A Philosopher's Blog

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Archives for August 2008

Obama & America’s Moral Struggle

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Obama accepted the nomination as the Democratic candidate for President yesterday. Yesterday was also the 45th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

In this classic speech, Dr. King presented a clear and profound moral argument for justice and equality. Brilliantly, he based his moral argument on the very ethical principles that the United States is supposed to be founded upon. In short, he showed that the United States had failed to live up to these professed principles and was obligated to make good on its promises of life, liberty, pursuit of happiness and equality.

Obama has shown, as many have said, how far America has come. In a land where slavery was once legal and racism generally accepted, Obama is now a strong candidate for the Whitehouse. John McCain, in a show of what I suspect is his true character, congratulated Obama on his historical accomplishment. Yesterday was, in many ways, a fine day for America.

As Americans, we have often been accused of moral arrogance and hypocrisy. Sometimes this charge sticks. There are many things in our past that we should look upon with shame. But we, as a people, have done great and good things. While our misdeeds mark us, it is my profound hope that our better natures are our true natures and that we will continue to strive to live up to our ideals.

This is, as the slogans say, a time for hope. While America has wandered off the moral road, the road is still there. We can still see it and it is but a matter of will to walk that road once more.

While Mao Tse-Tung said that  “political power grows out of the barrel of a gun”, there is an older school of thought that true power is based on moral force. Yes, guns can kill. But guns require people to make and use them and people are guided by their values. Thus, morality is greater than guns.

I think we have learned that unjustified force, torture and wrongdoing are things that we should not have done. While our power as a nation is grounded on our economic and military might, that might is grounded on who we are as a people. Our true strength lies in our struggle to be good. That is a struggle we can win and everyone else can win along with us.

Running Man

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I’ve been watching Evolve on the History Channel and have found it quite interesting. The last episode I watched was on skin and it had an interesting segment on human skin and running.

While the idea that humans evolved to run has been around for a while, the segment did a good job presenting the various aspects of the human body that make us ideal endurance runners. Since the show was on skin, the focus was obviously on the skin.

Mammals are generally good at maintaining body warmth. We are “warm blooded” and also have fur/hair that serves as insulation. However, cold is not the only problem we face. We also face the problem of heat. While other mammals have evolved means of coping with the heat, humans seem to be the best at this task. Unlike other mammals, we can secrete (sweat) plenty of water through specialized glands. This enables us to cool ourselves via evaporation. Because of this feature, we can thermoregulate very effectively and thus can handle the heat better than other animals.

In addition to our skin, we also have the right muscles for running. As the show pointed out, humans have relatively large buttocks (baby does, in fact, have back). Our large butt muscles (gluteus maximus) are ideally suited for running. Throw in our bipedalism, our binocular vision, our opposable thumbs and our intelligence and you have the makings of a top predator.

Interestingly, one of our most effective hunting methods involved our skin. Most prey animals tend to cool themselves via panting. Unfortunately for them, this is not as efficient as sweating and it works poorly when an animal is running. Hence, it is believed that human hunters could run their prey to exhaustion. This fact is has also been known to  modern hunters and I learned about this long ago. After I had started running track, I went deer hunting with my Dad and his friend. They joked that I should run the deer down (this was a joke because I’d probably get shot if I ran through the woods). My Dad said that although a human could not outsprint a deer, eventually the deer would become exhuasted and that would be it for Bambi.

I’ve never tried running down a deer, but I do know that I can outlast even a husky while running. Hence, the idea that early humans used running as a hunting method makes sense. As a runner, I find that quite appealing.

If we are natural runners, and we seem to be, then it is tempting to think that we should run. Naturally, I am thinking about Aristotle here. His view was that each thing had a purpose (or purposes) and excellence involved fulfilling one’s purpose as well as possible. Thus, if man is the running animal (and not just the rational animal), then our excellence depends on being runners. Hence, we should run.

