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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.