Discussion, Truth, and Action

There is the greatest difference between presuming an opinion to be true, because, with every opportunity for contesting it, it has not been refuted, and assuming its truth for the purpose of not permitting its refutation. Complete liberty of contradicting and disproving our opinion is the very condition which justifies us in assuming its truth for purposes of action; and on no other terms can a being with human faculties have any rational assurance of being right.

--John Stuart Mill, "Liberty in Discussion"

Conversation... Montaigne

I feel much prouder of the victory I gain over myself when, in the very heat of the combat, I make myself give way to the force of my adversary's argument, than I feel gratified by the victory I gain over him through his own weakness.

-- Michel de Montaigne, "Of the Art of Conversing"

Ideas and Truth

Whoever wishes to have ideas must first prepare himself to desire truth and to accept the rules of the game imposed by it. It is no use speaking of ideas when there is no acceptance of a higher authority to regulate them, a series of standards to which it is possible to appeal in a discussion. These standards are the principles on which culture rests.

-- José Ortega y Gasset, "Putting Truth in Checkmate"

Education is Wasted on the Young

Consider the brightest boy or girl at the best imaginable college--much better than any which now exists--with the most competent faculty and with a perfect course of study. Imagine this brightest student in the best of all possible colleges, spending four years industriously, faithfully, and efficiently applying his or her mind to study. I say to you that, at the end of four years, this student, awarded a degree with the highest honors, is not an educated man or woman. And cannot be, for the simple reason that the obstacle to becoming educated in school is an inherent and insurmountable one, namely, youth.

-- Mortimer J. Adler, "Adult Education"

Sleep

Are you asleep?

"Shh! Don't disturb the blissful peace....", his voice died out in a groan.

Why are you sleeping? Don't you want to wake up?

"Leave me alone!"

Why are you sleeping at a time like this? His arms are up and he's seriously getting frustrated.

growling

He stops and does not continue. He's half afraid the little monster is going to spring up and go for the throat.

The thing glared at him. "Who was this insolent fellow who felt he could wake him from his peaceful sleep." He hated waking up. He hated seeing the world. The last time he woke up and tried to do something, he almost got shot and killed by a maniacal human who claimed he couldn't exist.

Sigh.

The person turned around and started to leave. He was starting to feel pretty low. It's going to take something fantastic, but this little creature could do something. I mean, people don't believe things like him exist. He stopped and turned, wondering. Just what would happen if he yanked him up off the ground.A quick cost benefit analysis settled his mind. He strode over full of purpose.

Wow! The thing bites!

But, it didn't bite him.

The troll had heard me whisper, "People believe more lies than truth until they see truth staring them in the face."

Concerning Trolls

Reminds you of the title to something else, doesn't it...

Maybe this has not dawned on you yet, or maybe you've known it for a while, but if it is not obvious already, this Trallferd fellow is most definitely a troll. And, yes this is he.

I have a human handler, the man who gives me access to the rest of the world, but he's not that important. In fact, he's so insignificant, that he let me hijack his blog. Henceforth from now, this place is my domain. And, may I say, it's going to be a welcome transition.

It has now been 1 year, 1 month, 1 week, and 1 day, since "Trallferd the Theoretician" last contributed to the blogosphere with his electronic pen. In this time, a great many things have happened. My handler has started to act sort of strangely. He takes to ranting about the world at random and closeting himself in his room or walking out at night in seclusion. Like I said, he behaves strangely.

What is more, I feel a wind of change coming on me. My fingertips sort of tingle, and there is an odd, giddy feeling in my head. These things do not happen very often. These things do not bode particularly well. Or, they may be the start of something fantastic... too soon to tell.

Anyway, the point I want to make here is that not all trolls are mindless wackos belaboring their way through the tides of the internet. Some are curious, insightful, crafty but kindhearted souls. Really, trolls have been largely misunderstood. I mean, there is such diversity among the troll races that one should never be too quick to generalize their kind. Of course, I do not speak of the shameless impostors who make their way about the world wide web. They're just a bunch of jerks.

