jordanz

BTW - here's Will Thomas on the issue: http://www.objectivistcenter.org/cth--1254...Perception.aspx

Yes, but you can't "see" a photon itself, you use it to manufacture images in your cortex. The photon is an inferred entity.

You are stealing the concept of sight. The image in your cortext is what it means to see.

When was the last time you saw directly, with your own eyes and without instrumental mediation infra red or ultraviolet

I didn't say our sense are perfect nor did I imply that our sense can perceive everything. But, what they do sense, they sense directly.

There is the Heisenberg Principle which limits what we can know (among other things).

I don't believe that it does not limit what we can know - but that's another topic.

We sense very little of the world directly and we must resort to indirect means

This is incorrect. In fact, we experience the world directly. A photon of light enters the pupil makes its way to the optic nerve resulting in a stimulus in the brain. Where's the indirection? It's as direct as if I push a pencil and it moves.

Not so. There is a limit to how accurate our detection instruments are.

The limits to our senses are immaterial. Our senses react to reality in predictable way. There is no magic - the senses work according to their nature. Given a stimulus, a given sense will act accordingly. That's how we gain knowledge of objective reality. Anyway, David Kelley explains this much better than I can.

It's been years since I read it, but the book Flatland deals with this subject in a fun way. The main character, as I recall, lives in a two dimensional world and encounters a being that claims to be from a new third dimension. The three dimensional character describes the 2D character's insides because he can see inside of him, etc. and eventually convinces him of a 3rd dimension.

The main point here is that we have senses. Our senses react to the world as it is and give us objective information about reality. With our senses we can discover everything about reality. If some being claims to possess a previously unknown sense he should be able to prove it by the usual means of evidence, deduction and induction.

I'd be interested to listen to D.K.'s tape. Do you have the title or where I might find it?

It's part of the Evidence of the Senses series, but I don't remember which tape. Maybe it's in the book?

Isn't this, essentially, the brain in a vat argument? I'm not technical enough to write a response, but David Kelley has a tape that addresses it.

In this particular case, I believe that blind people have some "internal" sight - i.e. they dream (unless blind from birth). The point is that they can form the concept sight. Once that's done, it's just a matter of deduction to give them enough evidence that you can see even though they can't.

Wonderful. Jeff is one of a kind.

What is that squeaky squawk sound that goes along with the playing?

Ba'al Chatzaf

It's the sound of his fingers moving against the strings.

I wish I could go. I had booked a spot but something came up and I can't go. It looks to be really great.

I wish he had done a better job in his debate with Al Gore. I also wish Reagan had picked him rather than George H W Bush.

Wow - how different history would have been. Bush I, IMO, was one of the worst Presidents in our history. Bush I begat Bush II who, while he had a good foreign policy, was a disaster.

Monterey, CA

montereycoteaparty.blogspot.com for more info....it's on April 15th from 5:00 p.m - 6:30 pm. in Monterey at Window On The Bay park located on Del Monte Ave....across from Lake El Estero....

This seems like a positive change. I like Ed a lot, but for a few years now I've felt that David was not involved enough in TAS. I sent a long email to stating this last year. I was very impressed with the last issue of TNI. Let's hope it continues.

Agreed.

Coincidentally, I'm at this moment watching Fox Business where they're saying exactly the same thing. Pointing the finger (correctly) at Franklin Raines, et al.

"The novel ... may not be great literature."

God damn it. Why do people always do that. Oh yes Mr. Andrews; we would never suspect you of enjoying that piece of garbage.

Thanks for the tip! My Tivo is now scheduled.

No signs of cancer from colonoscopy on Jan 28. I don't have another colonoscopy for five years. Dancing is permitted and encouraged.

Wonderful news Chris!!!

Thanks MSK, Kat, Chris. My sister Joan passed away suddenly this week. This followed the passing in late Sept. of my youngest brother Tom, who had just become a grandfather, after a 3-week battle with cancer. Very tough times, esp. for my parents.

Oh No Ed. That's terrible news. Rita and I are so sorry.

Has anyone seen The Edge with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin. This was, I think, an excellent movie.

One of my favorite movies. Excellent theme contrasting a man of the mind against the irrational. David Mamet at his best.

Did anyone else watch Wall E and think that it made humanity look like we were the plague of the Earth? Or like humanity would be happier in a rejection of technology and moving back to some kind of stone age?

I did. I hated Wall-E.

This is very exciting. I plan on going.

Thank you Barbara. Maybe I'll have a dram or two of whisky and peruse this swamp. ;)

One side of the story is at http://www.jeffcomp.com/faq/kirk/index.html. You can probably guess what the other side is.

Very interesting - thank you. As usual, follow the money.

Chris: "She [Edith Packer] may have also had some training from Nathaniel Branden."

To the best of my knowledge, no.

Barbara, if you don't object, I'd appreciate hearing what you know about the Reisman's split from ARI. I've enjoyed George Resiman's work but don't know much about him or his relationship to Ayn Rand, ARI, TAS, etc.