tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268099099981586721.post8160816739905107386..comments2023-09-01T03:50:01.667-07:00Comments on Indiscriminate Dust: The Amoral Impulse of Political GroupsPhilboyd Studgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10926397147880047519noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268099099981586721.post-438890855562793222011-11-24T18:04:23.038-08:002011-11-24T18:04:23.038-08:00Pied Cow, thanks for commenting! Don't pay the...Pied Cow, thanks for commenting! Don't pay the P1 stuff any mind, it's really more of a nervous tic than anything else. Reaching for mathematics-sounding terminology is a sneaky way to lend credence to a weak argument, and I probably shouldn't have done it.<br /><br />I don't agree that people are never rational or ethical. I think that 'rationality', defined roughly as 'acting in one's best interests', isn't that uncommon. Ethics is a bit more tricky, but since I personally believe that normative judgements are possible, it seems churlish for me not to extend that opinion to other people.<br /><br />Regardless, the assumption of perfect rationality and ethics isn't meant to be a statement about the way things are. I'm saying that <i>even if</i> people were perfectly rational and ethical - the ideal situation - groups would still behave less ethically than individuals.Philboyd Studgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10926397147880047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268099099981586721.post-3112498613183623992011-11-24T14:03:16.602-08:002011-11-24T14:03:16.602-08:00I think your theory is right on the mark. I don...I think your theory is right on the mark. I don't like all the P1 and E3 stuff though. It reminds me of math class. Or game theory.<br /><br />Another point is that I don't put much faith into the propositions that (a) people are rational or that (b) people are ethical.<br /><br />As I see it, rationality is simply a compliment we've chosen to bestow upon ourselves ever since the unfortunate days of the so-called Enlightenment.<br /><br />Behaving 'ethically' is also problematic because 'behaving ethically' is a normative judgment that normative judgments are even possible. <br /><br />In short, I agree with you that groups of people will aspire to power regardless of their stated objectives. I don't agree, however, that people within those groups are either 'rational' or 'ethical;' the terms are largely red herrings.Pied Cowhttp://piedcow.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268099099981586721.post-33160214884445590972011-11-22T23:58:06.891-08:002011-11-22T23:58:06.891-08:00Often increasing one's own power is the method...Often increasing one's own power is the method by which ethical goals can be achieved and achieving ethical goals is the reason for increasing one's own power. The problem isn't the state itself, it's the individuals that make up the state not having the most ethical inclinations (though they would probably disagree) and therefore supporting groups that aren't working towards ethical goals.jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08602873635783081134noreply@blogger.com