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#11
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The greatest genius who ever lived?
"Davoud" wrote in message ... Peter Webb: Modern market economies are based on very Darwinian concepts of competition for scarce resources and survival of the fittest. I think that Darwin was talking about species rather than individuals. He struggled to understand altruism in the context of his theory, and evolutionists have yet to adequately understand altruism. Bull****. Have you never read "The Selfish Gene" (for example) which considers altrusim at length (as one might expect from the title)? It cannot be denied, however, that unbridled greed, the foundation of the capitalist system, is an exceedingly powerful motivator. The foundation of the capitalist system is not *unbridled* greed. Marx is a historical footnote in comparison; the inventor of an economic system that didn't work. That's one opinion. Others would opine that Marx was the proponent of an economic system that has never been implemented, so it is impossible to say whether it would work or not. This would seem to eliminate Marx from a list of the world's greatest geniuses, if his theories have never been used successfully. Recall that I did not say that Marx was the greatest philosopher known to have lived, but I indicated that his philosophy is estimable and worthy of consideration along with that of other great philosophers. No its not. Firstly, the issue is "genius", not whether they were good philosphers. Secondly, economic systems built on Marxist principles didn't actually work. If you are looking for a list of the greatest geniuses of history, there are plenty who had ideas that were correct and changed the world for the better. Marx is not among them. Davoud -- I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that you will say in your entire life. usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm |
#12
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The greatest genius who ever lived?
"Davoud" wrote in message ... | Peter Webb: | Modern market economies are based on very Darwinian concepts of competition | for scarce resources and survival of the fittest. | | I think that Darwin was talking about species rather than individuals. Darwin was talking about species rather than individuals, and market economies are based on very Darwinian concepts of competition for resources and survival of the adaptive. Do you have any empirical evidence to support your outlandish claim that you think? |
#13
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The greatest genius who ever lived?
I am one of the pedants who believe that the word "genius" refers to people who have an inner drive, over which they have limited control, to produce great things. Of these, few can match Mozart. He has said that at times the music wrote itself and that he did little to alter it. Other composers, such as Beethoven, wrote more powerful and more emotional music, but they wrote and re-wrote and polished and edited. There must be a better word than "genius" to describe them and I would like to hear what it is. |
#14
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The greatest genius who ever lived?
Davoud wrote in :
Peter Webb: Modern market economies are based on very Darwinian concepts of competition for scarce resources and survival of the fittest. I think that Darwin was talking about species rather than individuals. He struggled to understand altruism in the context of his theory, and evolutionists have yet to adequately understand altruism. It cannot be denied, however, that unbridled greed, the foundation of the capitalist system, is an exceedingly powerful motivator. Marx is a historical footnote in comparison; the inventor of an economic system that didn't work. That's one opinion. Others would opine that Marx was the proponent of an economic system that has never been implemented, so it is impossible to say whether it would work or not. Recall that I did not say that Marx was the greatest philosopher known to have lived, but I indicated that his philosophy is estimable and worthy of consideration along with that of other great philosophers. Davoud You could say the same of Hobbs, but he clearly did not understand human nature. Neither did Marx. |
#15
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The greatest genius who ever lived?
On Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:04:18 -0500, Rich wrote:
P.A.M. Dirac? Albert Einstein? Johann Wolfgang von Goethe? Steven Hawking? Ludwig Van Beethoven? Leonardo DaVinci? Michaelangelo Buonarotti? There are thousands of people alive today as intelligent as any of these. Genius is common... what isn't so common is the confluence of conditions, events, and outright luck that lead to one specific smart person being in the right place at the right time with the right idea to produce something that is remembered as a first. |
#16
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The greatest genius who ever lived?
"T.T." wrote in message ond.com... | | I am one of the pedants who believe that the word "genius" refers to people | who have an inner drive, over which they have limited control, to produce | great things. | Of these, few can match Mozart. | He has said that at times the music wrote itself and that he did little to | alter it. Other composers, such as Beethoven, wrote more powerful and more | emotional music, but they wrote and re-wrote and polished and edited. There | must be a better word than "genius" to describe them and I would like to | hear what it is. | Music is art, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Whenever you hear someone say "I know what I like" the truth is they like what they know. Music by its very nature is fundamentally repetitive, the variations and embellishments are what you are calling "polished and edited". The first four notes of Beethoven's 5th are repeated throughout the entire symphony, three the same, the fourth pitched lower or higher and of longer duration. The duration may be extended by a rest or a slur. What does "emotional" mean? Sadness? Joy? Study it; descending notes are sad, ascending notes are happy. If genius is to evoke an emotional response then a soccer team is genius, but if genius is to write new mathematics as Newton did then genius is intelligence. |
#17
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The greatest genius who ever lived?
