Hello Jim
Good to hear from you. This medium demonstrates how difficult it is to
communicate, especially absent body language. :-)
You said:
> Hi Ray,
>
> I'm not really sure what to say about this, except that *possibly* it
seems
> that my new-found paranoia about the "sort of snide remarks that seem to
be
> the mode of exchange here" extends to what you write below. :-)
>
Your paranoia has a very simple remedy - just restrain yourself when a snide
remark comes to the tip of the tongue! It is a remedy that I honour more in
the breach! :-)
--------------
> >Jim said in part in another thread:
> >"I am "cheering" Mark Sagoff's willingness to make the philosophical
points
> >he is making, especially in this *particular* setting and in the context
in
> >which he is making
> >them. I think it takes a fair amount of integrity, and guts, really, to
do
> >what Sagoff is daring to do in front of the assembled group of "experts"
on
> >the invasive species issue
> >whom he is daring to confront."
> >
> >I knew Sagoff slightly 15-20 years ago when he participated in a number
of
> >conferences on ethics in agriculture and in an agr econ meeting on ethics
> >in agr. I am not at all
> >surprised that he would participate, and in the manner that he did, on
the
> >exotic species symposium. I always saw him in mostly not particularly
> >friendly environments. He
> >was, and I'm sure still is a gentleman; able, alone, to engage
> >agriculturalists/forestry folks on controversial issues with firm
respect.
> >I never heard him make the sort of snide
> >remarks that seem to be the mode of exchange here.
> >
> >You characterize his appearance as "daring". In my view that is a
totally
> >inappropriate term.
>
> Ray, in my dictionary, the word "dare" means not only to challenge other
> people (which Sagoff is certainly doing here as well, and which I applaud
> coincidentally), but it also has a second, somewhat different meaning:
>
> "dare. vb. dared; daring; dares or (auxiliary) dare. . . . vt. 1 a: to
> challenge to perform an action . . . <dared him to jump> . . . 2: to
have
> the courage to contend against, venture, or try <the actress dared a new
> interpretation of this classic role>" (Mer. Web. 10th Collegiate).
>
> It is in the *second* sense of the word "dare" that I meant to employ the
> term "daring" above when I wrote: "I think it takes a fair amount of
> integrity, and guts, really, to do what Sagoff is daring to do in front of
> the assembled group of 'experts' on the invasive species issue whom he is
> daring to confront." In other words, Ray, I was trying to say that I
> admire Sagoff's courage, honesty, and integrity in speaking up--as you do
> as well, judging from your account of Sagoff's participation in "mostly
not
> particularly friendly environments." To me, then, the choice of the
> phrase, "what Sagoff is daring to do," is a *totally* appropriate term,
not
> inappropriate. I did not mean to imply and/or otherwise characterize his
> "appearance" as "daring."
>
> Sorry for any misunderstanding or ambiguity here that my choice of words
> may have caused.
>
Just for fun, Jim. To me, "to dare" is a conscious act. Imho, Sagoff acts
in his way *without conscious purpose*; it is just in his nature to be open,
engaged, to listen to the other and then to respond with a very fundamental
honesty and respect even for the least of us. He does not just "dare", he
*is* authentically. Imho.
Now, I wish you experts would get back to Minteer, McDowell,
foundationalism, etc. Steven B. has put the cap on the exotic species
issue, imho. :-)
Ray
>
> He was just operating with his native honesty &
> >integrity. I would be amazed if
> >he acted otherwise.
> >
> >As you can see I have a very high regard for him.
>
> As do I, Ray, as do I.
>
> Jim T.
>
>
>
> >
> >Ray
>
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