Words From The Wise

[imp3ratrix]

Where there is no common power, there is no law, where no law, no injustice. Force, and fraud, are in war the cardinal virtues.

~ Thomas Hobbes

Leviathan; Chapter 13

Comments

[scubascissors.livejournal.com]

I remember reading the leviathan my first year of college and being slightly confused, but thoroughly captivated with the whole field of philosophy, because it seemed so different from my own. It probably isn't, but I thought it was then, at least.

[imp3ratrix.livejournal.com]

Leviathan is certainly a rewarding read, or maybe I think so because I'm a realist and agree with Hobbes' views on human nature. :P

Did you study it from a political or a philosophical perspective?

[scubascissors.livejournal.com]

Oh sorry, I didn't study it - I just read it for fun. I'm an engineering student, but my best friend mentioned that had a nightmare about it, so I read it. Sorry XD

I remember agreeing with many of his premises, but not entirely all of the conclusions he derived from them - I'd have to look at it again to be more specific though. I never really had the brains for philosophy, but always wished I did >_<;;

[imp3ratrix.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's awesome. I originally read it for fun also, as my politics classes just glazed over social contract theory and not much else. Morgenthau was who we generally studied as far as realist politics go.

I know quite a lot of liberals reject his position that the sovereign must maintain total control and authority under the social contract, absent of any separation of powers, and that miscarriages of justice are to be expected and tolerated as the price paid for greater peace (though unilateral rebellion is allowed under conditions of extreme injustice). Not sure where you lie on the political spectrum though. XD

Engineering's awesome in itself; you should be proud! I wish I had more patience for math, so then I could better appreciate numbers and physics beyond mere theory.

[scubascissors.livejournal.com]

Oh, well I do love engineering, it just makes me a terrible conversationalist.

OH YEAH! I do remember that point about absolute sovereign rule. As for where I stand politically...I stand wherever logical reasoning will take me. This is why basically everyone hates talking to me, but I really have no strong personal beliefs, so I am willing to entertain any idea so long as it is logically sound. I broadly consider myself some form of socialist because it seems to reasonably accommodate both the needs of the individual and the needs of the collective - I only wish there were more data from politically stable socialist countries that weren't cold and dark all year. I never know what to attribute the high suicide rates to (...a highly unfortunate and disturbing trend among socialist countries XDD)

If you were referring to the American parties...IDEK. I'm not entirely fond of the bipartisan system, because it seems to result in our parties being very close, politically, since both are forced to tend towards the center.

...Wait. Is talking about politics taboo on the internet? Man, I should learn to shut up and go back to programming or something XD