Nope... they're not useless. If they were useless, I wouldn't have called it a foundation. I'm just saying that progressive thinkers should elaborate upon his views and if they wanted, take in Voltaire's concepts and thoughts and use than as an influence and a basis for their own ideals instead of directly viewing and reviewing the exact words and ideals of Voltaire. Instead of agreeing with the point of view, it's highly in need of critiquing and modernizing to fit into the obviousnesses of today's society...
hoooo ... correct Voltaire! There are no daunting tasks if this is not one. Suppose it happens, suppose that Volatire's theories are revised and rewritten, then what? How do you convince the hordes of Americans that voted for Bush that they are fools and should leave their fate up to critical intellectuals?
You can't. In the end, the people do it. Philosophy is merely an influence - simple or complex, you can view it as you wish, accpet it as what you believe is correct, elaborate on, or throw it out... this isn't just about Bush. You're not going to convince some people... they're the ones doing the thinking and it's never going to change if they're not willing to listen and aren't able to comprehend. It's just they way people in the US are molded to think... they're pressured and terrorized which makes them insanely paranoid and they need to do everything in the name of a God which there is no proof of existance... it's like the theory of life force... it's completely ignorant. Who are we to determine by medium of faith that something is correct or not? If it isn't proven, it doesn't exist until proven. (It's obvious) Anything that you can think of mentally can be created... the physical part is the hard part, and it works the same way with concepts of politics or anything for that matter... leave it up to the people to decide... yes, that's how what the declaration signers thought, but that was in 1776... they had faith in the people, but if the government was to fail, it was set up so that it could be loopholed and thrown out overnight... only problem is people are so ignorant of the obvious and they're raised to think a certain way without doubting.
Philosophy is no ‘mere’ influence. It is a ‘complex and inevitable’ influence. I would go so far as to say it is ‘the’ influence. Philosophy will yield an answer to the question. The answer is not correct because any person believes it to be so. It is, in and of itself. It is through a knowledge of precisely this that I asked my question of how. Reform of the education system? I would not be so quick to call all that believe in God ignorant. There are many men more reasonable than you or I who have reasoned the existence of God. After all, is this not exactly what we are asking people to do, with the revised Voltaire? Are we not asking them to believe that we are doing what is in their best interest on the whim of faith? If they are not reasonable enough to agree with us, if they are not reasonable enough to see that the revised Voltaire is the better way to live, then wouldn’t such a faith in the reasonable men be the only option? But you say yourself ... Again, we come back to how. I do not agree. I have, in my head, the idea of a man who is not subject to the laws of gravity. I can think of such a man mentally, but there are no tools by which we can manifest such an idea. Some revision of that there theory is needed. Back, again, to my ‘how’ question. Well ‘how’ about this ... empathetic violence and an understanding of the futility of emotion? We will make them do it.
You can't make a person do anything. They can be pressured to do it, but you can't make them do it... the farthest it could go is someone threatening to kill someone else and if they kill the person, the other person wouldn't get them to do what they wanted anyway... it's just so damn simple.
Katie, what did Nurse Kate tell you about posting in the deep-thinking threads? It'll give you a headache!
Yes, now GET TO BED! It's nearly midnight over there--No wonder you haven't had a period since summer, your ovaries are tired and cranky!
