Die onderliggende gelowe van die skeptikus

The most important thing that I ever learned from Objectivism is:

Ayn Rand said:

Now observe the method I used to analyze those catch phrases. You must attach clear, specific meanings to words, i.e., be able to identify their referents in reality. This is a precondition, without which neither critical judgment nor thinking of any kind is possible. All philosophical con games count on your using words as vague approximations. You must not take a catch phrase—or any abstract statement—as if it were approximate. Take it literally. Don’t translate it, don’t glamorize it, don’t make the mistake of thinking, as many people do: “Oh, nobody could possibly mean this!” and then proceed to endow it with some whitewashed meaning of your own. Take it straight, for what it does say and mean.

Instead of dismissing the catch phrase, accept it—for a few brief moments.

Tell yourself, in effect: “If I were to accept it as true, what would follow?” This is the best way of unmasking any philosophical fraud. The old saying of plain con men holds true for intellectual ones: “You can’t cheat an honest man.” Intellectual honesty consists in taking ideas seriously. To take ideas seriously means that you intend to live by, to practice, any idea you accept as true. Philosophy provides man with a comprehensive view of life. In order to evaluate it properly, ask yourself what a given theory, if accepted, would do to a human life, starting with your own.

You dont have to read a stich of Objectivism if you can learn that. It is to me the most important thing to learn.

I am a very serious man in real life but I am learning to lighten up.

Is hierdie nie `n klassieke geval van een van die bekende drogredes nie?

  • die implikasie van `n teorie is onverwant aan sy geldigheid

met ander woorde, jy kan nie `n stelling verwerp as vals omdat die gevolge te verskriklik is, of dit aanvaar as waarhied omdat dit gewens is nie.
Miskien het Ayn Rand iets anders bedoel, maar sy gebruik tog die woorde “accept as true” hier.

Would like to add. This is why I very much hate religion (a kind of primitive philosophy). Since at one time I sincerely believed it to be true, I now know the devastating consequences it has on a human being.

I have yet to meet a Randian who is NOT deadly serious. About everything.

Helaas, ons boere kan nie byhou nie. Afrikaners is plesierig. :slight_smile:

Join the club. We all have some really weird histories and many of our personal issues are as a result of this disillusionment.

Atlas het my getref as bietjie van 'n humorlose boek, en ek het nogal gesukkel om daardeur te kom. As dit nie vir daai treine was nie … :confused:

Rigil

Het nog geen van haar boeke gelees nie. Dit is sulke dik bakstene en ek kry nie indruk dat hulle eintlik die moeite werd is om mee te sukkel nie. Dan lees ek liewer Dawkins se nuutste.

Ons kan lekker plesierig wees as ons aan 'n nuwe manier dink om geld te maak. :wink: