Sunday, November 17, 2002

Worldview and Ethics Donivan Bessinger, MD writes: A shared "world view" is critical to the development of a consensus on a unifying ethical principle. Each of us has some particular view of external reality. That view expresses our perception of the world, and determines our description of it. Yet the German term Weltanshauung, commonly used in philosophical writing, carries an even broader connotation than do the words in English. Our Weltanshauung expresses also our reaction to our world, and our sense of involvement in it. Writing the term as one word emphasizes that broader concept. Historically of course there have been many worldviews, many different perceptions and interpretations of reality. Many worldviews have been constrictive, and have become fixed at the level of knowledge and description available in some specific historical context. Many of them still exist side by side in modern society, and that accounts in no small measure for our general ethical confusion. In speaking of a shared worldview, a "single cosmos in common", we are not asking for a consensus on matters of opinion or full agreement on the interpretation of current knowledge. That is not possible or even desirable. We seek only a shared consciousness, a common perception of reality. We seek a basic system of description, and a shared framework for understanding our individual experiences. Understanding that framework, we remain fully free to develop other levels of description and to experience our own involvement with our world. (11/17/02) Taking the Fifth Chris Floyd writes: Brays of teeth-baring triumph greeted the killing of a carload of suspected al-Qaeda operatives in Yemen by a remote-controlled CIA drone. (Yes, we know there's a remote-controlled CIA drone currently residing in the Oval Office, but this was a different one.) This adventure in extra-judicial, extra-territorial execution is only the beginning, excited security officials told an enthralled media. There was, of course, one little problem: the missile blast apparently left all the victims burned beyond recognition; even the identity of the primary target, an alleged bin Laden lieutenant, was disputed by witnesses. As for the other five men in the car -- including, apparently, an American citizen, although nobody knows for sure -- who cares? In fact, that was the general consensus all around. Either it was bin Laden's guys or it wasn't, either they were hardcore gangbangers or they weren't -- guilt or innocence is beside the point. The point is that Bush can now aim and fire his drones anywhere in the world he damn well pleases, and nothing -- certainly not law, or that stinking rag, the U.S. Constitution -- is going to stop him. There was also the final scene in the drawing-room comedy being played out in the UN, where Bush pretended to consult with the Security Council and Council members pretended they were acting to "prevent war and preserve the UN's credibility." Meanwhile, the Bush boys were backstage twisting arms and issuing threats over oil deals and debt servicing. The whole pantomime was merely a time-killer, something to do while the Generalissimo continues his massive build-up for the already-announced "optimum invasion window" of late December to mid-February. Finally, if that don't float your boat, try this: The Pentagon announced last week that it's building a computer system to give government spies and federal cops "instant access to electronic information from Internet mail and calling records to credit card and banking transactions and travel documents -- without a search warrant," the New York Times reports (italics added). This global eye will be aimed not only at international terrorists but also at the United States -- whose citizens will at last be stripped of their remaining rights to privacy. (11/17/02) 9:20:28 AM

© TrustMark 2002 Timothy Wilken. Last update: 12/3/2002; 8:09:16 AM. This theme is based on the SoundWaves (blue) Manila theme.