A leetle voice... -- WASHINGTON BOARD

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Date Posted: 07:42:27 09/22/02 Sun
Author: Mike A.
Author Host/IP: syr-24-92-249-138.twcny.rr.com / 24.92.249.138
Subject: A leetle voice...
In reply to: Grumpy� 's message, "Ethics East and West" on 19:08:51 09/21/02 Sat

Eclectic. You are, you know. A compliment, I hope.

Camus would opine, the individual makes choices one at a time starting with [forgive the tangent � Shakespeare] deciding to be or not to be. If you choose �not� the choice has been made to do your self in [physically and/or psychologically], yet if you choose �to� the choices of life begin. Live good or live bad. How to live good; how to live bad.

An over simplification. In the midst of some class on math models or decision models or something, it occurred to me a decision tree model was an articulation of Camus� vision of life. Decision trees have the look of a genealogy chart.

I must really be in need of a cup of coffee. Anyway, imagine the mind processing decisions with the root decision always starting with �to be or not to be� and then moving through a series of decisions or paths which would lead to good or bad outcomes. Along the paths issues arise, like a degree of difficulty issues, which test the direction or predictability of future decisions given previous decisions.

Example: you have decided �to� and some time many decisions later you are with your grandchild at a soccer game. A referee makes a poor call related to a play your grandchild makes. A decision to act good or bad might have to do with yelling at the referee and demonstrating a line of behavior [which might influence the child�s future behavior] or cheering your grandchild on [which might influence the child�s behavior].

Aristotle would urge the leader [in this case the grandfather] to exhibit nobility of purpose. Camus would be ambivalent but note that along life�s path each decision is linked to the last, and current given circumstances. The individual chooses �to be or not to be� happy or sad, to lead a life biased toward a good or bad.

The thread can go on or end. One tangent has to do with the bias a leader has for good and the context of that good, for example, altruism or patriotism. Hmmm. We have a leader.

Hope the soccer game was a hoot.

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Replies:

Re: A leetle voice... -- Grumpy�, 09:36:54 09/22/02 Sun