Comments for Within Reason http://wr.freeminds.net Dispatches from Later in the Enlightenment Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:37:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Comment on Don’t worry… by Adam http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=336&cpage=1#comment-46459 Adam Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:37:17 +0000 http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=336#comment-46459 <p>Thanks, Greg. It's taken a bit longer to get going again than I'd thought, but I'm now (relatively) settled and getting back to teaching, writing, and blogging!</p> Thanks, Greg. It’s taken a bit longer to get going again than I’d thought, but I’m now (relatively) settled and getting back to teaching, writing, and blogging!

]]> Comment on Don’t worry… by Greg DeLassus http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=336&cpage=1#comment-45166 Greg DeLassus Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:51:22 +0000 http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=336#comment-45166 <p>I, for one, am just glad to see the blog back. I hope the move went smoothly.</p> I, for one, am just glad to see the blog back. I hope the move went smoothly.

]]> Comment on The Ethics of Synthetic Meat and Cannibalism by skrattle http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=272&cpage=1#comment-44410 skrattle Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:39:34 +0000 http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=272#comment-44410 <p>I'm not sure why, but I found myself cracking up over this post. The idea that we would develop a taste for synthetic human meat and then, when it becomes unavailable, would be unable to restrain ourselves from hunting down the real thing, well, honestly it seems like a bit of a stretch. For one thing, I think the market for synthetic human meat would be very small. There may be nothing intrinsically wrong with eating synthetic human meat, but that doesn't change the fact that it sure sounds repulsive. If we were completely rational creatures and it worked out to be somehow advantageous to eat synthetic meat, we probably would. But, thankfully, we are not completely rational creatures, and I expect most people would not be willing to even try out "manburgers." And then there's also the required transition from eating synthetic human meat to killing and eating actual people, which would represent an additional significant moral hurdle on our path to true cannibalism.</p> <p>My sense is that it is this same "irrational repulsion" that leads us to grasping for valid moral objections to growing meat in a laboratory. It just sounds wrong. It is hard not to be repulsed when you imagine driving down a country road, with fields of juicy, red, gently pulsating steak surrounding you in every direction. But I have yet to come across a convincing argument as to why it would really be morally objectionable to grow and consume synthetic meats. And the idea that it would turn us into cannibals, unable to resist "the real thing" ... well I'm not sure that qualifies.</p> <p>Nonetheless, I enjoyed your post, and I think it has potential as a sci-fi movie plot.</p> I’m not sure why, but I found myself cracking up over this post. The idea that we would develop a taste for synthetic human meat and then, when it becomes unavailable, would be unable to restrain ourselves from hunting down the real thing, well, honestly it seems like a bit of a stretch. For one thing, I think the market for synthetic human meat would be very small. There may be nothing intrinsically wrong with eating synthetic human meat, but that doesn’t change the fact that it sure sounds repulsive. If we were completely rational creatures and it worked out to be somehow advantageous to eat synthetic meat, we probably would. But, thankfully, we are not completely rational creatures, and I expect most people would not be willing to even try out “manburgers.” And then there’s also the required transition from eating synthetic human meat to killing and eating actual people, which would represent an additional significant moral hurdle on our path to true cannibalism.

My sense is that it is this same “irrational repulsion” that leads us to grasping for valid moral objections to growing meat in a laboratory. It just sounds wrong. It is hard not to be repulsed when you imagine driving down a country road, with fields of juicy, red, gently pulsating steak surrounding you in every direction. But I have yet to come across a convincing argument as to why it would really be morally objectionable to grow and consume synthetic meats. And the idea that it would turn us into cannibals, unable to resist “the real thing” … well I’m not sure that qualifies.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed your post, and I think it has potential as a sci-fi movie plot.

]]> Comment on Duty, Inclination, and Moral Worth (GMOM) by Cooking the books cartoon. http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=42&cpage=1#comment-42127 Cooking the books cartoon. Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:03:24 +0000 http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=42#comment-42127 <p><strong>Cooking the books cartoon....</strong></p> <p>Cooking the books cartoon....</p> Cooking the books cartoon….

Cooking the books cartoon….

