Got this joke from friends at work.
1. A consultant goes to work on some projects at work. "On her first day, we set her up with a new laptop, docking station and monitor," said IT director, X. " On her second day, she is having connection problems. X went to her office, and all that was there was the docking station. X asked, 'Where is your laptop?' She said, 'At home. Oh, you mean I have to bring it back to work in here?'"
Sigh... that would help.
Names were taken out to prevent identifaction from the consultant.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Scenario 7: Moral Luck
Something new!~
Thought Experiment 6: Moral Luck
Mette looked into the eyes of her husband, but could find no flicker of remorse.
'You tell me you want us back,' she said to him. 'But how can we do that when you won't even admit that you did the wrong thing when you left me and the children?'
Because in my heart I don't think I did wrong, and Idon't want to lie to you,' explained Paul. 'I left becuase I needed to get away to follow my muse. I went in the name of art. Don't you remember when we used to talk about Gauguin and how he had to do the same? You always said that he had done a hard thing, but not a wrong one.'
'But you are not Gauguin,' sighed Mette. 'That's why you are back. You admit you failed'
'Did Gauguin know he would succeed when he left his wife? No one can know such a thing. If he he was in the right, then so was I.'
'No,' said Mette. 'His gamble paid off, and so he turned out to be right. Yours didn't, and so you turned out to be wrong.'
'His gamble?' replied Paul. 'Are you saying luck can make the difference between right and wrong"'
Mette thought for a few moments. 'Yes. I suppose I am.'
Source: The eponymous essay from Moral Luck by Bernad Williams (Cambridge University Press, 1981)
Luck can mean the difference between success and failure, happiness and misery, riches and poverty, but surely it can't seperate the virtuous from the bad? Whether we are good, decent human beings must depend on who we are and what we do, not what happens beyong out control.
That's definitely what common sense would suggest. But even if luck isn't the main deterninant of moral goodness, can we really be so sure that it has no role at all to play in ethics?
Back to the baseics, there is something called constitutive luck. We are born with certain traits and characteristics, and thse are developed by the way we are brought up. But we didn't choose any of this. In this this scenario, two people behave exactly the same way, unsure of the future, yet only when we know the outcome is good or bad, then we can determine if the person did right or wrong.
If you think this scenario is totally out, then consider this: We are careless from time to time, if that carelessness results in serious injury, then we are morally culpable. But, if by chance, our lack of attention results in no bad consequences, few will think much worse of us. Does that suggests that there is something call moral luck?
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten" by Julian Baggini
Thought Experiment 6: Moral Luck
Mette looked into the eyes of her husband, but could find no flicker of remorse.
'You tell me you want us back,' she said to him. 'But how can we do that when you won't even admit that you did the wrong thing when you left me and the children?'
Because in my heart I don't think I did wrong, and Idon't want to lie to you,' explained Paul. 'I left becuase I needed to get away to follow my muse. I went in the name of art. Don't you remember when we used to talk about Gauguin and how he had to do the same? You always said that he had done a hard thing, but not a wrong one.'
'But you are not Gauguin,' sighed Mette. 'That's why you are back. You admit you failed'
'Did Gauguin know he would succeed when he left his wife? No one can know such a thing. If he he was in the right, then so was I.'
'No,' said Mette. 'His gamble paid off, and so he turned out to be right. Yours didn't, and so you turned out to be wrong.'
'His gamble?' replied Paul. 'Are you saying luck can make the difference between right and wrong"'
Mette thought for a few moments. 'Yes. I suppose I am.'
Source: The eponymous essay from Moral Luck by Bernad Williams (Cambridge University Press, 1981)
Luck can mean the difference between success and failure, happiness and misery, riches and poverty, but surely it can't seperate the virtuous from the bad? Whether we are good, decent human beings must depend on who we are and what we do, not what happens beyong out control.
That's definitely what common sense would suggest. But even if luck isn't the main deterninant of moral goodness, can we really be so sure that it has no role at all to play in ethics?
