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see http://wordsmith.org/board/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=73305
There you go again, ASp, repeating verbatim your same old song in six separate threads. If you can't have your way, you'll interrupt to poison any other discussion on this board. Spamming.

dr. bill, see Ambrose Bierce's definition of "positive". Methinks thou dost protest too much. You are merely spamming.


#72769 06/16/02 05:12 PM
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telling the truth is not a flame war. the truth is not spam
Go away Keiva. You are not wanted.
The person called Keiva was banned, and forced his way back here by making or implying threats against Anu Garg.


#72770 06/16/02 05:27 PM
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Keiva: Go away. You are not welcome here.


#72771 06/16/02 05:52 PM
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#72772 06/16/02 06:27 PM
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Keiva: go away. You are not welcome here.


#72773 06/16/02 08:28 PM
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on the human concept of "right."


So many things to so many people. So many things to the *SAME* people.


1) Right can mean correct, as in what one ought to do.

2) Right can also mean some ability or state existence that is guaranteed by some agency capable of doing so.


These are distinct ways I've seen the words used, but there are numerous variations of each. I think, however, these two main usages are somehow related, but I can't think how at the moment.


I'm reminded of a poem I once read in a high school textbook
(author is anonymous if I recall)

This is the grave of Mike O'Day
who died maintaining his right of way.
His right was clear, his will was strong,
but he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong.


I could drone on, but I'll leave it at this for now.


k



#72774 06/16/02 08:44 PM
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Sometimes a right is not enough. Hit them with the left also.

Keiva: Go away.


#72775 06/16/02 09:04 PM
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Marilyn French, wrote a book, Beyond Power.
in the book she make the point that one can have power to, or power over.

I have personal power, (that is i control myself) I have the power to do things.. Including influence you by my behavior, logic, acts, writings, various means.

Personal Power, power to is a good thing.

Power over is different. as parent, i had power over my childern. i could and did decide their bed times, their schools, their clothing. by choices i made, i had some power of their choice of friends. as my children got older and more mature, they slowly build up personal power. as adults, i now have very little power over my children. and i rarely use the power i do have.

but there are many situation of people either having power over, or attempting to have power over, that are problems.

Our government, is of the people, for the people and by the people. it has some power over me, but largely only the power i chose to give it. If it abuses the power, i can try to vote them out of office.

all governments take power from the citizens. in some cases, the citizens have right about what, and how much power can be taken, in other cases, the power is wrenched away, and the governments power over its people is total.
the same can happen on a personal scale.

i own slaves, i have power over them, not just when they are minors, but forever. Power over... can be a problem.

the book is long, and sometimes seems to belabor points, but one problems is, neither power to, or power over are good or bad in them selves. it is how the power is used.

a large part of right or wrong is who's power is making it right or wrong? a child with personal power, might bonk another child on the head with a toy -- if the toy is a teddy bear, is one problem. if the toy is metal truck, it is another.

in this case, a parents power over the child, is more important than the childs power.

when that child grows up, it is the governments power over that is use when the truck is replaced with a brick..

Right and wrong in a social situations, is a functions of power.


#72776 06/16/02 10:21 PM
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>Once upon a time, not so long ago, this was exactly the place for philosophical discussion. In fact, that was why most of us were here. It was a forum for discussion of ideas about words and about words as a means of expressing ideas.

I remember such a place.

It existed before Sat Aug 4 00:16:16 2001. After that date some of us were told what we could discuss and what we could not discuss, when some of us thought that this was a forum open for discussion for people anywhere in the world. I used to think that all the serious problems of this board started in September, when as I remember some of us were deeply concerned about other members of this board (but obviously not as much as the new guy in town). I now realise that because I was not around last August when the demolition derby started. Amazing, it took so few days to cause so much havoc.

No reply necessary



#72777 06/17/02 05:31 PM
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Interesting notion. Sounds kinda libertarian. I need some time to assimilate it.


k



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