3 ms·

Considering that our civilization is greatly advanced over what came before, looking to the past for "what works" seems sort of silly. Appeals to tradition don

Considering that our civilization is greatly advanced over what came before, looking to the past for "what works" seems sort of silly. Appeals to tradition don't provide a very compelling basis for arguments with people who prize reason.

humanrebar 11y ago
To be fair, neither do appeals to abstract things like "progress" and "modernity". You need somewhat objective improvements for something to be better. Both "it's new" and "it's old" are fallacious reasons to prefer something.
- laotzu 11y ago
  I would assume oldmanjay is referring to the objective increase in life expectancy we have seen since the industrial revolution. However, it remains the been seen whether or not this is a valid example of "progress" considering the on going process of ecological self destruction of the human race and/or the imminent threat of nuclear holocaust.
laotzu 11y ago
>Before our white brothers arrived to make us civilized men, we didn't have any kind of prison. Because of this, we didn't have any delinquents. Without a prison, there can be no delinquents. We had no locks nor keys therefore among us there were no thieves. When someone was so poor that he couldn't afford a horse, a tent or a blanket, he would, in that case, receive it all as a gift. We were too uncivilized to give great importance to private property. We didn't know any kind of money and consequently, the value of a human being was not determined by his wealth. We had no written laws laid down, no lawyers, no politicians, therefore we were not able to cheat and swindle one another. We were really in bad shape before the white man arrived and I don't know how to explain how we were able to manage without these fundamental things that (so they tell us) are so necessary for a civilized society. -Lame Deer

3 ms·

Considering that our civilization is greatly advanced over what came before, looking to the past for "what works" seems sort of silly. Appeals to tradition don

by oldmanjay 11y ago

humanrebar 11y ago
To be fair, neither do appeals to abstract things like "progress" and "modernity". You need somewhat objective improvements for something to be better. Both "it's new" and "it's old" are fallacious reasons to prefer something.
- laotzu 11y ago
  I would assume oldmanjay is referring to the objective increase in life expectancy we have seen since the industrial revolution. However, it remains the been seen whether or not this is a valid example of "progress" considering the on going process of ecological self destruction of the human race and/or the imminent threat of nuclear holocaust.
laotzu 11y ago
>Before our white brothers arrived to make us civilized men, we didn't have any kind of prison. Because of this, we didn't have any delinquents. Without a prison, there can be no delinquents. We had no locks nor keys therefore among us there were no thieves. When someone was so poor that he couldn't afford a horse, a tent or a blanket, he would, in that case, receive it all as a gift. We were too uncivilized to give great importance to private property. We didn't know any kind of money and consequently, the value of a human being was not determined by his wealth. We had no written laws laid down, no lawyers, no politicians, therefore we were not able to cheat and swindle one another. We were really in bad shape before the white man arrived and I don't know how to explain how we were able to manage without these fundamental things that (so they tell us) are so necessary for a civilized society. -Lame Deer