Politics

. . . and similar manipulative spin and mob-ocracy games masquerading as truth, news, knowledge/education, etc now clearly needs to be confronted — if we are to think straight and act soundly in good time to avoid going over the cliff as a civilisation: The Parable of Plato’s Cave (and the linked idea of the Overton Window): vid: [youtube d2afuTvUzBQ] . . . has much to teach us in a media-dominated age where manipulators keep trying to push/pull our window of acceptability through deceit, poison, accusation, polarising and more. Especially if we ask ourselves: how does the shadow show come to be, and how is a community so manipulated that it loses contact with objective reality? Acts 27 gives us Read More ›

Today is the 44th annual March for Life, which is being live-streamed in several locations. Let us host it here, for UD (following up from a discussion of three marches in Washington DC, here)  . . . this stream will go “live” later this morning. I note due to heightened security concerns, Airport type screening will be used for those seeking to march — the contrast with the last two marches in the same city is telling: [UPDATE — post-march video, this is an historic event] MRC two minute summary showing the crowds, civility and messages that are not in the major media: [youtube SMf10C3g54I] ADDED, HT BA77: The flow of the march — [youtube -EPZ8gMdoJc] US VP Mike Pence’s Read More ›

The Inauguration of Mr Trump as US President has led to a telling contrast of three marches: The media have given splash coverage to the second march, and had to at least report on the first. Tellingly, predictably, the third — an annual march in defense of life — will receive little coverage, and that will be overwhelmingly hostile. (Notice this street level video of the second march — and no I am not endorsing Mr Jones et al or agreeing with much of what he says. But, his interaction documents the mindset of the marchers all too tellingly. Forgive the coarse slang reference in the video’s title, it is a measure of where our civilisation has reached — yes, Read More ›

From the editors of Nature: The article by Mark Lilla, a researcher at Columbia University in New York City who specializes in the history of Western intellectual, political and religious thought, called for an end to what he described as an overemphasis by liberals on racial, gender and sexual identity politics. He believes that this focus distracts from core fundamental concepts of democracy and so weakens social cohesion and civic responsibility. In short, he asserted that many progressives live in bubbles; that they are educationally programmed to be attuned to diversity issues, yet have “shockingly little to say” about political and democratic fundamentals such as class, economics, war and policy issues affecting the common good. Of direct relevance to the Read More ›

Overnight, his brother and successor Raul announced the death of the former longest serving non-royal head of a state. While we must condole with those who mourn, we must also recognise his very mixed legacy, as a Communist dictator leading a state that — per fair comment — has been very un-free and hampered in its development. Be that as it may, we must recognise this is the death of a former national leader and widely respected statesman. One, who will be mourned not just by family and friends or countrymen, but far and wide across the world. The development also comes at a pivotal time, when the USA is undergoing its own leadership transition after a very polarised election, Read More ›

. . . and of course, the long subversive march through the institutions that dominate culture. As in, we need to understand some of why a self-falsifying and inherently amoral ideology of evolutionary materialistic scientism has so much traction in our day, and why so many bizarre agendas are being pushed so hard by the narrative shapers, manipulators and spin doctors working in the information battle-space, to what effect. Let us never forget that if we are led to judge the true and straight by the false and crooked, we will unavoidably end up in conflict with reality; to our detriment. (And yes, this follows up on the current Wikileaks revelations about the long term manipulation of the public through Read More ›

This issue is directly relevant to the ID controversy, but also to much more of what has gone wrong with our civilisation and the utter, stark peril we now face because we ignored warning signs for decades: This has to be decoded a bit, as it is of course in the usual context of our being concerned over sawdust in the other fellow’s eyes while there is a plank in our own.  In an overnight comment, I gave a few clues: >> –> Ask yourself, are ALL the moneybags on one side? (E.g. Koch vs Soros. [And no, I am not endorsing or opposing any parties or individuals, I am pointing out balancing facts given the known tendencies of pundits Read More ›

