From: pmsc13sg@UMASSD.EDU (Stephen Grossman)
Subject: Re: Morally good necessary possible sometimes possible reproductiveness
Reply-To: pmsc13sg@UMASSD.EDU
Organization: UMASS DARTMOUTH, NO. DARTMOUTH, MA.
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 21:06:47 GMT

In article <BzKAtD.4AC@unix.amherst.edu>, twpierce@unix.amherst.edu (Tim Pierce) writes:
>In article <1992Dec20.011612.18713@husc3.harvard.edu> zeleny@husc10.harvard.edu (Michael Zeleny) writes:
>
>>Though I have no interest in tooting my own
>>horn,
>
>Seemed to me like masturbation was right up your alley.
>
>>I shall note that in the past two years, not a single one among
>>my opponents in this debate has managed to convict me of a logical
>>inconsistency.
>
>Your arguments, as far as I can tell, are logically consistent but
>rooted in quicksand.  If you happen to consider that a virtue, good
>luck in debate class.
>
>-- 
>____ Tim Pierce                / 
>\  / twpierce@unix.amherst.edu /               Rocks say goodbye.
> \/ (BITnet: TWPIERCE@AMHERST) / 


    Pierce is right. Consistency, outside of a metaphysical context, is 
illogical and merely a concern with the objectively false consistency theory of 
truth. Truth is correspondence with reality. Logic is objective, a product of
the mind's volitional contact with reality. Logic is not subjective 
(inc/the arbitrary and conventional). Logic is based on the metaphysics of 
identity, i.e., existence is identity OR things are what they are. Logic is
objectively defined as the art or method of (the) non-contradictory identifica-
tion (of existence). Zeleny avoids contradictions, which is important, but he
also avoids reality. Rationalism is false. His merely consistent logic reduces
to symbol manipulation; this is not reasoning about reality via concepts.
    On the other hand, rationalism, with its logic, is superior to empiricism,
with its lack of logic. Further, empiricism is superior to rationalism, with
its lack of contact with reality. Rationalism is reason w/o reality and
empiricism is reality w/o reason. The alternative is objectivity, the 
volitional and logical connection of mind to reality.

    Assuming I have correctly read the convoluted "arguments" about
homosexuality correctly, Zeleny's opponents want to guide their actions with
emotion and Zeleny correctly identifies the resulting contradictions. Human
nature, with its biological heterosexuality, is missing as the needed context.
This bio. hetero. is a fact to be considered. Whatever one decides is the rat-
ional evaluation of BH, it must be, implicitly or explicitly, considered. This
does mean that each sex act should be for reproduction. It means that sex 
exists only because there is such a fact as BH (with the potential for repro-
duction. With this as our meta. context, understanding and evaluating homo.
is now possible.
    Refusing to consistently focus one's mind on reality leads to...nasty
things such as MTV, postmodern philosophy, Slick Willie, the Iraqi challenge to
US military power, Somali gunmen shooting at US Marines, and well, most of
history. "Eek, it's reality."
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	"In that world, you'll be able to rise in the morning with the spirit
you had known in your childhood: that spirit of eagerness, adventure and cer-
tainty which comes from dealing with a rational universe."
                                                              AYN RAND
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Stephen Grossman <PMSC13SG@UMASS.EDU>
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