Bijou Drains
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Just a point Vin. You quote Engels to support your point of economic interest over morality, What was Engels, the bloated capitalist's, economic interest in developing Socialism, surely his economic interest would lie in the maintenance of capitalism?
I'm not saying that Socialism is a moral argument, I'm saying there is a moral dimension to it, even though I agree that morality is a socially created concept. As for dogs, I'm afraid we're back to the old Mackem-Geordie divide, cats are better!!!!
Young Master Smeet wrote:Oh, the hilarity, I point out the straw man fallacy, and Lbird responds with: an ad hominem (with a touch of appeal to the gallery). No account for the production of quality within his 'ideology' Whenever I asked Lbird to give an account of his ideas, he responded with what he supposes to be my ideas (or a version of what he supposes to be my ideas), a classic straw man fallacy. he would usually couch that with a reference to Marx (an appeal to authority fallacy). What we are left with no account within his schema for how inorganic and organic nature relate to one another. We know that qualite emerges within 'organic nature', but have no idea is human being/consciousness or labour possess qualities.I think it would be fair to say Lbird can't answer that point.Game, set and match to YMS
Do merkats and bees have moral codes? Or are they naturally social animals and form bonds out of necessity to survive?You make an interesting point. However the difference between bees and meerkats is important, it also relates to humans as well. As bees are insects they do not develop or display attachments (in the sense of Attachment Theory). Meerkats, because they are mammals, have evolved, as all mammals have to develop these attachments. Mammal brains appear to experience emotion, which to a certain extent appears to be absent or lacking in reptiles, birds, insects, etc. What are termed "Higher Order" mammals appear to have more complex development of emotions and feelings. Social comfort and well being appears to be more developed as a need in "higher order" mammals, as to an extent demonstrated in Harlow and Harlow's experiments in monkeys, where absence of social care and emotional stimulation, produced infant monkeys that were not only emotionally damaged but were physically smaller but had less well developed immune systems. When given the choice of food from a non comforting source or comfort from an attachment figure, the monkeys choose comfort from the attachment figure. What I am trying to say is that in humans, and other mammals, sociability, caring for each other, concern for each other, even what is known as love, is more than just the necessity to survive, it is hard wired into us.What I was trying to get across to our mutual feathered friend is that our intellectual, linguistic, emotional, moral, empathetic, physical and conceptual development as individuals is shaped not only by our economic environment but also by the development of emotional bonds from conception. Children who have been subject to emotional abuse and neglect have demonstrably smaller brains, with less synaptic development than those brought up with secure attachments. I would argue that a strong argument for socialism is the fact that it can assist in creating an environment where emotional security, love, warmth and affection are more readily available to infants and children than capitalism. Some might call that a moral argument, some might call it a argument from a position of class interest. All I know is that this system of society is not good for the mental health of infants and children of the vast majority of us.
gnome wrote:What, and join those seemingly determined to wreck the forum (and the party) – you cannot be serious. You'll rarely, if ever, see comrades from Kent & Sussex, East Anglia, Manchester, South West and other branches contributing to this self-defeating shit; most of them are far too busy engaged in socialist activity. Some would do well to take a leaf out of their book.I do think that your comment "those seemingly determined to wreck the forum (and the party)" need to be clarified. Whilst accepting that this does not specify who the "those" actually are, it could be interpreted as stating that there are members of the Party who are determined to wreck it, which is a clear allegation of "action detrimental".Whilst I also have come to the conclusion that our feathered friend is either here to troll certain members, or possibly has certain issues of his own, and as such will not in the future engage in his anti-socialist and frankly anti social games, I think that to imply that this is a branch related issue is not only divisive, it is also uncomradely. I would also go as far as stating that such comments are unworthy of you and could be also described as self defeating, in as much as they discourage members from contributing to the forum. Similarly I feel that the implication that the work of some members in spreading socialist consciousness is more valid that others is also divisive; we all do what we can, when we can, in whatever way we can. The North East area for instance has been one where very little activity has taken place in recent years, although going back in time we had two strong and active branches. Activity has begun to begin again in the North east, aided by the use of the forum. Comments like the ones you have made could be counterproductive in the development of that activity.For my own part, I will admit I have on occasions taken the L Bird bait, and I take your general point that the debate has at times degenerated, I have stated previously that I will in future desist, however on a more puerile note, I did think my chemistry lesson contribution was quite funny.Yours in comradely spirit for Socialism
Vin wrote:PS wonder if that qualifies me for an obituary in the StandardThat can be arranged comrade!!!!