” . . . you would be in jail.” Clip: [youtube qwe34MIYYEk] (To make certainty on non endorsement etc clear, snip. KF) The pivotal issue relevant to UD here, is not whether either major candidate is of any great promise ([again to be utterly clear, snip. KF]), but instead, the revelation of utter media bias and manipulation. The issue, then becomes, how do we stand against the tide of a civilisational march of folly, complete with agit prop agendas dressed up in lab coats? How does this speak to preserving a modicum of sanity and respect for facts and logic in discussion of serious issues; often in the face of all sorts of agit prop or trollish distractions, with the Read More ›

Video: [youtube ke_OgE_V6tQ] (Please understand this i/l/o the context of complacency, attack and the lesson of Jan Sobieski. Ask yourself, in your heart is our civilisation worth fighting for given the likely alternatives (or, does it deserve to die . . . or be utterly “transformed”), and why or why not?) Ponder, our geostrategic challenges, and how our underlying worldviews . . . whether or not dressed up in a lab coat . . . and deep-rooted perceptions shape how we act, whilst geostrategic realities (and some pretty ruthless operators out there) shape consequences: Where do we go from here? What is the likely consequence? END

I briefly discuss here. Notice the 100-year global subjugation map I first found online on an IslamIST site on the following day: And also, this sketch of history from the 630’s on (i.e. the last IslamIST 100-year expansion): Sky News coverage on that fateful following day: [youtube fswg0uEbzC0] Note, too, this outline of global geostrategic challenges c 2016: (Relevance to our time, fifteen years later, should not be under-estimated. We need to ask ourselves some sobering questions and look at questions on straight and sound thinking and response to a media ever more blatantly driven by spin in service to various agendas.) END PS: Nor, should we overlook the relevance of the Benghazi attacks on Sept 11, 2012 [cf article Read More ›

In a current thread that is nominally on the latest allegedly earth-like exoplanet, predictably that is where distractors will come up on things like: >>[RVB8, 21:] “800 million (unusual figure) unborn aborted fetuses. Perhaps this is true, it’s certainly true abortions have occured, and probably happen at a faster rate now becuse of the ‘day after’ pill.”>> Of course, equally predictably, this sort of talking point did not crop up in the many threads where I have repeatedly outlined exactly how this estimate was put together. (Such are the now all too predictable patterns of objections and dismissals we see at UD and in the penumbra of attack sites. More on that in the PS.) I answered in a following Read More ›

In the Induction thread, we have continued to explore inductive logic, science and ID vs Evolutionary Materialism. Among the key points raised (with the help of Hilary Putnam)  is the issue that while Popper sees himself as opposed to induction, it is arguable that instead he has actually (against his intent) brought it back in once we reckon with the need for trusted theories to be used in practical contexts, and once we explore the implications of corroboration and success “so far” with “severe testing.” As comment 48 observed: >> . . . Hilary Putnam [notes, in an article on the Corroboration of theories], regarding Popper’s corroboration and inductive reasoning: . . . most readers of Popper read his account Read More ›

In the current VJT thread on 31 scientists who did not follow methodological naturalism, it has been noteworthy that objectors have studiously avoided addressing the basic warrant for the design inference.  Since this is absolutely pivotal but seems to be widely misunderstood or even dismissed without good reason, it seems useful to summarise this for consideration. This having been done at comment 170 in the thread, it seems further useful to headline it and invite discussion: _________________ >>F/N: It seems advisable to again go back to basics, here, inductive reasoning and why it has significance in scientific work; which then has implications for the design inference. A good point to begin is IEP in its article on induction and deduction Read More ›

. . . including, regarding major trends of our civilisation vis a vis the IslamISTS, also as a civilisation, we face “seven mountains of influence” issues. Drudge headline: The initial fall of the Pound off the cliff on the announcement from Sunderland that was the first clear indicator of which way the referendum would go: Sky News live: [youtube y60wDzZt8yg] Key initial impacts: UK Prime Minister, David Cameron has resigned, staying on as a three-month caretaker Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson (leader of the Brexit campaign) is tipped a likely successor A 2 – 4 year estimated Lisbon Article 50 leave process is likely to begin under Cameron’s successor. The Governor of the Bank of England has promised liquidity Read More ›

Initial thoughts, here. (It looks like WP servers are giving traffic troubles, so a try to get through.) END