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Missile Defense

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?

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rshow55 - 10:17am Oct 6, 2003 EST (# 14409 of 14433)
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.

Cantabb - I'm not ignoring you, exactly - but I'm dealing with your postings in a number of ways - some statistical.

I'm only giving you limited attention. For instance, I haven't updated http://www.mrshowalter.net/Cantabb_Srch_to10_4.htm

There were 182 postings "by Cantabb" between Sept 17th of this year and Oct 4 - and many since - - none before. http://www.mrshowalter.net/Cantabb_Srch_to10_4.htm

I think people at different stages Piaget discusses in The Moral Judgement of the Child might have different judgements on what Cantabb is doing - and how his work is and is not "cheating."

Is it cheating to form connections - make conclusions - and check them?

The way real people have to actually do it?

We're having an argument on that basic issue.

People who take the NYT - and trust it - ought to be interested in how that discussion is going, I think. I suspect some of those people are interested.

The meaning of some text increases as other text accumulates - and I think that's true of 14326 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@13.gQaWbH6yL0E.844937@.f28e622/16036

That's a good reason for revising patterns. Some things, like f = ma "grow on you" as you use them.

My guess is that this thread does read pretty coherently - with Cantabb's pieces taken out of direct view.

rshow55 - 10:32am Oct 6, 2003 EST (# 14410 of 14433)
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.

To resort so that cantabb's posts are hidden from view (except of summaries, and links) would be a reorganization.

Reorganizations of many kinds are useful - and provide crosschecking - and enhanced speed. Librarians have known that for centuries - computer programmers know it - and even kids ought to know it.

For an example, this linked summary of posts on this thread is a reorganization for a purpose available at http://www.mrshowalter.net/Reader_Discussion_'Repress_Yourself'.htm

That "rethinking" - "resorting" and "recollection" (recollection in several senses of the word) is useful - and because of the speed with which human cognition works - we know that a great deal of that sort of sorting, collecting, and reconnecting goes on in individual cognition.

It also goes on in discourse and we have the tools to trace the process. This thread is a step towards doing so.

14356-7 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@13.gQaWbH6yL0E.844937@.f28e622/16066

. . .

To sort out missile defense or ANYTHING that complicated - we have to be able to use that logic more consistently - and have rules of fairness that permit "connecting the dots" and CHECKING to go on repeatedly - to convegence.

Peace, and in my opinion the survival of the world - require people to learn this lesson.

jorian319 - 10:41am Oct 6, 2003 EST (# 14411 of 14433)
"You know I'm an idiot like you know evolution is true" - - James Nienhuis

Peace, and in my opinion the survival of the world - require people to learn this lesson.

WHAT "lesson"? There's no lesson there, just disjointed ramblings.

Yes, Robert, your revelation that good logic, focus, fairness, perseverence and insight are required to solve complex problems - that's earthshaking stuff for sure. (NOT)

I sear I've seen platitude generators that make up stuff that sounds just like your posts, Robert, except with more salient content.

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New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense