- Moderator
- #26
Re: Is conservatism a form of mental illness?
Kant (IIRC) was of the opinion that absolute rationality is impossible - no decsion is made in a moral or subjective vaccum.
We could get easily get sidetracked into a PoMo debate here!
Also, an irrational person (to you or I) could claim (and honestly believe) to be acting rationally. Who are you or I to say any differently?
Im basing 'rationality' on the following critereon:
It may lead to some disturbing conclusions (for example I support consenting incestous relationships on these grounds, notwithstanding I personally find the idea repulsive), but it follows from the above.
For an example of inconsistent arguments see Medusulas arguments re refugees. He has no issue with the mandatory and indefinate detention of asylum seeker children (offshore) by the Executive absent any Judicial review by the State, all enacted via retrospective legislation, yet he opposes racial villification laws.
Despite claiming to be a 'libertarian'.
And subsequently found sane.
The correct decsion (from an outsiders perspective). He had legal capacity.
On the topic of harsher sentences, I cannot believe he will only get 20 years. Throw away the key.
My inner conservative rises to the surface again!
To be honest, when my eyes were opened and my conservative paradigm shattered, it was the best day of my life. Releasing the anger and realising that the world was a lot more complex than I thought it was.
Didnt sleep the whole night though.
How do we know when we are being rational and when we are not? We are not rational creatures, we are rationalising.
Kant (IIRC) was of the opinion that absolute rationality is impossible - no decsion is made in a moral or subjective vaccum.
We could get easily get sidetracked into a PoMo debate here!
Also, an irrational person (to you or I) could claim (and honestly believe) to be acting rationally. Who are you or I to say any differently?
Im basing 'rationality' on the following critereon:
- A logically cohesive paradigm or framework
- Supported by accepted evidence and empiricism
- Holds up to peer review and critique
- Internally consistent
- Independent of prejudice
It may lead to some disturbing conclusions (for example I support consenting incestous relationships on these grounds, notwithstanding I personally find the idea repulsive), but it follows from the above.
For an example of inconsistent arguments see Medusulas arguments re refugees. He has no issue with the mandatory and indefinate detention of asylum seeker children (offshore) by the Executive absent any Judicial review by the State, all enacted via retrospective legislation, yet he opposes racial villification laws.
Despite claiming to be a 'libertarian'.
He was found insane. It is convenient for you to base your prejudices around him but it is a non starter.
And subsequently found sane.
The correct decsion (from an outsiders perspective). He had legal capacity.
On the topic of harsher sentences, I cannot believe he will only get 20 years. Throw away the key.
My inner conservative rises to the surface again!
See how it good (and right) it feels to be a conservative?
To be honest, when my eyes were opened and my conservative paradigm shattered, it was the best day of my life. Releasing the anger and realising that the world was a lot more complex than I thought it was.
Didnt sleep the whole night though.