"I now define 'moral behavior' as 'behavior that tends toward survival.' I won't argue with philosophers or theologians who choose to use the word 'moral' to mean something else, but I do not think anyone can define "behavior that tends toward extinction" as being 'moral' without stretching the word 'moral' all out of shape.
Selfishness is the bedrock on which all moral behavior starts and it can be immoral only when it conflicts with a higher moral imperative. An animal so poor in spirit that he won't even fight on his own behalf is already an evolutionary dead end; the best he can do for his breed is to crawl off and die, and not pass on his defective genes.
The next higher level is to work, fight, and sometimes die for your own immediate family. This is the level at which six pounds of mother cat can be so fierce that she'll drive off a police dog. It is the level at which a father takes a moonlighting job to keep his kids in college -- and the level at which a mother or father dives into a flood to save a drowning child... and it is still moral behavior even when it fails. br>
Evolution is a process that never stops. Baboons who fail to exhibit moral behavior do not survive; they wind up as meat for leopards.
The next level in moral behavior higher than that exhibited by the baboon is that in which duty and loyalty are shown toward a group of your own kind too large for an individual to know all of them. We have a name for that. It is called 'patriotism.'
Behaving on a still higher moral level were the astronauts who went to the Moon, for their actions tend toward the survival of the entire race of mankind.
Many short-sighted fools think that going to the Moon was just a stunt. But the astronauts knew the meaning of what they were doing, as is shown by Neil Armstrong's first words in stepping down onto the soil of Luna: 'One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.'"
phone call from the owners of the fan site to the marketing people, followed by a phone call between the marketing people and the lawyers, would result in a free license, an amicable settlement arrangement, Discovery getting a bunch of free advertising, the fans being happy to have a good fan site, and everyone winning.
Except we don't live in that strange, logical place. We live here, where it's all about the almighty dollar and name rights, and the hell with corporate goodwill! Any PR is good PR! Et cetera! Rabble, rabble, rabble!
Disgusting. When will we get wise and finally decide, "Enough is enough." Sometimes I think it's a pity there wasn't an ACTUAL "Year They Hanged The Lawyers..."
Actually, if you want to prevent excesses like this, start demanding fricking tort reform, like some of the rest of us. We need an 'Unemploy the Lawyers Act of 2009' and we need it fast.
If only 1965 really WAS "The Year They Hanged The Lawyers..."
I am now exceedingly glad I waited to purchase a new HDD for my laptop. While this is just slightly ridiculous, now I can give windows i nice happy 250 GB to play with and give linux 500 GB. And then all shall be right with the universe.
If you're going to mention the name of one of the greatest craft breweries on the East Coast, at least say it properly!!
DFH == Dogfish Head
Best beer in Delaware, period.
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I believe all we have left to program is a DRM system that initiates exterminatus from orbit. After all, it's the only way to be sure.
FTFY.
"I now define 'moral behavior' as 'behavior that tends toward survival.' I won't argue with philosophers or theologians who choose to use the word 'moral' to mean something else, but I do not think anyone can define "behavior that tends toward extinction" as being 'moral' without stretching the word 'moral' all out of shape.
... and it is still moral behavior even when it fails.
Selfishness is the bedrock on which all moral behavior starts and it can be immoral only when it conflicts with a higher moral imperative. An animal so poor in spirit that he won't even fight on his own behalf is already an evolutionary dead end; the best he can do for his breed is to crawl off and die, and not pass on his defective genes.
The next higher level is to work, fight, and sometimes die for your own immediate family. This is the level at which six pounds of mother cat can be so fierce that she'll drive off a police dog. It is the level at which a father takes a moonlighting job to keep his kids in college -- and the level at which a mother or father dives into a flood to save a drowning child
br> Evolution is a process that never stops. Baboons who fail to exhibit moral behavior do not survive; they wind up as meat for leopards.
The next level in moral behavior higher than that exhibited by the baboon is that in which duty and loyalty are shown toward a group of your own kind too large for an individual to know all of them. We have a name for that. It is called 'patriotism.' Behaving on a still higher moral level were the astronauts who went to the Moon, for their actions tend toward the survival of the entire race of mankind.
Many short-sighted fools think that going to the Moon was just a stunt. But the astronauts knew the meaning of what they were doing, as is shown by Neil Armstrong's first words in stepping down onto the soil of Luna: 'One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.'"
phone call from the owners of the fan site to the marketing people, followed by a phone call between the marketing people and the lawyers, would result in a free license, an amicable settlement arrangement, Discovery getting a bunch of free advertising, the fans being happy to have a good fan site, and everyone winning.
Except we don't live in that strange, logical place. We live here, where it's all about the almighty dollar and name rights, and the hell with corporate goodwill! Any PR is good PR! Et cetera! Rabble, rabble, rabble!
Disgusting. When will we get wise and finally decide, "Enough is enough." Sometimes I think it's a pity there wasn't an ACTUAL "Year They Hanged The Lawyers..."
Actually, if you want to prevent excesses like this, start demanding fricking tort reform, like some of the rest of us. We need an 'Unemploy the Lawyers Act of 2009' and we need it fast.
If only 1965 really WAS "The Year They Hanged The Lawyers..."
'More of a skills advancement instead of discrete levels thing.'
So are you saying that marriage is a White Wolf product as opposed to WOTC?
'They'll appear in a coloring book being ridden by Jesus?'
Oh, shit! Somebody just summoned Raptor Jesus!!!
RUN AWAY!!!
Personally, I put my trust in Vampire Jesus (he has much cooler superpowers), but I see your point.
Well, shit.
Back to the drawing board, I guess...
I am now exceedingly glad I waited to purchase a new HDD for my laptop. While this is just slightly ridiculous, now I can give windows i nice happy 250 GB to play with and give linux 500 GB.
And then all shall be right with the universe.
Yes, and we're still sorry about that.
http://hoaxblog.s3.amazonaws.com/birthplace.jpg
If you're going to mention the name of one of the greatest craft breweries on the East Coast, at least say it properly!! DFH == Dogfish Head Best beer in Delaware, period.