The Difference of Man and the Difference it Makes (Humans)

by xeno6696 , Sonoran Desert, Sunday, July 05, 2009, 03:22 (5412 days ago) @ xeno6696

I've just completed the second chapter, and as of now we're still just setting up the modes of analysis. Adler actually does a good job of identifying a psychological conundrum where several behavioral biologists argue that man is only different in degree, but then make statements that can only be made from the position of man being different in kind. - So far I appreciate the very thorough and meticulous manner he's undertaking his argument, its certainly a change from reading Nietzsche, heh. - To be frank, so far his argument seems incredibly simplistic, just as we would say a dog is drastically different than a crab, he is preparing to make a claim that would extend to us to make us drastically different from everything else on the planet. - If nothing else, thus far it is making me clean my own house a bit. I have had some contradictory beliefs, such as "man is scum" coupled with "we should preserve human life." While I was still Buddhist I came to the unsettling realization that the use of nuclear weapons was the only psychological tool that could have cowed the Japanese. Consequentialist ethics has its place in war. (It was my contradictions on pacifism that lead me to break away from Buddhism, though I still meditate regularly.) It's actually a good thing I'd never be the leader of a nation, because my war policy would be something like "If you attack us, we will follow no law in subduing you." Very Roman, very chilling. Very effective. - I haven't come across anything too particularly damning. Chapter 3 is a summary of his thesis and I engage it tomorrow.