Back to the baseics, there is something called constitutive luck. We are born with certain traits and characteristics, and thse are developed by the way we are brought up. But we didn't choose any of this. In this this scenario, two people behave exactly the same way, unsure of the future, yet only when we know the outcome is good or bad, then we can determine if the person did right or wrong.
If you think this scenario is totally out, then consider this: We are careless from time to time, if that carelessness results in serious injury, then we are morally culpable. But, if by chance, our lack of attention results in no bad consequences, few will think much worse of us. Does that suggests that there is something call moral luck?
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten" by Julian Baggini
Thursday, January 25, 2007
More restrictions
Ok, seto, you want more restrictions, you got more restrictions. For those of you who have the courage to face moral dilemmas, please ignore this post.
1. The private is from a "bad" family, if he fellows all the orders and served for 3 years straight, his family( parents, sister, and son) can get an exemption. This is he second last month.
2. The private is being held at gun point. The rape and murder shall be conducted under gun point, and under surveillance.
3. The female prisoner has been injected with excessive hormone, and sex is the ticket out.
4. If you do not rape her, the prisoner will be gang rape by the camp.
5. Even, if released, she will be killed and murder by her people.
Any or all of the restriction and or description can be applied.
1. The private is from a "bad" family, if he fellows all the orders and served for 3 years straight, his family( parents, sister, and son) can get an exemption. This is he second last month.
2. The private is being held at gun point. The rape and murder shall be conducted under gun point, and under surveillance.
3. The female prisoner has been injected with excessive hormone, and sex is the ticket out.
4. If you do not rape her, the prisoner will be gang rape by the camp.
5. Even, if released, she will be killed and murder by her people.
Any or all of the restriction and or description can be applied.
Scenario: When no one wins
I know, I know, I know I should be posting my opinions rather than something new. But, due to heavy workload, my brain is dead. Can't really focus, and forget about think straight.
The "God" Series is over for now. This is something new.
Thought Experiment 6: When no one wins
Private Sacks was about to do a terrible thing. He had been ordered to first rape and then murder the prisoner, whom he knew to be no more than an innocent civilian from the wrong ethnic background. There was no doubt in his mind that this would be a gross injustice - a war crime, in fact.
Yet quickly thinking it over he felt he had no choice but to go ahead. If he obeyed the order, he could make the ordeal as bearable as possible for the victim, making sure she suffered no more than necessary. If he did not obey the order, he himself would be shot and the prisoner would still be violated and killed, but probably more violently. It was better for everyone if he went ahead.
His reasoning seemed clear enough, but of course it gave him no peace of mind. How could it be that he was both going to do the best he could in the circumstances and also terrible wrong?
We all know the "If I don't do it somebody else will" saying doesn't work generally. It is really a weak justification for wrongdoing. But in this case, it is subtly different. Usually, it would seemed perfectly moral to do what you can do to prevent as much harm as possible. Yet, this reasoning leads him to take part in rape and murder, and surely is not the morally right thing to do.
The temptation to imagine the third possibility - just shooting the prisoner and himself is hard to resist. But we must, since in a thought experiment, we must control the variables. The whole point of creating the dilemma is to confront the moral problem head on rather than thing our way around it.
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten" by Julian Baggini
The "God" Series is over for now. This is something new.
Thought Experiment 6: When no one wins
Private Sacks was about to do a terrible thing. He had been ordered to first rape and then murder the prisoner, whom he knew to be no more than an innocent civilian from the wrong ethnic background. There was no doubt in his mind that this would be a gross injustice - a war crime, in fact.
Yet quickly thinking it over he felt he had no choice but to go ahead. If he obeyed the order, he could make the ordeal as bearable as possible for the victim, making sure she suffered no more than necessary. If he did not obey the order, he himself would be shot and the prisoner would still be violated and killed, but probably more violently. It was better for everyone if he went ahead.
His reasoning seemed clear enough, but of course it gave him no peace of mind. How could it be that he was both going to do the best he could in the circumstances and also terrible wrong?
We all know the "If I don't do it somebody else will" saying doesn't work generally. It is really a weak justification for wrongdoing. But in this case, it is subtly different. Usually, it would seemed perfectly moral to do what you can do to prevent as much harm as possible. Yet, this reasoning leads him to take part in rape and murder, and surely is not the morally right thing to do.