Of course, the idea of purpose lost favor long ago in the sciences. Even if humans are evolved to run, this fact has no normative implications. The theory of evolution has, as a key component, the view that the world is fundamentally lacking in purpose in regards to the natures of living things. In the case of running, we are not designed to run. Randon chance and natural selection merely resulted in a running animal. And, as those who follow Hume point out, one cannot derive an “ought” from an “is.”

Since I am a runner, I find Aristotle appealing. We are runners and, if we wish to be excellent at being human, then we need to run. I freely acknowledge my runner’s bias in this matter.

Naturally, some might say “but I cannot run.” To borrow from Obama “yes you can.” Running need not be literal running and we can run in different ways. Yes, that is obscure and cryptic. But, if you run about ten miles, it will make perfect sense. Really. 🙂

Teddy Ruxspinners

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Those who were around in the 1980s probably remember Teddy Ruxpin, a “talking” bear. The toy’s main feature was that it would play special tapes and move as it “talked.” These tapes featured an audio track for the talking and another track that would direct the motions of the toy.

I first saw the toy on TV and thought it was a bit creepy-it seemed to be a possessed teddy bear. When I was in graduate school, a friend of mine said that someone who had been fired from a toy store put a tape of a white supremest speaking into the display Teddy Ruxpin. I don’t know if that really occurred, but the image of a teddy bear speaking on white power has long stuck in my mind.

Of course, Teddy Ruxpin had no idea he was speaking on white supremacy. The toy simply “says” whatever is on the tape. This has long struck me as an excellent metaphor for the minions who deliver the talking points for their political masters on TV. They are, like Teddy Ruxpin, merely mindlessly repeating whatever is on their “tape.” These people could be called “Teddy Ruxspinners.”

Teddy Ruxspinners are fairly easy to spot. First, they tend to ignore the content of any questions they are asked and they simply focus on getting the points out. For example, a Ruxspinner might be asked if Obama’s lack of experience is of concern and the Ruxspinner will talk about the audacity of hope and judgment. Second, they are focused on the talking points and present them with little or no personalization. They are simply saying what is on their tape. Third, they tend to repeat themselves a great deal. The same point will be presented over and over, whether its presentation is relevant to the situation or not. Fourth, they tend to have a certain look and tone that indicates that they are (as Plato would say) being spoken through. In the Ion, Plato noted that the gods and muses take away the reason of the prophets and artists so that we know that it is the gods and muses speaking. The same seems to be true of the Teddy Ruxspinners. They do not seem to be quite in charge as they move and speak.

From a moral standpoint, being a Teddy Ruxspinner seems to be unacceptable. After all, someone is essentially giving up their own views and self in order to be a talking point zombie. This seems to be wrong. Of course, if the Teddy Ruxspinner truly believes, then perhaps this is acceptable. However, watching them always disturbs me and makes me feel vaguely sad for them.

Hillary Supporters & McCain

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Tonight Hillary Clinton will be speaking at the DNC. Naturally, it is not the acceptance speach that she had hoped to give, but perhaps it will help bring some closure to the Democrats. Hillary is supposed to release her delegates to Obama, presumably with the music from “Born Free” playing in the background.

While Hillary and Bill seem to have been walking alongside the Obama bandwagon, some of her supporters have still not forgiven Obama for getting the nomination. Interestingly, the percentage of Hillary supporters who say they will vote for McCain has increased recently. McCain’s minions have cleverly decided to tap into this by featuring Hillary in one of their advertisements. McCain’s people have been trying to win the support of women voters for quite some time and the Hillary situation gives them a possible opportunity to tap into a powerful motivating force: spite.

Obviously enough, the people who supported Hillary are most likely opposed to most of McCain’s political views. After all, his voting record and positions are significantly different from Hillary’s in key ways. Obama, in contrast, is very similar to Hillary in his votes and positions. Thus, a plausible reason why some Hillary supporters are saying they will vote for McCain is that they are angry and wish to punish Obama (and the other Democrats) for “taking” the nomination away from Hillary.

