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Science
Technology has always found its greatest consumer in a
nation's war and defense efforts. Since the last attempts at a
"Star Wars" defense system, has technology changed
considerably enough to make the latest Missile Defense
initiatives more successful? Can such an application of
science be successful? Is a militarized space inevitable,
necessary or impossible?
Read Debates, a new
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(10422 previous messages)
rshow55
- 12:07pm Mar 24, 2003 EST (#
10423 of 10438) Can we do a better job of finding truth?
YES. Click "rshow55" for some things Lchic and I have done and
worked for on this thread.
almarst2003 - 11:57am Mar 24, 2003 EST (# 10425 you
can make that case. And it is an important case to
make.
I think the Bush administration wrong about a lot of stuff
- I don't take back anything I've ever said on this thread -
but they've got some things straight - and are trying to work
through some good balances.
Often, I think they're a lot more balanced than you are,
almarst - though not always.
Your reasons for concern are real, and I share them. But
there are a lot of countervailing forces, too - and I'm
optimistic - both economically, and in terms of human rights.
But I feel sure about this .
We have to get past Treaty of Westphalia standards -
and negotiate into being an international law that can
work.
And in many, many, many places, we need to establish a
workable amount of shared space, and negotiate decent and
workable social contracts into being.
It seems to me that things that were absolutely hopeless
before are now in a condition where they can be well solved,
if people keep at it.
Right now, we have a mess - but bad as things are, I think
things are becoming more orderly and more
hopeful. With plenty to fear, and plenty of work to do.
bbbuck
- 12:08pm Mar 24, 2003 EST (#
10424 of 10438)
rshow55....
you're an idiot.
rshow55
- 12:16pm Mar 24, 2003 EST (#
10425 of 10438) Can we do a better job of finding truth?
YES. Click "rshow55" for some things Lchic and I have done and
worked for on this thread.
10354-6 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.eVa5aQP955p.1246459@.f28e622/11900
http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7b2bd/1636
Some basic facts and relations are alas, controversial when
they actually matter for thought or action, and that is a key
problem for our time.
" People say and do things. .
" What people say and do have
consequences, for themselves and for other people. .
" People need to deal with and understand
these consequences, for all sorts of practical, down to
earth reasons. .
" So everybody has a stake in right
answers on questions of fact that they have to use as
assumptions for what they say and do.
If the bolded point, just above, were more widely and
deeply understood - and linked to the simple points just above
it -- a great many things in the world would be better - and
people, just as they are, could solve many of the most
important and practical problems they face. As of now, the
idea that "everybody has a stake in right answers on questions
of fact that they have to use as assumptions for what they say
and do" is actively denied whenever anyone with power actually
objects.
Instead, the point should be common ground.
If that point were settled, news folks would have some red
faces, and politicians redder faces - but a lot could be
sorted out.
almarst2003
- 03:01pm Mar 24, 2003 EST (#
10426 of 10438)
BB team has long ago declared - "F**K your FACTS. Our facts
as sum of $BOMBS$ are mightier".
May be that what they learned as kids at home or school?
Red Cross fears humanitarian crisis in Basra - http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L24226975.htm
almarst2003
- 03:07pm Mar 24, 2003 EST (#
10427 of 10438)
High Court Nixes Challenge to Domestic Spy Powers -
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=558&ncid=703&e=4&u=/ap/20030324/ap_on_go_su_co/scotus_terrorism
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