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Index for this page...(Be aware some links below may have expired.)
All The Following Items Were Posted On September 1, 2006 The American Pragmatists "The philosophical movement known as Pragmatism is the first -- and so far the only -- strictly American philosophy. Created on American soil by thinkers disenchanted with the speculative nonsense of traditional philosophy, and longing for new intellectual foundations, it reflected the let's-get-things-done spirit of American individualism." -- Professor James L. Christian. See more about American Pragmatism in The Radical Academy. Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914): More information in The Radical Academy.
William James (1842-1910): More information in The Radical Academy.
John Dewey (1859-1952): More information in The Radical Academy.
Source: Volume 1 of The Wisdom Seekers: Great Philosophers of the Western World, by James L. Christian. If you want an excellent and comprehensive history of philosophy, the two volumes in this set are among the best available. And I'm not just saying that because Professor Christian is a personal friend. I used his introductory textbook in philosophy when I was teaching an introduction to philosophy course many years ago. J.D.
FOR THE RECORD 1. Zero Tolerance Or Zero Usefulness Libertarians have long mocked the "zero tolerance" policies being enforced at many government schools. Now, the American Psychological Association has issued a report that confirms libertarians' doubts: such policies not only don't work, but may actually encourage more misbehavior among students. The "zero tolerance" movement made its appearance in the mid-1990s when politicians decided to crack down on violence and drugs in schools. The best way to achieve safer schools, politicians decided, was to have "zero tolerance" for any infraction. So, they passed laws requiring schools to expel or suspend students for any violation of school policies. This zero-tolerance nonsense quickly spread to schools around the nation -- and journalists quickly started noticing the absurd results. Some examples:
Of course, such hysterical overreactions to harmless behavior doesn't really keep students safe. Lemon drops and pointed fingers posed no danger to America's youth. And to the degree that school officials focused on such trifling transgressions while ignoring real potential dangers, students were actually less safe. That's what the American Psychological Association (APA) said on August 9, 2006. According to USA Today, the APA "called for more flexibility and common sense in applying the policies, reserving zero tolerance for the most serious threats to school safety." An APA spokesman said, "The 'one-size-fits-all' approach isn't working. Bringing aspirin to school is not the same as bringing cocaine. A plastic knife isn't the same as a handgun." Even worse, zero-tolerance policies may actually harm students. Studies show that students perform worse academically in schools with high suspension or expulsion rates, according to the APA. Further, students who are suspended (even for minor offenses) are more likely to drop out of school than other students. Interestingly, the APA wasn't the first organization to reach these conclusions. In 2001, the American Bar Association voted to recommend an end to zero-tolerance policies. The ABA said such policies are a "one-size-fits-all solution" and have "redefined students as criminals." Regretfully, politicians didn't listen to such commonsense advice from lawyers. Perhaps they'll listen to psychiatrists -- before misguided zero-tolerance policies create more lemon-drop candy-eating "criminals." -- Article above by Bill Winter of Advocates for Self-Government Source: USA Today (August 9, 2006) http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-08-09-zero-tolerance_x.htm 2. Radio Ad Calls Out Politicians Who Have Used Marijuana The radio ad begins by naming names: prominent government officials who have admitted to using marijuana. The list includes President George W. Bush, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The ad then asks, "Is it fair to arrest three-quarters of a million people a year -- for doing what presidents and a Supreme Court justice have done?" It's a great question -- and one you can bet a lot of politicians wish wouldn't be asked. The ad, sponsored by the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), began airing in early July and will air through the summer. You can hear it for yourself HERE. "Nearly 100 million Americans, including the politicians named in the ad, have used marijuana -- and the vast majority have gone on to lead successful lives," said Rob Kampia, MPP executive director. "Our government has spent hundreds of millions of tax dollars on ads claiming that the use of marijuana leads to addiction, illness, and destruction, but for the overwhelming majority of responsible, adult marijuana users -- just as for responsible, adult alcohol users -- that simply isn't true. "Marijuana prohibition has completely failed to stop marijuana use, while giving unregulated criminals a monopoly on the marijuana market," Kampia continued. Kampia notes that alcohol and tobacco, the two most commonly abused drugs in the U.S., are both legal. He further notes that research shows that marijuana is safer than both of these drugs. Of course, believing this is not to endorse marijuana use, any more than believing that cigarettes and liquor should be legal implies an endorsement of the use of those substances. MPP says it "believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol." Polls indicate that huge and growing numbers of Americans agree with MPP on this. Late last year, a Gallup poll found that 36 percent of Americans now favor re-legalization, up from 25 percent in 1995. And younger Americans (aged 18 to 29) are the strongest supporters of marijuana law reform, with 47 percent endorsing re-legalization. -- Above article by James W. Harris of The Liberator Online Source: MPP - http://MarijuanaPolicy.org Source: Gallup poll - http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6717 Enforcing "American Values" -- At Gunpoint: "The online-gambling ban [just passed by the U.S. House of Representatives], which dictates what adults may do with their own money on their own computers in their own homes, is part of what Republicans proudly call their "American Values Agenda." Evidently, those values do not include privacy, freedom of choice, individual responsibility or free markets." -- syndicated libertarian columnist Jacob Sullum. Source Dependent On Politicians: "The single most important problem with the current Social Security system is that workers have no ownership of their benefits. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled, in the case of Flemming v. Nestor, that workers have no legally binding contractual or property right to their Social Security benefits, and those benefits can be changed, cut, or even taken away at any time. This means that workers completely dependent on the goodwill of 535 politicians when it comes to what they'll receive in retirement." -- Michael D. Tanner, Cato@Liberty (August 14, 2006). Source "About all I can say for the United States Senate is that it opens with a prayer and closes with an investigation." -- Said by Will Rogers (1879-1935) who was an American humorist and actor, nicknamed the "cowboy philosopher." A highly skilled rodeo performer, he came to exemplify, for many Americans, the common man in rhetorical arms against injustice and governmental stupidity.
COUNSELING CORNER: Some counseling from Will Rogers . . . Will Rogers, who died in a plane crash with Wylie Post in 1935, was probably the greatest political sage this country has ever known. Here is some advice from this American icon: 1. Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco. 2. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day. 3. There are 2 theories to arguing with a woman...neither works. 4. Never miss a good chance to shut up. 5. Always drink upstream from the herd. 6. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. 7. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back in your pocket. 8. There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves. 9. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. 10. If you're riding' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there. 11. Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin' it back. 12. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
A LITTLE OF THIS & A LITTLE OF THAT A Little Wisdom: Yesterday was the past, tomorrow is the future, and today is a gift, that is why it's called the present! A Little Advice: The secret of getting ahead is getting started. A Little Question: If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons? A Little Put-Down: I'd insult you, but you're not bright enough to notice. A Little Proverb: Wise men learn more from fools than fools from the wise. A Little Reflection: Man is the only animal that can remain on friendly terms with the victims that he intends to eat until he eats them. A Little Observation: The poor man is not he who is without a cent, but he who is without a dream. A Little Quote: "The true republic: men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less." -- Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906), American suffragist. A Little Definition: Deja Moo - The feeling that you've heard this bull before. A Little Quip: Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them. A Little Bumper Sticker: Seen on the back of a biker's vest - "If you can read this, my wife fell off."
Some interesting & provocative articles on other websites: No liberals in my foxhole!, by Alan Caruba: In times of war, the last person you want in the foxhole with you is a liberal. They are always desperately looking for a white flag to wave. They are always trying to "understand" the enemy and excuse his bad behavior. D.C., the 51st Police State - A shocking story of today's high school hoodlums, running wild in the nation's capital!, by Macy Hanson: We have nothing to fear but fear itself. Well, that and anyone under the age of 17. So follows the logic of the Washington, D.C., City Council, which, in response to a devastating "crime wave," has passed emergency legislation that strengthens curfew laws and greatly expands the powers of the Metropolitan Police Department. Blogs and the Mainstream Press, by William L. Anderson: ... I made some mention of the Internet blogs and how they are serving as an antidote to the warmed-over statism that we see on the pages of established newspapers and broadcasts. Even though I stressed that they were important, little did I realize just how important they really are, for even as I spoke, the so-called Duke Rape Case... What is Left? What is Right?, by Nick Gillespie: It's an old joke -- among libertarians, anyway, a famously funny group (just read the novels of Ayn Rand sometime) -- that conservatives want to be your father and liberals want to be your mother. The Science of Creating Killers - Human reluctance to take a life can be reversed through training in the method known as killology, by Vicki Haddock: What exactly does it take to kill someone? Here's how 21-year-old West Texas Army Pvt. Steven Green described shooting a man who refused to stop at an Iraqi checkpoint... Does government stupidity know any bounds?, by John Stossel: These are tough days for political satirists. Any satire about government boondoggles is soon upstaged by an actual government program that's more inane than anything comedians could invent. Mutated gene may offer clue to why all brains are not equal, by Ronald Kotulak: One of the most intriguing mysteries of biology is why humans are the only species with a brain smart enough to ponder their own existence. Researchers at the University of California at Santa Cruz believe they have discovered a possible answer... Climate porn - Media portrayal of global warming turns people off, not on, by Thomas Kostigen: The media is exploiting global warming with dark images of despair and world destruction -- melting icecaps, retreating glaciers and expanding deserts -- sensational and fantastic images akin to pornography, a new report concludes. The Servile State Revisited, by Joseph Sobran: I am haunted by an observation of the philosopher David Hume, which I must quote approximately from memory: "To the philosophic eye, nothing is more surprising than the ease with which the many are ruled by the few." Private Prisons Expect a Boom, by Meredith Kolodner: As the Bush administration gets tougher on illegal immigration and increases its spending on enforcement, some of the biggest beneficiaries may be the companies that have been building and running private prisons around the country. Point of no return?, by Thomas Sowell: It is hard to think of a time when a nation -- and a whole civilization -- has drifted more futilely toward a bigger catastrophe than that looming over the United States and western civilization today. Now America goes cap in hand, as Britain once did, by Michael Meacher: The financial and trade imbalances that are now severely stretching the US are changing the balance of power in China's favour. How the Schools Shortchange Boys, by Gerry Garibaldi: Since I started teaching several years ago, after 25 years in the movie business, I've come to learn firsthand that everything I'd heard about the feminization of our schools is real -- and far more pernicious to boys than I had imagined. Moral Relativism Defies Logic, by Joe Bell: There is a strain of thought among liberals that says: Since America has nuclear weapons, and has used them in war, it would be hypocritical to try and prevent other nations, like Iran, from developing nuclear weapons.
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