Silverman Memorial Lectures on Due Diligence

[Jwb52z]

Originally Posted by masser

Yes it is.

Look at how the Bush administration has played fast and loose with Climate Science. Consider all those folks that want to push their religious beliefs into science classrooms. Think about Constitutional Law (the protection of our rights); it is an extremely important "academic science" where clear, precise language is absolutely necessary.

I am flabbergasted. I don't even know what to say to a person who thinks that academics is equal to a life or death situation or a question of morality.

[masser]

How do you approach a "question of morality"? Do you just spout off your opinion without thinking about it or do you STUDY IT?!?!?!?!

Academics is, in some sense, the process of intelligently studying questions!

[Jwb52z]

Originally Posted by masser

How do you approach a "question of morality"? Do you just spout off your opinion without thinking about it or do you STUDY IT?!?!?!?!

Academics is, in some sense, the process of intelligently studying questions!

I never really thought morality usually took "studying" in an academic manner, nor thought in most senses such as doubt and questioning.

[masser]

What do you think theologians do?

[masser]

Originally Posted by Jwb52z

I never really thought morality usually took "studying" in an academic manner, nor thought in most senses such as doubt and questioning.

So, if I pose a question of morality to you, you automatically know the right answer? I hope you keep digging.

[Jwb52z]

Originally Posted by masser

What do you think theologians do?

Yes, I know they perform a kind of study, but I don't consider it the same as an academic kind of study because academics is cold and logical in most of its forms. Theology isn't human logic in most cases.

[Jwb52z]

Originally Posted by masser

So, if I pose a question of morality to you, you automatically know the right answer? I hope you keep digging.

On most things, I know what I believe to be the most appropriate answer, but unlike zealots and evangelicals, I don't think I automatically know THE answer better than everyone else and make them feel bad for not agreeing.

[bsquared]

Originally Posted by Jwb52z

I'm not for lowering standards in most cases, but what do you suggest be done when an ever increasing amount of people don't, can't, or won't achieve or excel?

Exactly what Dr. Silverman is doing. You have to know how to properly converse about a subject, any subject, before you can learn it. To let people continue to get away with not doing it right only reinforces their belief that they can continue not doing it right. If people have no motivation for improving, then they won't improve. I've had run-ins with Dr. Silverman before, and while it made me mad at the way he responded, ultimately I only had myself to be mad at. I realized that after I realized where I was being lazy, and I got smarter as a result.

What good do standards do that no one has or could achieve at a point in history beyond those who are of the ultra-genius level? We don't want a "rule by genius only" kind of world, do we? Wouldn't that mess up the whole idea of being judged by your peers? Perhaps there should be one standard or rating system of success and achievement for the uber-genius type such as Dr. Silverman and a separate one for regular people who just simply want to get through life with as little hassle and such as possible and never mix the two.

I'm sure I'm going to regret getting involved here, but this comment I can't let slide. How do you propose that a "regular" person progress past infantcy if not being judged and taught by people "above" them? Didn't somebody teach you to read and write? Didn't somebody teach you right from wrong? Do you consider it ok for discipline to be applied if a child bit his little brother? How would your personal development have been different if noone taught you that it's not ok to hit and bite as a child, perhaps with some harsh words? And finally, why should math be any different? This *is* a moral issue. Letting people get away with being irresponsible and lazy only encourages lazyness and irresponsibility, no matter where it occurs.

[ewmayer]

Originally Posted by Jwb52z

Theology isn't human logic in most cases.

Remove the "human" from that sentence and I might actually agree with you.

Originally Posted by Jwb52z

On most things, I know what I believe to be the most appropriate answer

Replace the "know" with "believe" in that sentence and append a "because I have actually spent time skeptically examining the tenets of my belief system" and you might actually sound like something other than a pompous, smug religious zealot.

[ixfd64]

Hmm, I wonder what Dr. Silverman would say about bsquared's avatar?

More here: http://www.thatwasfunny.com/actual-c...m-answers/1097

[bsquared]

Originally Posted by ixfd64

Hmm, I wonder what Dr. Silverman would say about bsquared's avatar?

More here: http://www.thatwasfunny.com/actual-c...m-answers/1097

http://www.mersenneforum.org/showpos...1&postcount=37