On Oct 8, 6:59*am, Chris L Peterson wrote:
There are thousands of people alive today as intelligent as any of these. Genius is common... what isn't so common is the confluence of conditions, events, and outright luck that lead to one specific smart person being in the right place at the right time with the right idea to produce something that is remembered as a first. Perhaps Marx is blamed unfairly for corrupt humanity's interpretation of their great prophet's ideas? He certainly foresaw and predicted the unspeakable horrors of unbridled capitalism. The "trickle down" mechanism seems a **** poor provider in Gawd's own country. Free market capitalism, personal greed and acquisition, aided and abetted by chronic levels of religion, have failed miserably for the vast majority. Even the minority, who benefit most, choose a wide variety of escapist devices. As already stated, there has never been a universally beneficial political system. Personal greed and corruption will always derail the best laid plans. Or outside interference will undermine its foundations. We always seem to choose electoral systems which allow the wrong people to rise to positions of power. Most are easily corruptible psychopaths. It's entirely in their nature to seek advancement. And, to dehumanise and degrade everybody else once it is achieved. Is genius really the same thing as great wisdom? Or even some very special clarity of foresight? Surely, mere inventiveness is a by- product of time and place? Has anybody in history actually produced "alien technology" out of nothing? They may have produced imaginative drawings but they never made the jump forwards into future technologies while still in their own time. Why do we not place great value and make legends of those who have had the most benefit for humanity? We measure men by the number of deaths they have caused for our team leader's advancement in the race for individual power and wealth above all others. What value has another billion dollars when one cannot spend the first ten on anything of intrinsic value? We merely loan that which we buy for the duration of our ownership. Unless we destroy it with our own hands. Can you imagine the gnawing emptiness of owning a vast home full of trinkets and daubs? Do they imagine they have succeeded at maximising their strictly allotted time? Do they still pine for the next daub and trinket? Like island natives. Bought by and parading up and down. In their bright, new, plastic beads. Pretending self-importance. Like wide-eyed children at a birthday party. Making themselves sick on cake and chocolate and cream. |
#18
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The greatest genius who ever lived?
T.T.:
I am one of the pedants who believe that the word "genius" refers to people who have an inner drive, over which they have limited control, to produce great things. Of these, few can match Mozart. He has said that at times the music wrote itself and that he did little to alter it. Other composers, such as Beethoven, wrote more powerful and more emotional music, but they wrote and re-wrote and polished and edited. There must be a better word than "genius" to describe them and I would like to hear what it is. I believe that Bach was a far greater genius than Mozart--when I'm listening to Bach. When I'm listening to Mozart I believe that Mozart was a far greater genius than Bach. I'm glad I don't have to choose between them, but I can easily choose the pair of them above all other composers. A musicologist speaking on Michael Lawrence's two-DVD documentary "Bach and Friends" said that he didn't think that Bach composed in the way that others did. He realized the music, played it, and wrote it down later, the man asserted. Please see http://mlfilms.com. The site also has a tribute to Steve Jobs, whose contribution, first to music composers, producers, and performers through Macintosh computers, then to the accessibility of music through iTunes, the iPod, and other iOS devices, has also had a huge impact on the world. Davoud -- I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that you will say in your entire life. usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm |
#19
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The greatest genius who ever lived?
On Oct 7, 9:59*pm, Chris L Peterson wrote:
On Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:04:18 -0500, Rich wrote: There are thousands of people alive today as intelligent as any of these. Genius is common... what isn't so common is the confluence of conditions, events, and outright luck that lead to one specific smart person being in the right place at the right time with the right idea to produce something that is remembered as a first. What you say is very true. However, there are a few that have been in the right place at the right time with the right idea several times. Einstein and Newton both stand out in this category. My lack of knowledge omits others. http://www.richardfisher.com |
#20
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The greatest genius who ever lived?
On Oct 6, 7:04 pm, Rich wrote:
P.A.M. Dirac? Albert Einstein? Johann Wolfgang von Goethe? Steven Hawking? Ludwig Van Beethoven? Leonardo DaVinci? Michaelangelo Buonarotti? Bill Gates ... must come in 2nd. He donated two computers to our library. Ken |
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