tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.comments2024-03-18T17:28:44.693-07:00Rondam RamblingsRonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11752242624438232184noreply@blogger.comBlogger8222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-89001670980495453612024-03-18T17:28:44.693-07:002024-03-18T17:28:44.693-07:00@Publius:
Thanks for the constructive (!) feedbac...@Publius:<br /><br />Thanks for the constructive (!) feedback.<br /><br />It's interesting that you should hedge your own assessment of the constructiveness of your feedback with a question mark. Why the self-doubt?<br /><br />This is indeed the first in a series, at least that's the plan.<br /><br />Also:<br /><br />> Problems science can't address. This would mean that science Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11752242624438232184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-18614431452748060132024-03-18T14:16:57.175-07:002024-03-18T14:16:57.175-07:00Constructive (?) Feedback Part 3
One piece of fee...<b>Constructive (?) Feedback Part 3</b><br /><br />One piece of feedback I (briefly) forgot:<br /><br />At the beginning of the essay, you state:<br /><br /><i>I believe that science provides a *complete worldview* applicable to all aspects of life, not just ones that are commonly regarded as "science-y".</i><br /><br />Then at the end, as discussed in Part 2 above, you list the Publiushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00647613579979908182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-54722866057565236482024-03-18T14:09:08.059-07:002024-03-18T14:09:08.059-07:00Constructive (?) Feedback Part 2
The scientific m...<b>Constructive (?) Feedback Part 2</b><br /><br /><b>The scientific method</b><br /><br />As mentioned above, preface this section with an outline of what you're about to cover.<br /><br />Step 1: why did you choose "Problem" over "Question", or some other alternative? Using "Problem" carries with it baggage of something in urgent need of correction, when, as Publiushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00647613579979908182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-41245043865703163482024-03-18T14:07:46.536-07:002024-03-18T14:07:46.536-07:00Constructive (?) Feedback Part 1
Overall structur...<b>Constructive (?) Feedback Part 1</b><br /><br /><b>Overall structure</b><br />It's quite long. It would be helpful to put an outline at the beginning, and perhaps a few sentences of the plan you intend to follow.<br /><br />In the section "The scientific method," I would again recommend prefacing it with a simple listing of the steps -- then, give the detail for each step. <br />Publiushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00647613579979908182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-77094182764307239062024-01-29T22:42:30.764-08:002024-01-29T22:42:30.764-08:00Hi Ron,
I've been following your exchange wit...Hi Ron,<br /><br />I've been following your exchange with ejd regarding the complex issue of gun control, and I wanted to offer a perspective on the conversation. It seems like both of you are deeply passionate about your beliefs and experiences, which is commendable.<br /><br />Ron, while your points are valid and thought-provoking, I sense some frustration in your responses to ejd. It'sPubliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00647613579979908182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-83645911628203895012024-01-29T14:14:10.883-08:002024-01-29T14:14:10.883-08:00@ejd:
> I read a lot of your material.