]]> Comment on The Ethics of Synthetic Meat and Cannibalism by comeon http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=272&cpage=1#comment-41027 comeon Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:05:41 +0000 http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=272#comment-41027 <p>What you are ignoring is that eating meat is necessary to be a healthy human being. All vegitarians are sickly weak looking people. Look at the people of India. You can not have a truly healthy diet without meat. If you want to build muscle and live well, then you need meat. If you want to be 5-8, 130lbs and an easily conqured people then by all means be a vegetarian. I would sign up to eat synthetic meat in a second. All the positive with none of the negative. Your article proves you are an idiot.</p> What you are ignoring is that eating meat is necessary to be a healthy human being. All vegitarians are sickly weak looking people. Look at the people of India. You can not have a truly healthy diet without meat. If you want to build muscle and live well, then you need meat. If you want to be 5-8, 130lbs and an easily conqured people then by all means be a vegetarian. I would sign up to eat synthetic meat in a second. All the positive with none of the negative. Your article proves you are an idiot.

]]> Comment on Cardboard Sign Maker Gets It by Unlalry http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-40699 Unlalry Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:32:23 +0000 http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=112#comment-40699 <p>Hello, i'm pretty confused, but is this a good place to say "Hi"? (I'm new here ;) )</p> <p>cheers,</p> <hr /> <p>Unlalry <a href="http://www.xbox360achievements.org/forum/member.php?u=255098" rel="nofollow">natural colon cleanse</a></p> Hello, i’m pretty confused, but is this a good place to say “Hi”? (I’m new here ;) )

cheers,

Unlalry natural colon cleanse

]]> Comment on Simply applying the Categorical Imperative by eve http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=210&cpage=1#comment-40226 eve Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:25:04 +0000 http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=210#comment-40226 <p>so how would KANT feel about gay marriage?</p> so how would KANT feel about gay marriage?

]]> Comment on Meaning of Life Cats (MoL Cats) by Gary Melville http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=288&cpage=1#comment-39528 Gary Melville Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:05:27 +0000 http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=288#comment-39528 <p>G'day Adam,</p> <p>I was running a Google search on the Meaning of Life and up popped your page. I took the liberty of downloading your syllabus. Hope you don't mind! There's so little REALLY serious stuff on the net, most of it's just 'blathering'!</p> <p>Could I trouble you for some links to other MoL courses and course materials, downloads, etc?</p> <p>I've just completed a Grad. Dip. at UNE (Armidale, New South Wales, Australia) and have been considering a Master's on this topic. I've looked at a few 'source' books (including Klemke) but haven't found much in the way of 'extended' discussion.</p> <p>Also, I've been asked to run a series of sessions for a local Adult Ed. group, so if you do have anything like a 'handout' or 'lecture notes' that would be REALLY helpful.</p> <p>I know this is a lot to ask of a complete stranger, but then anyone who is interested in this topic is not really a 'stranger'!</p> <p>Thanks,</p> <p>Gary.</p> G’day Adam,

I was running a Google search on the Meaning of Life and up popped your page. I took the liberty of downloading your syllabus. Hope you don’t mind! There’s so little REALLY serious stuff on the net, most of it’s just ‘blathering’!

Could I trouble you for some links to other MoL courses and course materials, downloads, etc?

I’ve just completed a Grad. Dip. at UNE (Armidale, New South Wales, Australia) and have been considering a Master’s on this topic. I’ve looked at a few ‘source’ books (including Klemke) but haven’t found much in the way of ‘extended’ discussion.

Also, I’ve been asked to run a series of sessions for a local Adult Ed. group, so if you do have anything like a ‘handout’ or ‘lecture notes’ that would be REALLY helpful.

I know this is a lot to ask of a complete stranger, but then anyone who is interested in this topic is not really a ‘stranger’!

Thanks,

Gary.

]]> Comment on The new anti-political correctness by A Ku Indeed! » Archive » Frum on Beck http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=296&cpage=1#comment-38546 A Ku Indeed! » Archive » Frum on Beck Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:51:16 +0000 http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=296#comment-38546 <p>[...] right, whereas via Greenwald, CarolynC at Salon thinks it’s much worse now. Lastly, Adam at Within Reason on the ‘anti-political correctness’ on the right, and how he thinks it has led to where [...]</p> [...] right, whereas via Greenwald, CarolynC at Salon thinks it’s much worse now. Lastly, Adam at Within Reason on the ‘anti-political correctness’ on the right, and how he thinks it has led to where [...]

]]> Comment on Priorities by Lauren http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=238&cpage=1#comment-38526 Lauren Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:24:48 +0000 http://wr.freeminds.net/?p=238#comment-38526 <p>Ahh. I remember that snowy yard!</p> Ahh. I remember that snowy yard!

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