Read about it here
My favourite tip:
I popped ALL the keys off to allow the keyboard to completely dry (either draw, write down where the keys go, or take a picture so you can put ‘em all back in the right place)
There speaks the voice of experience!
In a philosophy class last night, I was reminded of why I enjoy philosophy so much. In 1963, an American philosopher called Edmund Gettier wrote a three-page paper that upset thousands of years worth of consensus on the definition of knowledge.
I was amazed at the thought of such a short piece of thought having such a big impact, but also the simplicity of the form of his ‘counter-examples’. So simple, in fact, that I can give one in this blog post!
The historic definition of knowledge had three parts. To say you have ‘knowledge’ of something, you need:
This would seem a fairly comprehensive definition of knowledge, but Gettier found a gaping hole in it. Take the following example:
You are walking through London, at two minutes to noon. You’re not wearing a watch, and so look at Big Ben to check the time. It shows the time as 11.58. So, you have justification for believing something which is also true. But is your claim to know the time watertight?
Imagine the following condition applies to the scenario:
Unknown to you (and those around you), Big Ben stopped working at 11.58pm the night before. In this case, your ‘knowledge’ about the time is mere coincidence. Does it still seem right to claim that you ‘know’ the correct time?
(This ‘counter-example’ is not one that Gettier used in his paper, but it has exactly the same form. You can probably think of other ‘counter-examples’ pretty easily)
Philosophers have responded to Gettier in a number of ways. One approach is to add an extra condition to the definition of knowledge- that the match between the way the world is and your knowledge is non-accidental. Other philosophers have argued for a narrower definition of justification, which would exclude Gettier’s counter-examples. However, there doesn’t seem to be a neat answer to Gettier’s challenge yet (see this Princeton lecture).
First world results on a third world budget | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited
Interesting comparison of Cuban healthcare vs. UK healthcare. For me, this was a very interesting point:
The trouble with the NHS, some say, is that it is not a national health service but a national sickness service. The focus is not on keeping us well, but keeping us alive. Hospital intensive care units take priority in the public mind over diet and exercise campaigns.
Cuba is admired by public health experts in Britain and around the world for putting the horse before the cart. Unable to afford too many hi-tech operating theatres, it focuses its efforts on keeping its people well and picking up illness early - when it’s easier and cheaper to treat.
Someone once told me that because the NHS was set up just after WWII, it became incredibly good at acute care, but not so good at prevention and day-to-day stuff.
Guardian Unlimited | Comment is free | A police state? Crying wolf wont protect civil liberties
Here’s what I think:
A couple of dangerous assumptions here:
1. We used to have far fewer protections for civil liberties, so we shouldn’t complain about the present situation
2. New technology allows new intrusions to civil liberties- we should intervene in new ways because we can
I also think the writer is wrong to put (fully justified) anxieties about automatic and compulsory state collection of personal information (id cards, DNA databases etc) and the more questionable libertarian right to smoke in a public place in the same boat.
Where does this assumption that collecting reams of personal data for no immediate use has some kind of benefit come from?
I think the writer is quite right to say that the debate on civil liberties should be nuanced, and that both left and right can get it wrong by being too shrill. However, he then goes on to muddy the waters with some of his own faulty logic…
I’m considering switching courses at Birkbeck, from combined Politics, Philosophy and History to straight Philosophy.
One major reason is that I find Philosophy a lot easier (and did better in the exam). Also, I like the fact that Philosophy tends to consist of shorter readings, where you really get your teeth into the writer’s argument.
I got a brilliant book for my birthday: How to be a Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul
This thoughtful book by Adrian Shaughnessy treads a different path to your typical design book. Steering away from ‘applied’ knowledge, Shaugnessy gets into the ethics and practicalities behind setting up and practising as a designer.
Highly recommended! [Thanks Rachel :-)]
I’m not someone who feels that time slips away from them- generally speaking, I find I have enough time to get things done.