Like w...@ejd:<br /><br />> I read a lot of your material.<br /><br />Like what? I've written next to nothing about guns.<br /><br />> You might not think so, but I tried.<br /><br />Really? How?<br /><br />> I am almost curious about these "false premises" you mention<br /><br />Well, just for the record, and for the benefit of anyone else who might be following this exchange, Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11752242624438232184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-12957450316642947642024-01-29T13:24:37.393-08:002024-01-29T13:24:37.393-08:00>You are assuming quite a lot about my position...>You are assuming quite a lot about my position.<br /><br />Nah. I read a lot of your material. <br /><br />>But maybe if you would put your efforts into educating me instead of making snide remarks based on unwarranted assumptions we could actually make some progress.<br /><br />You might not think so, but I tried. Obviously, not enough to spur your interest, and that's fine. <br /><ejdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190602228388892520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-58521367612061132132024-01-29T12:27:14.158-08:002024-01-29T12:27:14.158-08:00> You know what's weird? You don't use ...> You know what's weird? You don't use hyperbole when discussing religion.<br /><br />Why is that weird?<br /><br />BTW, the only one I see employing hyperbole here is you, by talking about people wanting to "ban guns". No one is calling for banning guns (at least not all of them), certainly not me.<br /><br />> You are right; there is a broad consensus about individuals Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11752242624438232184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-8766062350947164212024-01-29T12:07:09.656-08:002024-01-29T12:07:09.656-08:00> I posit that your equation for calculating b...> I posit that your equation for calculating benefits is missing a few variables. You obviously don't agree, so, again, an impasse.<br /><br />You are assuming quite a lot about my position. The only thing I've said about my quality metric is that I consider regular mass-shootings of innocent people to be a pretty high price to pay for whatever benefits guns are supposed to provide.Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11752242624438232184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-34687883852349105282024-01-28T22:13:01.208-08:002024-01-28T22:13:01.208-08:00You know what's weird? You don't use hyper...You know what's weird? You don't use hyperbole when discussing religion. <br /><br />You are right; there is a broad consensus about individuals owning WMD. In part because deploying a bazooka in self-defense is a tad impractical. Same for chemical weapons, tanks, and the like. <br /><br />That's because they don't make holsters for easily carrying bazookas. Oddly enough, I carry ejdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190602228388892520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-57939501578287422672024-01-28T21:50:46.797-08:002024-01-28T21:50:46.797-08:00Boy, I wish I knew.
I guess no civil war, no WW ...Boy, I wish I knew. <br /><br />I guess no civil war, no WW III, a sudden reversal of climate change, better race relations, the extreme left and extreme right suddenly being teleported into a parallel universe where they will be happy, responsible and conscientious politicians, altruistic corporations working for the betterment of society as opposed to maximum profit . . . I could go on, but it ejdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190602228388892520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-45242093625012998922024-01-28T21:43:57.846-08:002024-01-28T21:43:57.846-08:00Well, if we could actually talk about what's f...Well, if we could actually talk about what's feasible, we might come up with an answer. <br /><br />I agree about an individual's risk posture, but you don't agree with other people's risk postures, let alone consider the benefits they might see. I posit that your equation for calculating benefits is missing a few variables. You obviously don't agree, so, again, an impasse. <ejdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190602228388892520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-82245707548313342402024-01-28T19:08:27.689-08:002024-01-28T19:08:27.689-08:00@ejd:
> if you want to ... move the Overton Wi...@ejd:<br /><br />> if you want to ... move the Overton Window you might want to start with something other than repealing the 2nd<br /><br />Like what?<br /><br />> I am a LOT more worried about getting killed in an auto accident than of being shot.<br /><br />That's not entirely unreasonable, but I don't think the law ought to be based on any one individual's personal risk Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11752242624438232184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-49206016911392704072024-01-28T18:24:25.862-08:002024-01-28T18:24:25.862-08:00@ejd:
That depends. What does a good outcome loo...@ejd:<br /><br />That depends. What does a good outcome look like to you?Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11752242624438232184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-21201257490114445912024-01-28T18:22:51.785-08:002024-01-28T18:22:51.785-08:00@ejd:
