Good for the Whole

2007-1-14 14:17:00

Dean writes:

That was a good post John except something to say about this bit since you were talking about having a flexible point of view I thought I would throw this in.

Dean quoting John:

We also tend to rationalize our behavior. Nobody actually intends to do evil. Saddam Hussein, perhaps only in his own mind, thought he was acting for the overall good of his people.

Dean:

I can see this is something you have picked up from JJ that has become a misconception. Now hear me out here first....Everyone does things because of their consciousness but you have taken that to a different level there that's not entirely accurate.

See even with human beings. Consciousness is still far more widespread than that. What you said is like saying that the tiger, while wanting to have you for lunch. Still has your best interests in mind and is trying to rationalize for your overall good. If you try and explain to the tiger its logic is flawed. It will just show its teeth and not even care about what you think logic is. As it's not even on your level of reasoning. It's thinking about lunch man.

JJ: First, John does not embrace a thing just because I say it is true. The members here should be given credit for thinking for themselves and most must have what I (or anyone else) says register with their souls before accepting it as truth.

John's logic was not flawed. You insinuate that Saddam Hussein thinks he is acting for the individual's best good when he tortures him or grinds him up in a meat grinder. He was not saying this at all. He was saying that he was doing what he thought was best for the whole or in the overall picture.

To make a beautiful productive garden (which is good for the whole) one must destroy the weeds. This is not good for the individual weeds, but it is good for the whole. Saddam Hussein just thought he was getting rid of a few weeds.

Of course, his logic was flawed because he was dealing with human beings, not weeds.

When the tiger has an animal for lunch he of course is glad the situation is not reversed and does not see himself as doing the animal any favor. However, he sees it as important in the scheme of things that he survives and thus feels that his survival is the best thing that could happen for the overall picture.

You can only find truth with logic if you have already found truth without it.
G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936)