate whether these principles have sound reasons (theological, pragmatic, etc).

To answer your first question though, I attempt to avoid certain novels that expose my children to ideas that I have not personally discussed with them. The rationale I used with my oldest (that seems to work so far) is that reading/watching/hearing certain things has a tendency to “grow her up” faster than she was designed to. This, as you can see, is purely pragmatic. This is only for those overt activities and themes present within novels.

As for “witchcraft” in Harry Potter, it is hard to argue that they use magic as their means for manipulating the world around them. Having said that, it is equally hard to claim that such fictive accounts having any grounding in reality. Even if they did, given that it is a work of fiction, what is the risk? Is it that a child may become curious? Surely it is not that a child will become “infected” somehow. Furthermore, if the child is of an appropriate age, he can surely distinguish between reality and “make-believe”. This is why “make-believe” is so much fun. It bends the rules which we are all under. As you can see, there are numerous “principles” at play here that a post cannot easily cover without additional questions and answers, but maybe this gives you enough to think about to enumerate your principles and put them under the microscope of personal inquiry.

-rudy

]]> Comment on The Mystery of the Ordinary by Lisa V http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2007/08/23/the-mystery-of-the-ordinary/#comment-3181 Lisa V Sat, 27 Oct 2007 14:07:34 +0000 http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2007/08/23/the-mystery-of-the-ordinary/#comment-3181 This is very interesting! I haven't let Micah read this series (and I'm still not sure I will) But He LOVES to read ~ He can if I let him read a book like this a week! What do you think about all the controversy in re: to the books and children? Re: witchcraft and homosexuality (just asking your opinion because you like to read books he'd be interested in and I haven't read them yet) He was in 4th grade and I let him read The Golden Compass ~ now I'm hearing that the author is an anti-Christian and wants to kill God in his books... but Micah didn't come away with that at all. (This movie is coming out soon ~ with Nicole Kidman) Anyway... I love that he's like me ~ and loves to read... I love that he has an awesome imagination (considering God only gave us one child and he needs it) BUT I was just wondering what you thought in re: to subtle messages etc... What kind of crazy lady gets up at 5:30 on a Saturday morning anyway? Love you guys Lisa This is very interesting! I haven’t let Micah read this series (and I’m still not sure I will) But He LOVES to read ~ He can if I let him read a book like this a week!
What do you think about all the controversy in re: to the books and children? Re: witchcraft and homosexuality (just asking your opinion because you like to read books he’d be interested in and I haven’t read them yet)

He was in 4th grade and I let him read The Golden Compass ~ now I’m hearing that the author is an anti-Christian and wants to kill God in his books… but Micah didn’t come away with that at all. (This movie is coming out soon ~ with Nicole Kidman)

Anyway… I love that he’s like me ~ and loves to read… I love that he has an awesome imagination (considering God only gave us one child and he needs it) BUT I was just wondering what you thought in re: to subtle messages etc…

What kind of crazy lady gets up at 5:30 on a Saturday morning anyway?

Love you guys

Lisa

]]> Comment on Asperger Test by Debbie http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2007/08/07/asperger-test/#comment-3163 Debbie Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:10:54 +0000 http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2007/08/07/asperger-test/#comment-3163 I scored a 17. It said average female scientist....Cool. How did it know I was female?? Does it know I kept changing my mind?? ;) I scored a 17. It said average female scientist….Cool.

How did it know I was female?? Does it know I kept changing my mind?? ;)

]]> Comment on The Myth of the Malicious DBA by Dan http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2007/08/14/the-myth-of-the-malicious-dba/#comment-3006 Dan Tue, 21 Aug 2007 03:27:57 +0000 http://www.thummy.com/roodee/2007/08/14/the-myth-of-the-malicious-dba/#comment-3006 Great stats Rudy! Do your percentages represent # of breaches (events, so to speak) or # of customers impacted? I'm asking because those are two different ways of running metrics on breaches which may result in different conclusions. It's similar to the 'air travel is the safest' stats -- is this determined by counting miles traveled or time in the air? When comparing these two figures with those of car travel, the variable measured changes the stat. I agree that DBAs are typically not the perpetrator of these crimes, however when / if they are, the impact can be significant. For example, in July, a Certegy DBA stole 2.3M records.... that certainly skews the stats based on how you measure it: Only one breach but 2.3M people impacted. This is neither here nor there with respect to database encryption.... just an interesting factoid. Great stats Rudy! Do your percentages represent # of breaches (events, so to speak) or # of customers impacted? I’m asking because those are two different ways of running metrics on breaches which may result in different conclusions. It’s similar to the ‘air travel is the safest’ stats — is this determined by counting miles traveled or time in the air? When comparing these two figures with those of car travel, the variable measured changes the stat.

I agree that DBAs are typically not the perpetrator of these crimes, however when / if they are, the impact can be significant. For example, in July, a Certegy DBA stole 2.3M records…. that certainly skews the stats based on how you measure it: Only one breach but 2.3M people impacted.

This is neither here nor there with respect to database encryption…. just an interesting factoid.

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