> the whole gun debate is often akin to ...@ejd:<br /><br />> the whole gun debate is often akin to the religious debate. <br /><br />Yes, exactly, and that is in no small measure because the 2nd amendment is written like scripture rather than law.<br /><br />> As for the First Amendment, really?<br /><br />I've really never heard of anyone who advocated repealing it, no.<br /><br />The 1st A has problems too, but it's far Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11752242624438232184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-27031596047523261812024-01-28T16:40:21.698-08:002024-01-28T16:40:21.698-08:00A quick suggestion . . . if you want to — as you s...A quick suggestion . . . if you want to — as you say — move the Overton Window, you might want to start with something other than repealing the 2nd or, as you mention elsewhere, banning certain guns. <br /><br />As for the whole licensing thing, perhaps drivers are a lot better trained where you are than every place I've lived, but I am a LOT more worried about getting killed in an auto ejdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190602228388892520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-16853974568995643352024-01-28T16:22:38.238-08:002024-01-28T16:22:38.238-08:00There is a strong argument to be made that this ti...There is a strong argument to be made that this time it's different . . . but then, that's what everybody says during their time. <br /><br />Me? I'm very pessimistic. I was hoping we'd limp along at least until I turn into associated atoms, but now I'm not so sure. <br /><br />That's not to say we're done for, but people who lived through great upheavals in human ejdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190602228388892520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-1161731940009033752024-01-28T16:17:46.596-08:002024-01-28T16:17:46.596-08:00It's awkward because I don't typically sub...It's awkward because I don't typically subscribe to places where I might get into long, fruitless discussions. <br /><br />Mind you, I love discussions, but the whole gun debate is often akin to the religious debate. <br /><br />As for the First Amendment, really? You've not met people who claim it's been misinterpreted (separation of church and state), or shouldn't apply to ejdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190602228388892520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-46225541605162835302024-01-28T16:06:15.990-08:002024-01-28T16:06:15.990-08:00I don't have to imagine . . . as I said, 40 ye...I don't have to imagine . . . as I said, 40 years, lots, and lots, and lots of words, spoken and written. Some are even on my blog.<br /><br />In those forty years, I know of two people whose minds I've changed (one many years after the fact). I'm not sure it was worth the time, given other stuff I could have been doing. In fact, I know it wasn't and I regret spending as much timeejdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190602228388892520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-39980967481756366082024-01-28T14:18:12.920-08:002024-01-28T14:18:12.920-08:00@ejd:
I've studied both religion and the gun ...@ejd:<br /><br />I've studied both religion and the gun issue, though I would not call myself an expert on either by any stretch of the imagination. But I don't think you need to be much of a scholar to observe that the Second Amendment is just a badly written piece of law and it should be repealed on those grounds alone, completely independent of your position on what kinds of weapons Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11752242624438232184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-61276358966193733472024-01-28T14:03:29.906-08:002024-01-28T14:03:29.906-08:00@ejd:
> Meaning, that we are not in decline?
...@ejd:<br /><br />> Meaning, that we are not in decline?<br /><br />I think we're in decline, but I don't think it's inexorable. The history of the U.S. has always been one of ups and downs. I'm not tremendously optimistic at the moment, but neither am I ready to give up.Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11752242624438232184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-48683689304185860012024-01-28T13:58:14.138-08:002024-01-28T13:58:14.138-08:00@ejd:
> Always awkward when I subscribe to a b...@ejd:<br /><br />> Always awkward when I subscribe to a blog because of some content and then encounter other content I disagree with.<br /><br />Why is that awkward? I've never met another human being with whom I agreed on everything. In fact, I've been known to change my mind about things, so sometimes I don't even agree with myself :-)<br /><br />This idea that there is Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11752242624438232184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-80729079236560193312024-01-28T13:42:17.399-08:002024-01-28T13:42:17.399-08:00@ejd:
> Man, this was a slog
You think it was...@ejd:<br /><br />> Man, this was a slog<br /><br />You think it was a slog to read, imagine what it was like to write :-)<br /><br />If you don't mind my asking, how did you find it, and what made you stick it out to the bitter end?<br /><br />> yours is the helicopter answer<br /><br />I assume that's a good thing? In which case, thank you for the kind words.<br /><br />> Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11752242624438232184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-30423855151715897372024-01-28T13:18:18.463-08:002024-01-28T13:18:18.463-08:00@Ron
You studied religion (I assume you have), en...@Ron<br /><br />You studied religion (I assume you have), enabling you to intelligently and convincingly argue against its tenets. I'm curious if you did the same with the whole gun issue. I mean from a historical perspective to modern reasoned discussions by constitutional scholars (on both sides of the argument) and people who are not pre-invested in a given conclusion regarding the issue. ejdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190602228388892520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592542.post-25882361027840930512024-01-28T12:42:50.727-08:002024-01-28T12:42:50.727-08:00Do you still believe what you said for #10?
Meani...Do you still believe what you said for #10?<br /><br />Meaning, that we are not in decline? <br /><br />ejdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190602228388892520noreply@blogger.com