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Re: [Phys-L] John Lienhard on Absolutism, Evolution and Education, Engines of our Ingenuity No.2132

Marty,

I know this is a late response - I put it in my "later" folder and am finally getting around to it.

Basically, we believe that government should be kept to the smallest possible size that allows it to aid society in affording every individual the opportunity to succeed and to live life with the maximum amount of freedom with hurting others or being a burden on them. That usually results in us opposing ant-drug laws, anti-prostitution laws, etc. We believe in equality of opportunity, but not a guarantee of equality of outcome. We encourage people to donate time and money to charitable institutions to provide help to the needy, but we oppose the government forcing us to give aid through taxation. We believe that contracts make more sense than laws. We would not regulate businesses, but rather provide anyone injured by a company's actions to have the right to take the company to court to redress the issue.

We essentially believe that you have a right to live your life in any fashion that you please, but that right ends at the tip of another person's nose.

Bob LaMontagne

-----Original Message-----
From: Phys-l [mailto:phys-l-bounces@phys-l.org] On Behalf Of Marty Weiss
Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 1:04 PM
To: Phys-L@Phys-L.org
Subject: Re: [Phys-L] John Lienhard on Absolutism, Evolution and Education,
Engines of our Ingenuity No.2132

Since we are on the subject, which is way off physics anyway, let me ask this
directly. Exactly what do Libertarians stand for anyhow?
On Jun 11, 2013, at 12:34 PM, LaMontagne, Bob wrote:


________________________________________
From: Phys-l [phys-l-bounces@phys-l.org] on behalf of John Clement
[clement@hal-pc.org] John,

If you are going to continue this endless bloviation about conservatives and
conservatism, I suggest you educate yourself about the terms really mean.
There is a whole spectrum of ideas and opinions that are included in the
conservative viewpoint - not just the straw man religious-right that you seem
narrowly fixated on. I am a Libertarian, but I have many conservative friends
who are neither Republican, nor religious, nor in favor of small government.

Bob at PC

Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 10:30 AM
To: Phys-L@Phys-L.org
Subject: Re: [Phys-L] John Lienhard on Absolutism, Evolution and
Education, Engines of our Ingenuity No.2132

A possible solution to the problem of "empire dissolution" is to have
a well educated populace with even better educated intelligent
leaders. The platitude "The meek will inherit the earth" can mean
that we have to understand the problems and respond to them without
letting our inflated egos get in the way. The conservative point of
view that we have done alright means we will continue to do so is very
antiscientific. Past history is only a guide to what might happen in
the future. (Remember that conservative can mean just adhering to
traditional norms, and thinking that the past will continue forever.
One can be a liberal traditionalist, or a conservative radical.)

The idea that we are the most powerful nation ergo we will continue to
do so is a very absolutist idea, and historically has not held up. If
the current anti-science trend on one side of the aisle continues,
science and invention in our country is likely to stagnate. Notice
that this idea that education has worked well in the past, so it is OK
is also an absolutist idea. But the opposite side of the coin, saying
that education is not longer working well is also not accurate. In
reality education may be working as well as it did in the past, but
that is not adequate. It needs to be modified ala PER and other research
based innovations.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX



Our wealth is because we were able to exploit vigin land. But now
others are catching up. Remember the Romans probably felt the same
way, and where are they now???


You mean as an empire? The Athenians did the same ... had
to wall their city and the road to the harbor where their ships left
to plunder the planet as they knew it.

More recently the Brits. and then us. (and the NAZIs)

bc thinks history doesn't bode well for us.
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_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l

_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l