Let me get this straight Brad, Osama bin Laden and the attacks on the
WTC are examples of Kantian "moral retributionsim (sic) at work in the
universe"?
About all I can say, Are you serious?
Steven
But the proper response to this hypothesis
is that there are always people willing to
believe anything, however implausible, merely
in order to be contrary.
Vikram Seth
A Suitable Boy
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion forum for environmental ethics.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of brad bartholomew
Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2002 6:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Only 26 Years Ago in Vietnam - Equality Principle
No doubt most of you are thinking that John and I are
doing some self-righteous rant of our own with this
Vietnam stuff. Vietnam ended 26 years ago so let's
forgive and forget. (ie forgive ourselves and forget
what we did)
Trouble is outrageous events in history have a nasty
habit of repeating themselves.
Just a couple of months ago George W. came out onto
the White House lawn and anounced to a relieved world
that the Taliban had been routed and the warlords had
been reinstated in power in Afghanistan. "Ah," said a
relieved world "the warlords - thank God for that."
Last time I heard talk of warlords was at school
learning about the Chinese revolution. The US was
supporting Chiang Kai Shek and the warlords in their
fight against Mao Tse Tung.
I don't know the pedigree of these warlords but I
imagine they are just the most successful gangsters in
the district who got there by being more violent and
ruthless than anyone else and have taken unto themself
the grandiose title of warlord.
The only thing that can be said in their favor is that
they will not commit acts of terrorism against the US
provided the US keeps feeding money into their Swiss
bank accounts.
There can not be the slightest doubt that these
warlords are being paid for it. The trouble is that it
is actually the US who is on its back with its legs
open faking an orgasm. This is not a sustainable way
for a prostitute to earn a living.
Suppose Kant is right and there is some principle of
moral retributionsim at work in the universe. Then
this may be the answer to this ridiculously naive
question that the yanks are asking "Why us? Why does
Osama bin Laden hate us so much?"
It was only the Christian world that breathed a sigh
of relief at the news that the warlords were back.
>From the Muslim point of view this is yet another
reason why the US is the Great Satan. It gives Osama
bin Laden a further reason for calling for Jihad.
This moral retributionsim of Kant's could also account
for the escalation of extremism amongst the
Palestinians.
If Kant is right then the primary ethic of US
capitalism is wrong - "you can get away with anything
as long as your bomb is bigger than the next guys."
Regards,
Brad
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