Why are only the extreme positions permissible? Hence, if I complain about the top 10% in the USA having 77% of total wealth, people always assume the only alternative is that everyone must be absolutely equal in wealth. Why? Clearly in between such extremes is possible e.g. the top 10% only have around 46% of the wealth in the UK (which is a vast difference to the USA).
Or, if I complain about people owning vast tracks of land so that one cannot walk anywhere in non-urban areas without walking over private land, then I must also believe that people shouldn't have their own gardens. Why?
Or, if one decides modern life is unfulfilling, and hence decides to and live a simpler lifestyle somewhere remote, one must make no use of any technology whatsoever (not even a manufactured knife) otherwise one is being a hypocrite. How so?
Or, if one rejects the idea that we human beings are not just biological machines who will soon cease to exist forevermore, then I must believe in orthodox Christianity and believe that we spend an eternal afterlife in Heaven or Hell. Why? Why can't I believe that there is no punishment in an afterlife, that there is a beforelife as well as an afterlife, that reincarnation exists etc? Why are the choices restricted to the extremes of either materialism or fundamental Christianity?
"the top 10% only have around 46% of the wealth"
ReplyDeleteYes, but the US is twice as rich as the UK, everything is twice as big and costs half as much.
"Why can't I believe that there is no punishment in an afterlife, that there is a beforelife as well as an afterlife, that reincarnation exists etc? Why are the choices restricted to the extremes of either materialism or fundamental Christianity?"
Because these are primitive superstitious ideas which are meaningless and, not that we really need to go to this point, are unsupported by any evidence.
Compare that with the quantum behaviour of the electron, say, which is confirmed quadrillions of times each day in the functioning of the world's computer chips. Similarly for GR in satnav clocks.
It's 2021 and you still know nothing, Ian. Was it Philosophy you studied???
Pointless the USA being twice as rich if the ultra rich have virtually all of it.
ReplyDeleteWhy aren't materialism and fundamental Christianity also superstitious ideas? No, don't bother answering. I probably won't allow any more of your comments unless you have something of value to say.
Steven Evans? From Sabine Hossenfelder's blog? (not my stalker as I suggested you might be in my response to your other comment. If so, apologies for that).