Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id KAA02849 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sun, 15 Apr 2001 10:28:11 +0100 Message-ID: <002d01c0c593$4c0479c0$0404bed4@default> From: "Kenneth Van Oost" <Kenneth.Van.Oost@village.uunet.be> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> References: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745D65@inchna.stir.ac.uk> Subject: Re: Determinism Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 12:02:41 +0200 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2314.1300 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2314.1300 Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk>
To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 5:41 PM
Subject: RE: Determinism
> Besides, I don't much like this designation of freedom as lack of
> knowledge, which is essentially what's being stated. Perhaps I'm thinking
> too much about the concept in terms of its usage in political philosophy.
Hi Vincent, Aaron and all,
<< The implication of freedom as sheer perversity due to the fact of lacking
knowledge is not a todays argument. The first time I heard this fear being
expressed was years ago by Delors, a French politician who commented
the uprise of the information- networks like Internet.
People who has not the possible to get access to the information- highway
were, in some respect " lesser free " than others. Great opportunities, like
festivals, good books, movies, etc were getting them by due to the lack
of getting access to the propagation ways by which those information
travels.
Todays political philosophies are trying in conter- acting the possibility,
to
get everyone on the information- highway.
Kids, schools, oldery people,... are getting connected to the Internet.
The government is trying to set up in every club, in every place where
youngsters get together, a computer with an Internet- connection.
Knowledge, as you desribes it, is IMO more as the mind stuff we
need to understand this. If that is the thing you mean, than indeed it is
sheer perversity but neathless to say a very understandable one.
Intellect in general, has no time, has no reason to look into the
implications
of having less or more knowledge.
Having more or lesser freedom is not only a result of having more or
lesser knowledge or the urge to get access to it, but is also a result of
genetic, memetic, social, cultural,... characteristics.
Besides, if we look at an example, we see that indeed the lack of knowledge
means lesser freedom. The woman in Afghanistan know all about this.
On the other hand, being dumb means maybe having lesser freedom, but
it is all a question of perspective. We, with all our knowledge are we free
!?
The dumb one may have lesser freedom as we see it, but is he really lesser
free !? In his mind, would it raise questions !? I wonder,....
Best,
Kenneth
( I am, because we are) free
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