However, I’m very prone to getting sidetracked early in the morning (like now, when writing this post). It’s like all my creative energy bubbles up and tries to draw me away from cycling into the office…Hopefully one day I’ll be able to stay at home and make use of this creativity as it appears
I’m finally following my wise Dad’s advice and am making a backup. Off to Dublin in a day or two and taking the laptop, so I figured it would be good to back things up.Let’s hope I don’t need it…
This two-part post is what I had been planning to share with Quaker Quest tonight (I was prevented by a complicated and tiring train journey).Hopefully it’ll be of some use here…
How and when do I encounter God?
I have no doubt that I can experience God on a daily basis. I have many recollections of experiencing God in a direct way. That’s not to say I’m always open to God!
Many Quakers would say that God is universally accessible, and not confined to ‘holy’ places. I certainly agree with this- but not to the extent of pantheism or universalism, which I think go too far in reducing God to ‘part of life’. I feel that God is a real, distinct and living presence.
I often encounter God in a very direct way through other people- when they say challenging or inspirational things, for example. I sometimes see God shining through someone’s courage or generosity.
I encounter God when I worship God in a Quaker meeting- both in the quiet and through the ministry of others. Often, encountering God in the quiet happens only fleetingly, but even a few seconds of that ‘deep encounter’ can centre and transform me for the week. A bit hard to describe exactly what this encounter is like, but very clear when I’m having it. Much much more than feeling simply ‘tranquil’.
Some of my most profound encounters with God have come at moments of crisis or dilemma- where my human, finite faculties have been stretched or exhausted. At these times, God is a new source of energy and guidance.
(I’m currently encountering God in an unexpectedly complicated train journey to London, which may prevent me from sharing these thoughts at Quaker Quest).
It can be much harder to find God in suffering or injustice. Where is the loving and transforming power in these situations?I could fill an entire talk or blog post with this challenge to faith. For the moment, I’ll say that God can be and is alongside us when we suffer. It may be that He can’t wave a magic wand and alter our human-perceived physical world, but He can be a great source of spiritual strength and transformation.
In times of fear (such as living with the fear of an armed robbery while working at a 24 hour shop in Belfast), I have encountered God through a sense of being ‘held’ and looked after- not because of a physical sense of protection, but a sense of God being with me.
The corollary to this is occasions when I have felt fortunate and blessed by God. On my wedding day, the clear sense of a blessed direction and the blessing of those around me, for me were part of an encounter with God.
What does this mean for the way I live my life?
Because I encounter God in Quaker worship, I value that time and get to meeting when I can. I should say, however, that I’m not a faultless attender! This is something I need to work on.
Knowing that I can encounter God in Quaker worship encourages me to approach it with an open heart and mind. Looking for God in others’ ministry helps me avoid the problem of responding badly to ministry which doesn’t speak to my condition.
Times when I have encountered God in my daily life and through other people give me the hope that I’ll do so again. I try as much as I can to be open to God’s loving, teaching and transforming power in my life. As with worship, I’m sure that if I was more practised at this I’d find I encountered God more often!
I think the fact that I encounter God at both the ‘high’ and the ‘low’ points in life helps preserve me from the dangers of unmitigated triumph or despair. The thankfulness and faith I feel remind me that I’m not alone.
A key phrase for me is ‘deus volens’ (God willing). I don’t use this as a cop out, trying to evade responsibility for my life. It’s more about having a sense that I should be ready to be surprised by the gifts and challenges that God puts in my way.
I have the clear sense that more encounters with God would improve my life! I also have the sense that these encounters don’t need to happen in a special ‘holy’ place. (Though prayer and quiet waiting are very valuable).
I know that encounters with God can be challenging and life-changing. I pray for the courage to truly open myself to these encounters too.
Knowing that I have had personal encounters with a real and loving God helps me to relate to Him in a personal and loving way- not as an abstract ‘giver of laws’, or ‘life force’, but as a real and present spiritual guide and support.
Liked it. 