The temptation to imagine the third possibility - just shooting the prisoner and himself is hard to resist. But we must, since in a thought experiment, we must control the variables. The whole point of creating the dilemma is to confront the moral problem head on rather than thing our way around it.
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten" by Julian Baggini
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
i am here
I am here, not dead. I haven't update recently is due excessive work from my job. I shall post something later tonight.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Scenario 5: The problem of evil
This of course is connected to the last scenario.
Thought Experiment 5: The problem of evil
And the Lord spake unto the philosopher, 'I am the Lord thy God, all loving, all powerful and all knowing.'
'Surely not,' replied the philosopher. 'I look at this world and I see horrible diseases, hunger, starvation, metal illness. Yet you don't stop it. Is it that you can't? In which case, you are not all powerful. Is it because you don't know about it? In which case you are not all knowing. Or perhaps you don't want to? In which case you are not all loving.'
'Such impudence!' replied the Lord. 'It is better for you if I don't stop all this evil. You need to grow morally and spiritually. For that you need the freedom to do evil as well as good, and to confront the chance occurrence of suffering. How could I possibly have made the world better without taking away your freedom to grow?'
'Easy,' replied the philosopher. 'First, you could have designed us so that we felt less pain. Second, you could have made sure we had more empathy, to prevent us doing evil to others. Third, you could have made us better learners, so we didn't have to suffer so much to grow. Fourth, you could have made nature less cruel. Do you want me to go on?'
Source: The problem of evil recurs in different forms throughout the history of theology
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten" by Julian Baggini
Now, friends told me to put my views as well as my thoughts about the scenarios on. So, this is my decision. I will put my opinion up the next day after I posted the scenario. THe postings before this one, I will post them as comments.
PS: Sorry for the delay of posting today, I was really tired.
Thought Experiment 5: The problem of evil
And the Lord spake unto the philosopher, 'I am the Lord thy God, all loving, all powerful and all knowing.'
'Surely not,' replied the philosopher. 'I look at this world and I see horrible diseases, hunger, starvation, metal illness. Yet you don't stop it. Is it that you can't? In which case, you are not all powerful. Is it because you don't know about it? In which case you are not all knowing. Or perhaps you don't want to? In which case you are not all loving.'
'Such impudence!' replied the Lord. 'It is better for you if I don't stop all this evil. You need to grow morally and spiritually. For that you need the freedom to do evil as well as good, and to confront the chance occurrence of suffering. How could I possibly have made the world better without taking away your freedom to grow?'
'Easy,' replied the philosopher. 'First, you could have designed us so that we felt less pain. Second, you could have made sure we had more empathy, to prevent us doing evil to others. Third, you could have made us better learners, so we didn't have to suffer so much to grow. Fourth, you could have made nature less cruel. Do you want me to go on?'
Source: The problem of evil recurs in different forms throughout the history of theology
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten" by Julian Baggini
Now, friends told me to put my views as well as my thoughts about the scenarios on. So, this is my decision. I will put my opinion up the next day after I posted the scenario. THe postings before this one, I will post them as comments.
PS: Sorry for the delay of posting today, I was really tired.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Scenario: Divine Command
This is in relation with the Good God scenario.
Thought Experiment 4: Divine Command
And the Lord spake unto the philosopher, 'I am the Lord thy God, and I command thee to sacrifice thy only son.'
The philosopher replied, 'There's something not right here. You commandments say, "Thou shalt not kill".'
'The Lord giveth the rules and the Lord taketh away,' replied God.
'But how do I know you are God?' insisted the philosopher. 'Perhaps you are the devil trying to fool me?'
'You must have faith,' replied God.
'Faith - or insanity? Perhaps my mind is playing tricks? Or maybe you are testing me in a cunning way. You want to see if I have so little moral fibre that at the command of a deep voice booming through the clouds, I commit infanticide.'
'Me almighty!' exclaimed the Lord. 'What you are saying is that is reasonable for you, a mere mortal, to refuse to do what I, the Lord thy God, commands.'
'I guess so,' said the philosopher, 'and you have given me no good reasons to change my mind.'
Source: Fear and Trembling by Soren Kiekegaard(1843)
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten" by Julian Baggini
What is faith? In the book of Genisis, God found a more compliant servant, Abraham, who went along with the instructions.You know, it might surely be God who is talking, but also is possible is the devil. Or even more possible that the philospher and/or Abraham is mad. Since what kind of loving God would command such a barbaric act of killing the son?
Ofcourse, here enters the question of faith. I will dicsuss more the faith problem in the next thought experiment. And please do give comments on the topic.
Thought Experiment 4: Divine Command
And the Lord spake unto the philosopher, 'I am the Lord thy God, and I command thee to sacrifice thy only son.'
The philosopher replied, 'There's something not right here. You commandments say, "Thou shalt not kill".'
'The Lord giveth the rules and the Lord taketh away,' replied God.
'But how do I know you are God?' insisted the philosopher. 'Perhaps you are the devil trying to fool me?'
'You must have faith,' replied God.
'Faith - or insanity? Perhaps my mind is playing tricks? Or maybe you are testing me in a cunning way. You want to see if I have so little moral fibre that at the command of a deep voice booming through the clouds, I commit infanticide.'
'Me almighty!' exclaimed the Lord. 'What you are saying is that is reasonable for you, a mere mortal, to refuse to do what I, the Lord thy God, commands.'
'I guess so,' said the philosopher, 'and you have given me no good reasons to change my mind.'
Source: Fear and Trembling by Soren Kiekegaard(1843)
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten" by Julian Baggini
What is faith? In the book of Genisis, God found a more compliant servant, Abraham, who went along with the instructions.You know, it might surely be God who is talking, but also is possible is the devil. Or even more possible that the philospher and/or Abraham is mad. Since what kind of loving God would command such a barbaric act of killing the son?
Ofcourse, here enters the question of faith. I will dicsuss more the faith problem in the next thought experiment. And please do give comments on the topic.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Scenario: Good God
Thought Experiment: Good God
This is something not in relation with the last one. But this one is quite interesting.
And the Lord spake unto the philosopher, 'I am the Lord thy God, and I am the source of all that is good. Why does thy secular moral philosophy ignore me?'
And the philosopher spake unto the Lord, 'To answer I must first ask you some questions. You command us to do what is good. But is it good because you command it, or do you command it because it is good?'
'Ur,' said the Lord. 'It is good because I command it?'
'The wrong answer, surely, your mightiness! If the good is only good because you say it is so, then you could, if you wished, make it so that torturing infants was good. But that would be absurd, wouldn't it?'
'Of course!' replieth the Lord. 'I tested thee and thou hast made me pleased. What was the other choice again?'
'You chose what is good because it is good. But that shows quite clearly that goodness does not depend on you at all. So we don't need to study God to study the good.'
'Even so,' spake the Lord, 'you have got to admit I've written some pretty good textbooks on the subject...'
Source: Euthyphro by Plato (380BCE)
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten" by Julian Baggini
This is something not in relation with the last one. But this one is quite interesting.
And the Lord spake unto the philosopher, 'I am the Lord thy God, and I am the source of all that is good. Why does thy secular moral philosophy ignore me?'
And the philosopher spake unto the Lord, 'To answer I must first ask you some questions. You command us to do what is good. But is it good because you command it, or do you command it because it is good?'
'Ur,' said the Lord. 'It is good because I command it?'
'The wrong answer, surely, your mightiness! If the good is only good because you say it is so, then you could, if you wished, make it so that torturing infants was good. But that would be absurd, wouldn't it?'
'Of course!' replieth the Lord. 'I tested thee and thou hast made me pleased. What was the other choice again?'
'You chose what is good because it is good. But that shows quite clearly that goodness does not depend on you at all. So we don't need to study God to study the good.'
'Even so,' spake the Lord, 'you have got to admit I've written some pretty good textbooks on the subject...'
Source: Euthyphro by Plato (380BCE)
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten" by Julian Baggini
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Scenario to ponder: Total Lack of Recall
Thought Experiment: Total Lack of Recall
This is in relation with future shock.
Arnold Conan had just made an unpleasant discovery: he wasn't Arnold Conan at all. Or rather, he used not to be. It was all rather confusing.
This is the best sense he could make of his unusual autobiography. He was born Alan E. Wood. Wood was, by all accounts, a deeply unpleasant man: egotistical, selfish, cruel and ruthless. Two years ago, Wood had got into deep trouble with the State Bureau of Investigation. He was given a choice: spend the rest of his life in maximum security prison, where thy were make sure he was victimised by the other inmates; or have his memory erased and replaced with that of an entirely fictitious creation of the spooks at the SBI. he chose the latter. And so it was that Alan E. Wood was put under a general anaesthetic, and when he woke up, he had forgotten all about his life to date. Instead, he remembered an entirely fictitious past, that of Arnold Conan, the man he now believed he was.
Conan had established that these were the facts. But he still did not know who he was: Wood or Conan?
What do you guys think?
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten" by Julian Baggini
This is in relation with future shock.
Arnold Conan had just made an unpleasant discovery: he wasn't Arnold Conan at all. Or rather, he used not to be. It was all rather confusing.
This is the best sense he could make of his unusual autobiography. He was born Alan E. Wood. Wood was, by all accounts, a deeply unpleasant man: egotistical, selfish, cruel and ruthless. Two years ago, Wood had got into deep trouble with the State Bureau of Investigation. He was given a choice: spend the rest of his life in maximum security prison, where thy were make sure he was victimised by the other inmates; or have his memory erased and replaced with that of an entirely fictitious creation of the spooks at the SBI. he chose the latter. And so it was that Alan E. Wood was put under a general anaesthetic, and when he woke up, he had forgotten all about his life to date. Instead, he remembered an entirely fictitious past, that of Arnold Conan, the man he now believed he was.
Conan had established that these were the facts. But he still did not know who he was: Wood or Conan?
What do you guys think?
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten" by Julian Baggini
A bit of remark for the futureshock post
A friend of mine respond to that post as : "proof to me that I vote republican." 'That will buy me some time.'
Personally, I never thought about that. And in respond to the living will, he said: "voting republican is not considered to be (and probably wont be) a terminal state and wouldnt be considered euthanasia by the courts." THat was great, sort of block my argument to continue.
I will post another scenario to ponder, aka thought experiments later today.
Personally, I never thought about that. And in respond to the living will, he said: "voting republican is not considered to be (and probably wont be) a terminal state and wouldnt be considered euthanasia by the courts." THat was great, sort of block my argument to continue.
I will post another scenario to ponder, aka thought experiments later today.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Scenario: Future Shock
Scenario to ponder: Future Shock
'Drew! I haven't seen you since college, twenty years ago! My God, Drew - what are you doing with that gun?'
'I have come to kill you,' said Drew, 'just as you asked me to.'
'What the hell are you talking about?'
'Don't you remember? You said to me, many times, "If I ever vote Republican, then shoot me." Well, I just read you are actually a Republican senator. So you see, you must must die.'
'Drew, you are crazy! THat was twenty years ago! I was young, I was idealistic! You can't hold me to that!'
'It was no causal, flippant remark, senator. In fact, I have here a piece of paper, signed by you and witnessed by others, instructing me to do this. And before you tell me not to take that seriously, let me remind you that you voted for a bill recently in favur of living wills. In fact, you have got one yourself. Now tell me this: if you think people in the future should carry out your wish to kill you if you get denmentia or fall in to a permanent vegetative state, why shouldn't I carry out your past wish to kill you if you became a REpublican?'
'I have got an answer to that!' screamed the sweating senator. 'Just give me a few minutes!'
Drew cocked her pistol and aimed. 'You better be quick.'
Now, if you are that sweating senator, how would you answer? And I want to ask you a more fundermental question, what gives us the right to make binding decisions on behalf of out future selves?
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten".
'Drew! I haven't seen you since college, twenty years ago! My God, Drew - what are you doing with that gun?'
'I have come to kill you,' said Drew, 'just as you asked me to.'
'What the hell are you talking about?'
'Don't you remember? You said to me, many times, "If I ever vote Republican, then shoot me." Well, I just read you are actually a Republican senator. So you see, you must must die.'
'Drew, you are crazy! THat was twenty years ago! I was young, I was idealistic! You can't hold me to that!'
'It was no causal, flippant remark, senator. In fact, I have here a piece of paper, signed by you and witnessed by others, instructing me to do this. And before you tell me not to take that seriously, let me remind you that you voted for a bill recently in favur of living wills. In fact, you have got one yourself. Now tell me this: if you think people in the future should carry out your wish to kill you if you get denmentia or fall in to a permanent vegetative state, why shouldn't I carry out your past wish to kill you if you became a REpublican?'
'I have got an answer to that!' screamed the sweating senator. 'Just give me a few minutes!'
Drew cocked her pistol and aimed. 'You better be quick.'
Now, if you are that sweating senator, how would you answer? And I want to ask you a more fundermental question, what gives us the right to make binding decisions on behalf of out future selves?
Taken from "The Pig that wants to be Eaten".
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Music
Lately, I have been in love with this radio site, hkvp, hong kong vintage pop. It is from live365.com Some old classic chinese pop, real nice, just a bit heavy on the commercials. But considerig its price, free. Its all good. Those interested in ol songs like me shold really try.
Long time no type
Sigh... Being lazy these few months.
Anyhow, some updates on my pathetic life.
Dec26-29, me, my family, some relatives and some church friends went to Taipei, Taiwan. It was fun.Fun as in Taiwan itself, but also the group of people that we went with. Our church friends are a blessing to go on trips with, they are energetic, optimistic, and happy. We didn't choose to go on a tour desiggned by tour groups, instead, we went on this trip solely by the leadership of a church friend, she went to Taipei many times already. The photos of this trip has been updated to my online album already. THe cost of this trip is ot too bad, including air fare, hotel, food, and some shopping, it costs less than 4000hkd. Remember this is peak season. Next time, I wish to stay a bit longer to really enjoy Taipei, the life of the people living there.
Oh, Dec24, christmas eve, I went to 中環蘭桂坊 to celebrate christmas eve. I went with Samuel, and some of his exchange friends in hk. It was fun and wild. My first time celebrating christmas eve in 中環蘭桂坊. I wish I could load up some of the short video clips I took using my phone to this site, I will explore the possibility later when I get home.
New years' eve was as usual at my aunt's place. Whats different this year, is that none of my cousins are there with us. They are either with husbands, gfs, or police stations, what a pity. We watched "Two weeks notice" that night, starred by Hugh Grant. It was great. It was funny. And I like it.
I will talk more next time, better get back to work before my boss finds out.
Anyhow, some updates on my pathetic life.
Dec26-29, me, my family, some relatives and some church friends went to Taipei, Taiwan. It was fun.Fun as in Taiwan itself, but also the group of people that we went with. Our church friends are a blessing to go on trips with, they are energetic, optimistic, and happy. We didn't choose to go on a tour desiggned by tour groups, instead, we went on this trip solely by the leadership of a church friend, she went to Taipei many times already. The photos of this trip has been updated to my online album already. THe cost of this trip is ot too bad, including air fare, hotel, food, and some shopping, it costs less than 4000hkd. Remember this is peak season. Next time, I wish to stay a bit longer to really enjoy Taipei, the life of the people living there.
Oh, Dec24, christmas eve, I went to 中環蘭桂坊 to celebrate christmas eve. I went with Samuel, and some of his exchange friends in hk. It was fun and wild. My first time celebrating christmas eve in 中環蘭桂坊. I wish I could load up some of the short video clips I took using my phone to this site, I will explore the possibility later when I get home.
New years' eve was as usual at my aunt's place. Whats different this year, is that none of my cousins are there with us. They are either with husbands, gfs, or police stations, what a pity. We watched "Two weeks notice" that night, starred by Hugh Grant. It was great. It was funny. And I like it.
I will talk more next time, better get back to work before my boss finds out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