If this is the case, then the Hillary supporters would seem to be acting in an irrational manner. After all, they would be letting their anger guide them towards an action which would be inconsistent with their professed political values.

Of course, perhaps their true political views are that Hillary should be the candidate and Obama should be punished for taking the nomination from her. In this case, they would be acting in accord with those values (which might be irrational in themselves).

Another possibility (and but one more among many) is that they think that if McCain gets elected, then Hillary will have a chance in the 2012.This strategy seems to be borrowed from the Republicans.

I’ve spoken to some Republicans who actually hoped that Hillary would get elected because they believed she would wreck the country and thus help push the country back to the Republicans for years to come. Interestingly enough, some Hillary supports have expressed the view that McCain should be elected so that he will continue to wreck the country in the manner of Bush. Having lost, Obama will be tainted with failure and will be out of the running in 2012. So, it will be a clear nomination path for Hillary and then, presumably, smooth sailing to what is left of the White House.

From a moral standpoint, there is much that can be said about allowing evil (or a perceived evil) to happen in the hopes of getting what you desire later. After all, those who care about the well being of the people would certainly not want to allow someone into office who they think would damage the country. That would clearly be an evil action.

This can, of course, be countered by arguing that the evil is necessary to bring about a greater good. So, Hillary supporters might argue that while they regard McCain as a bad choice and someone who will do things they oppose, he must be elected so that Hillary will be able to do all the good they believe she will do.

It can also be countered by taking the view that it is not about good and bad. Rather, it is about getting your candidate into the office, regardless of how much damage this does. That would certainly be wicked.

It might be the case that the explanation is less sinister. It might be a mere case of disappointed bitterness. Those who fell in behind Hillary wanted to win and the enemy was Obama. The convention, which is Obama’s, would seem like a fresh slap in the face to the Hillary supporters. After all, who wants to see their enemy praised and lifted high? Hence, the Hillary supporters would have a surge of bitterness as the convention approached. Perhaps the bitterness will fade as the Democrats start trying to get their act together against McCain. Then again, maybe McCain can keep fueling that bitterness and bring some of the spiteful Democrats over to his side. After all, a spiteful vote sill looks the same in the results tally.

Dealing with Disastrous Dates

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You’re out on that all-important first date with someone you think you would like to know better, or it may be someone you just met through common friends. But the evening is turning out to be a disaster right from the word goes. You don’t know if you’re supposed to end the date abruptly or soldier on thinking that things will take a turn for the better. If you’re not familiar with the fact that dates, especially the first ones, can and will go wrong more often than not, here are a few pointers to help you out in times of awkwardness:

If your date is more preoccupied with other things rather than focusing on you, try a direct or indirect approach to see why this is so. Ringing cell phones can be extremely annoying in the middle of a date, as can your date’s obsession with the other men/women in the restaurant or club. If it continues in spite of your protests, excuse yourself and head for home.

If your date is drunk or on the way to getting there, firmly refuse any more alcohol for your table. If he/she’s sober enough to understand what you’re saying, tell them that it’s time you both went home, and that maybe you can talk to each other the next day when your heads are clearer. If not, call a taxi or see them safely home before you go on to your place.

If the conversation takes an ugly turn, apologize if you’re the one who said something incendiary. If not, tell your date politely that they’re being rude and that it would be a good idea to steer the topic to something more neutral. If he/she still continues to rant and rave, wish them goodnight and find your way home.

If you’re embarrassed by the way your date is behaving – being rude to the staff at the restaurant, eating noisily, talking loudly or displaying poor table manners – wait out the evening patiently. At the end of the meal, politely decline offers to see you home or hints of a second date. Instead, thank your date for a nice evening and leave alone.

The worst part of a first date is when one person is interested in pursuing the relationship while the other is not. If you’re the interested party, take a hint when your date is vague about meeting again or calling you. Don’t press for phone numbers and times of calls. If you’re not too keen on the relationship, be honest but kind in letting down the other person.

By-line:

This post was contributed by Heather Johnson, who writes on the subject of best dating services. She invites your feedback at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.