Got to admit Vin, I wondered about the Bowie article, however I've got to say I passed my copy on to lots of friends and acquaintances who read that edition 'cos they were Bowie fans, and more importantly, they went on to read other parts of the Standard, so it might have been more influential than first thought?
L BirdI may be new to this site but I am anything but new to the kind of philosophical arguments you are putting forward.I fully understand the point that you are trying (very poorly, in my opinion) to make which is that thought is socially produced. Where you sink into idealism is in your interpretation that if thought can be changed and concept can be changed the material world will necessary change alongside our perception of it. You also make a crude reductionist argument that as we live in a bourgeois society this is not only the primary influence on the production of thoughts it is the only factor. As I have pointed out to you time and time again, perhaps you should read some work on attachment theory and personality development, it might fill in the all to obvious gaps in your knowledge base.
L Bird wrote -Do you agree that the revolutionary proletariat should democratically control 'maths and physics'?If you say 'No', you're an Engelsist Materialism.If you say 'Yes', like me, you're a Marxist Idealist-Materialist.Typical of your method of argument, make a statement and then put in your own conclusions about what the respondent might say. If you were to say that we should democratically oversee the work of scientists, no problem, however regardless of your spurious logic, we cannot democraticaly control the outcome of physical experiments, 2+2 equals four, no matter how many times any gorup of individuals vote to say ot doesn't. What you appear to want to create is some kind of Orwellian newspeak.
Hi ALB apparently, I'm an "expert Psychologist" , would you like to pull up a seat and talk about your feelings toward L Bird.Firstly, It's important that you don't get angry.To achieve enlightenment, you need to be like me – recognise that L Bird is a truly gifted individual.The undoubted truth is that we are but mere insects, in comparison to his huge intellect.Not for L Bird the nuances of logical argument, not for him cogent and coherent replies to the view points of others. L Bird uses the supreme dialectic, proof by assertion.You need to recognise that when L Bird tells you what your view is, that is what your view is. When L Bird tells you what to think, that's what you should think, when L Bird asserts something, it is infallible truth. Come join me in the shadow of the greatest thinker of ours, or for that matter any generation. L Bird, we salute you!
"read what I write, and make some progress" – If only we could, oh great master of thought, however your guru like level of understanding is beyond us. Can we make a statue of you and adore and worship at your feet, oh Mighty Sage of all Wisdom?
The scene – A science classroom somewhere in the UK in the late 1980samidst the Bunsen burners, test tubes, retort stands etc. a group of 12 year old school pupils gather, a hushed silence descends upon the room as a man in a tweed coat with patches on his elbows enters the room. Taking off his jacket and putting on his lab coat moving to the front of the classroom. At the front of the class sits a small boy with pimples and glasses, clearly ostracized by his class mates he sits alone separated from the group. He is unaware that on his back one of his fellow pupils has placed a post it note with the word "TWAT" written on.The man in the lab coat speaks – "Today class we will be looking at using the flame test and burning sodium air"The spotty boy with spectacles' hand shoots up – "sir, sir, sir, please sir!!!"The teacher speaks with a heavy heart – "what is it this time boy"L Bird (for tis he) – "sir surely you mean that we will be hoodwinked into believing the socially constructed outcomes of bourgeois thought, masquerading as scientific truth"Loud groans are heard from the rest of the pupils in the class, followed by threats of violence from some.Teacher under his breath "Oh Christ not again" then out loud "Bird, we'll just carry out the experiment and see what happens"L Bird – "But sir do you not see you are an agent of Leninist oppression, by your elitist approach to science, I demand a democratic vote by the rest of my fellow pupils before this experiment continues"Teacher "I won't be oppressing anybody, we just want to see what happens when you burn sodium in air, now settle down and let us get on with the experiment"L Bird – "But sir, you've been led astray by Engels and his crass materialism, don't you see by looking to see what happens when you burn sodium in air you negating the role of consciousness in our scientific understanding. If only you would listen to me……"Teacher loudly "Bird!!! just sit down and let the rest of the class get on with their work"L Bird – "But sir, the rest of the class are too stupid, ill educated and ignorant to understand these concepts, leave them to their Janet and John books and colouring in, only I have the special insight necessary to see through the deceptions of bourgeois science, please, please, can't you see how special I am"repeat ad nauseam for the next twenty years
That's right L Bird You are the cleverest, the brightest the most wonderful of us all, we are but shadows of your towering intellect. You can dismiss anything you don't like with your magic force field of "that's bourgeois" or "your a Leninist" or even your ultimate weapon "I'm clever and you're thick".After all you have achieved the dizzy heights of grade 2 CSE in Philosophy. It must be such a frustrating place to be surrounded on all sides by imbeciles, when you are such a towering genius.
