[Pfloyd]

"“I always speak the truth. Not the whole truth, because there's no way, to say it all. Saying it all is literally impossible: words fail. Yet it's through this very impossibility that the truth holds onto the real.”

- Jacques Lacan

[Pfloyd]

"Boredom is... a vital problem for the moralist, since half the sins of mankind are caused by the fear of it." - Bertrand Russell

[Pfloyd]

"Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by Pfloyd

"No testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind, that its falsehood would be more miraculous than the fact which it endeavors to establish"

- David Hume

I've read some of your posts on the various politics threads and I think you're a left-winger. Correct me if I'm wrong.

But now you're quoting one of the founders of economic liberalism and the Scottish "Enlightenment". So that confirms what I've always thought. The political left is liberal in the field of economy as much as in the field of culture. Liberalism being an organic whole...

Also how can Russell still be a reference ??

[Pfloyd]

Originally Posted by Echoes

I've read some of your posts on the various politics threads and I think you're a left-winger. Correct me if I'm wrong.

But now you're quoting one of the founders of economic liberalism and the Scottish "Enlightenment". So that confirms what I've always thought. The political left is liberal in the field of economy as much as in the field of culture. Liberalism being an organic whole...

Also how can Russell still be a reference ??

No no, I consider my views to libertarian-socialist (ala Chomsky or Orwell)

I quoted Hume on the subject of miracles, not economy. As an empiricist philosopher, his whole mind set is still incredible relevant (the problem of induction, Hume's guillotine, etc.) for scientific and philosophical questioning.

I'n short, I am left on the civil sphere, but am definitely for strict market regulations.

[MichaelKrep]

Originally Posted by Echoes

But now you're quoting one of the founders of economic liberalism and the Scottish "Enlightenment". So that confirms what I've always thought. The political left is liberal in the field of economy as much as in the field of culture. Liberalism being an organic whole...

The whole confusion stems from the blatantly incorrect way Americans use the word 'liberal' when talking about politics. Classical liberalism is to a very large extent what people today think of when one mentions the word 'libertarian', i.e. some one who is, to put it extremely broadly, for more individual freedom from regulation both in an economic and social sense. The use of the word 'liberal' do describe people who propose greater governmental interference in economic issues is somewhat of a paradox which used to be peculiar to the US but is increasingly spreading to Britain as well. I think it has something to do with the progressives of the 1930's who wished to style themselves as liberals so they created the slightly paradoxical concept of 'social liberalism'.

The political 'left' is definitely not 'liberal' in the field of the economy in the classical and original sense of the word 'liberal'. At least that's my take on the matter.

[Freak3yman84]

Originally Posted by heya

Fed fans like you can be happy with Fed & Tiger Woods types.
I don't hope for friends and
I don't need to apologize for being an asshole, unlike your idol Fed & Tiger Woods.

Makes me laugh every time

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by Pfloyd

I quoted Hume on the subject of miracles, not economy. As an empiricist philosopher, his whole mind set is still incredible relevant (the problem of induction, Hume's guillotine, etc.) for scientific and philosophical questioning.

I'n short, I am left on the civil sphere, but am definitely for strict market regulations.

The problem is that many philosophers have disserted about "miracles", for maybe the same conclusions but this topic is not really the most interesting in life and since I sort of have the same political ideas as you, I would never EVER come to quote a guy like Hume, even though he may sometimes say something right (but every author once said something right).

By the way empiricism as a philosophical doctrine is wrong. It's about deriving general theories from particular cases, which is an impossible task ...

Politically, Hume argued in favour of a Universal Republic that would delete every kind of local particularism (such as analysed by Christopher Lasch in The True and Only Heaven) and had a blind believe in Progress.

THE vulgar° are apt to carry all national characters to extremes; and having once established it as a principle, that any people are knavish, or cowardly, or ignorant, they will admit of no exception, but comprehend every individual under the same censure. He said, sarcastically.

I guess he's the anti-Orwell who was sort of a 'little Englander', staunch patriot and Monarchist. How can you compare the two.

Originally Posted by MichaelKrep

The political 'left' is definitely not 'liberal' in the field of the economy in the classical and original sense of the word 'liberal'. At least that's my take on the matter.

Actually, it is. Adam Smith was considered a left-winger in his time. Same for the French Enlightenment. In the 19th century the French advocate of 'liberalism' were seating on the left part of the Parliament. Besides, the first Socialists and Unionist, Merx and Engels would never consider themselves, left-winger (neither right-wingers, of course). Left and Right was a conflict between the aristocracy/landowners and the bourgeoisie would take the control levers instead of the former one. The workers would not be a part of it.

With regards to the term 'liberal', I guess the English language refer to the "Liberals" as the advocates of 'cultural' liberalism (pro gay marriage, legalization of some drugs, etc.; which is assiocated with the political left), despite their state-interventionism in the field of economy and 'Libertarians' as the advocates of free-market (incorrectly associated with the political Right).

In my language - French - it's the exact opposite. The 'libertaires' are the advocates of cultural liberalism and the 'libéraux' are the advocates of free market.

But I consider liberalism as an organic whole (and fight it ).

[Nr 1 Fan]

Something lighter:

"In 1969 I gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life." -- George Best

[Nr 1 Fan]

Originally Posted by B-Nard

"You gotta' put up with the rain if you want the rainbow. Do you know which philosopher said that? Dolly Parton. And people think she's just a big pair of tits." - David Brent from The Office UK.

Also from him:

"I want my staff to think of me as a friend first, boss second. Probably an entertainer third."

[TravelingFanGirl]

"Don't be a dick."- Wil Wheaton

[B-Nard]

Originally Posted by Nr 1 Fan

Also from him:

"I want my staff to think of me as a friend first, boss second. Probably an entertainer third."

The entire series is endlessly quotable.

"If there is one thing I don't like it's nicknames, yeah. Because nicknames are...bad...names".

[uxyzapenje]

"Don't do drugs, don't have unprotected sex, don't be violent. Leave that to me."

-Eminem