My Platform - The Principles

In the interest of discussing the issues more (which is, all too often, done very little in the political sphere), I have the following to post. This is the last section of my platform. Actually, it is the only part of my personal issue platform that doesn't contain actual planks, just statements of principles. Think of them as the foundation upon which the rest of the platform is built. Basically, this section embodies three principles: the rule of law, freedom, and the golden rule.

-----

1 - Legislate less; let people live more. Live and let live. The individual’s freedom is the foundation of America’s greatness past and its strength to come.

2 - Preserve life to the utmost. This does not exclude the use of the death penalty, as its execution properly recognizes the sacred importance of life. Capital punishment should be sparingly used, though. Only three types of crimes really deserve it: rape, murder, and treason. Prosecuting abortion isn’t about violating a woman’s body or right to choose; it is about not punishing the innocent in the name of serving another’s wishes OR assuaging her undeserved suffering.

3 - You can’t legislate morality. You create an environment in which morality can thrive. That environment is freedom.

4 - The best person to be in charge of a parent’s child is the parent. Not the federal government, an international body, a public school or daycare, or anyone else.

5 - Rights are negatively secured, not positively mandated. Thus, the right to freedom, life, the holding of one’s property--these are about something of yours not being taken from you. These are rights. The right to an education, a good job, a nice home, healthcare--these are not rights--they are positively enforced. They are about giving you something you don’t already have, not about securing what you have already earned.

6 - Legislation guided by special interests is especially wrong.

7 - Equality is about not placing one race, gender, people group above another, not about making up for past wrongs, or overcompensating to tip the balance of “advantage.” Equality is about treating with an even hand, almost as if the race, gender, ethnicity is not seen.

8 - The greatest robber, and the one which usually gets away with it, is the government.

9 - Keep it simple; keep it fair, keep it unforced, if possible.

10 - When there is a question about federal law, consult the Constitution. Before a federal law is made, consult the Constitution. Before anything is done by the federal government, consult the Constitution. It’s the rulebook.

-----

The entire platform can be found here.

Tragedy

My prayers go out to the victims and their families in the Aurora, Colorado shooting. I cannot imagine how the perpetrator could have picked a more sickly ironic setting for his crime.

I also pray that confusion is not spread as the result of this tragedy. It is unfortunate that people are already trying to politicize this event and make it into more than is at first apparent. Please, let us see how the facts bear out before we rush to judge.

An Answer (Psalm 40)

I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the Lord.

How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust,
And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.

Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;
My ears You have opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.
Then I said, "Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart."

I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;
Behold, I will not restrain my lips,
O LORD, You know.
I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

You, O LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me;
Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.
For evils beyond number have surrounded me;
My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,
And my heart has failed me.

Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me;
Make haste, O LORD, to help me.
Let those be ashamed and humiliated together
Who seek my life to destroy it;
Let those be turned back and dishonored
Who delight in my hurt.
Let those be appalled because of their shame
Who say to me, "Aha, aha!"
Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let those who love Your salvation say continually,
"The LORD be magnified!"
Since I am afflicted and needy,
Let the Lord be mindful of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.

NASB

A Question (Psalm 39)

I said, “I will guard my ways

That I may not sin with my tongue;

I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle

While the wicked are in my presence.”

I was mute and silent,

I refrained even from good,

And my sorrow grew worse.

My heart was hot within me,

While I was musing the fire burned;

Then I spoke with my tongue:

“LORD, make me to know my end

And what is the extent of my days;

Let me know how transient I am.

Behold, you have made my days as handbreadths,

And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight;

Surely every man at his best is a mere breath.             Selah.

Surely every man walks about as a phantom;

Surely they make an uproar for nothing;

He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.”

“And now, Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in You.

Deliver me from all my transgressions;

Make me not the reproach of the foolish.

I have become mute, I do not open my mouth,

Because it is You who have done it.

Remove Your plague from me;

Because of the opposition of Your hand I am perishing.

With reproofs You chasten a man for iniquity;

You consume as a moth what is precious to him;

Surely every man is a mere breath.”                           Selah.

“Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry;

Do not be silent at my tears;

For I am a stranger with You,

A sojourner like all my fathers.

Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may smile again

Before I depart and am no more.”

NASB