(Ron) Definition of Inerrancy (again, the concept of 'oneness')

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From: Brian Dean On Behalf Of Ron Criss, sent: Saturday, September 05, 1998
7:49 PM

Alas, Ron seems determined to convince us that he is utterly innocent of the
simplest principles of logic. . .


RON
  What?! Are you suggesting that you are able to control your
overpowering instincts?

[Elf]
Um, except in the popular press occasionally, biologists tend to pretty much
avoid the term "instinct" these days. It is at best equivocal, and at worst
so loaded as to distort analysis of the behaviors under investigation.

If you wish to use the term in a debate, I'm afraid you'll have to provide
us with a clear definition of just what it is that you mean by "instinct",
otherwise any sentences containing the term are just so much noise.

Ron
 Next you'll be telling me that you have a
free-will!

[Elf]
There's another nice equivocal term. I watching a debate on another list on
just that topic. The problem is, you see, that neither the "free willers"
nor the "reductionists" have clue as to just what it is that free will is
supposed to be.

So alas, until and unless you supply us with a definition of just what it is
that you think free will is (and something on the order of "we've got it and
rocks don't won't do), I'm afraid this is just more verbal smokescreen to
throw up in order to avoid confronting any real issues.

Ron
And how could you possibly be "immoral" since there is no
subjective basis for morality, and you and your actions are just the
product of hormones and chemicals coursing through your system?

[Elf]
Fallacy of composition.

By that type of reasoning, your computer is just the product of slight
differences in electromotive potentials in almost pure sand .

Do you believe that any of the engineers who lose nights and weekends making
the hardware and software work would think that an accurate description?

Ron
 How
could you possibly be offended since I obviously cannot control what I
am typing?

Elf
What's "control" and what is "I"?

If you're going to play in these philosophical waters, be advised that they
get pretty deep, and you haven't displayed a sufficient grasp of logic and
the basics of philosophy to swim in water that deep.

But if you really want to play . . .:-)

I suggest you check the archives for my chats with one Walter Nussbaum. I
kept telling him he needed to ask for a tuition refund from his seminary,
but I don't know if he ever followed through .  .  .

Ron
 Perhaps you could throw some of these concepts into your
novel and title it "A Clockwork Orange"? Or has that already been done?

[Elf]
Perhaps you could throw all your hackneyed fallacious pseudo-philosophy into
a book and call it "The FIRST Roswell Incident, circa 32 AD" or some such.

Of course, that has already been done, many times, - but not with such an
honest title. Perhaps you could be the first to be up front about what
you're doing : -)

Ciao!!!

Michael Fisher, aka Elfish Chimera, San Diego, California

"If you work at that which is before you, following right reason seriously,
vigorously, without allowing anything else to distract you, but keeping your
divine part pure, as if you were bound to give it back immediately; if you
hold to this, expecting nothing, but satisfied to live now according to
nature, speaking heroic truth in every word which you utter, you will live
happy. And there is no man able to prevent this."
		                        --Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor and Stoic, from
his MEDITATIONS, III, 12.---

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