The House War

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Recently McCain was asked how many houses he and his wife Cindy own. McCain answered that he did not know. It was latter determined that he owns at least four (perhaps seven-different numbers have been presented). Naturally enough, Obama used this to attack McCain. McCain’s minions, in turn, struck back at Obama by pointing out that while he owns one house, it is a multi-million dollar house.Thus, begun has the House War.

This situation does raise various issues and concerns.

One concern is that McCain does not know how many houses he owns. On one hand, this seems to put him in a negative light. Perhaps he has so many houses that he cannot keep track. This could make him appear as  a wealthy elitist who is out of touch with the problems faced by many Americans. Perhaps he simply cannot remember things like that. This is problematic because a President should be able to remember such things. Not knowing how many DVDs or socks you own is one thing. Not knowing how many houses is a bit odd. Of course, the question was about how many houses he and his wife own. Since she is also extremely wealthy, she might own various investment properties that he has not kept track of.

Switching to the issue the candidates have been sparring over, the issue seems to be weather a wealthy person can be in touch with the current economic woes. As Obama has pointed out, McCain has claimed that the foundations of the economy are stable and his former economic adviser claimed that Americans are whining about economic woes that are in their minds. As Obama claims to see it, McCain is out of touch with the economic situation of most Americans. As noted above, McCain’s people counter that Obama is also a millionaire and, unlike McCain, concerned about arugula.

Obviously, neither candidate is experiencing the sort of woes that many Americans are facing. Obama can claim to be somewhat closer-he has but one home and he and his wife have less wealth than McCain and his wife (a multimillionaire in her own right). However, to say that Obama is experiencing our pain would be quite a stretch.

Of course, it is possible for a person to have empathy for the problems of others and understand them, even if he is not experiencing them. This might be due to past experiences. For example, as a professor I have empathy for my students because I was once a student. I can look back on my own experiences and this can enable me to be in touch with their problems. Perhaps McCain and Obama can look back at their own pasts and thus feel the pain of those who are not millionaires.Of course, they would need to show that they had such experiences and that these create a link between them and those who are now less fortunate.

This might also be due to a general capacity for sympathy or empathy. For example, I’ve never been homeless but I have the capacity to feel bad for those who have lost their homes. So, perhaps Obama and McCain can be in touch with those who are less fortunate because they have the capacity for sympathy. Naturally, they would need to show that they have not lost this capacity due to the insulating effect of great wealth.

It also might arise from a sort of professional concern. For example, a doctor who has never had cancer would be concerned for a cancer patient because it is her job. So, perhaps Obama and McCain can be in touch with the people in a professional way. As with a doctor, this would be shown by exhibiting concern and taking steps to solve the problem/treat the illness.

A third concern, one raised long ago by Thoreau and Emma Goldman, is that wealthy individuals are sold to the institutions that make them rich and that politicians serve their own needs or the needs of the rich. While McCain has been seen as a maverick, he is a maverick that lives in a gold plated stable. While Obama is cast as a liberal, he is a liberal who lives in a mansion. As such, there is the concern that both will serve the interests of the wealthy over the good of the people.

Of course, one reply is that the President should be a successful person. Given that money is the main measure of success in America, someone who cannot make vast sums of money could be seen as unsuitable for the job. After all, if a person cannot be a private success, how can he be a success as President?

That said, perhaps it is the focus on money and wealthy that has lead us to trouble. Just because a person has achieved financial success does not mean that he is smart, good, or a capable leader. It mainly just means that he has money. There is also the concern that wealth makes a person suspect. If a person were truly good, she would be using the wealth to do good. Also, wealth is often accumulated via questionable means.

How will the House War play out? No doubt McCain and Obama will snipe back and forth for a while. However, the objective fact of the matter is that both men are wealthy. Obama does own one house, but it is worth many times what my house is worth. He also made about $4 million last year. As such, both candidates are correct: his opponent is a wealthy man who is well insulated from the experiences of most Americans.

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