Hello

[Cheimison]

Hi there, Cheimison here. I'm a self-employed philosopher of a the neo-Aristotelian school. Aside from Aristotle, the ideas that have been most useful to me are egoism (http://www.alamut.com/subj/the_self/misc/egoism.html) and agorism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agorism). I also find economic science (http://mises.org/etexts/austrian.asp) is extremely useful in interpreting the world at large. Some of my other interests include critical examination of popular history (http://www.rooseveltmyth.com/docs/The_Revolution_Was.html), evolutionary biology (http://www.rationalrevolution.net/articles/understanding_evolution.htm) and quantum electro-dynamics (http://vega.org.uk/video/subseries/8).

[shtmag]

Welcome to RA Cheimison. Just by reading your posts I had a feeling you were an anarchist. I have never read much about agorist philosophy. Hell, down here in OK we are lucky to get any science at all. Much less any type of philosophy. Looking forward to some enlightenment.

[crest]

Quantum electrodynamics! We're gonna get along just fine, Cheimison.

[Professor Chaos]

Welcome!

[Eva]

welcome to our humble forum, cheimison!

[1seekstruth]

Hi there, Cheimison here. I'm a self-employed philosopher of a the neo-Aristotelian school. Aside from Aristotle, the ideas that have been most useful to me are egoism (http://www.alamut.com/subj/the_self/misc/egoism.html) and agorism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agorism). I also find economic science (http://mises.org/etexts/austrian.asp) is extremely useful in interpreting the world at large. Some of my other interests include critical examination of popular history (http://www.rooseveltmyth.com/docs/The_Revolution_Was.html), evolutionary biology (http://www.rationalrevolution.net/articles/understanding_evolution.htm) and quantum electro-dynamics (http://vega.org.uk/video/subseries/8).

Hi! I'm an unemployed student of a public high school. Ideas that have been most useful to me are those that express the deliciousness of resees candy, and ideas expressed in songs by Weird Al Yankovic. I also find that sitcoms are extremely useful in helping me interpret the world at large. Some of my other interests include friends, make-up, animals, and boys....

In all seriousness welcome to RavingAtheists! I'm sure you'll find it to be a lot of fun. :)

[Cheimison]

Quantum electrodynamics! We're gonna get along just fine, Cheimison.
My first real intellectual interest was in science, primarily in high energy particle physics and astrophysics. However I don't have a lot of mathematical talent, and even less mathematical schooling. I have since went into philosophy and economics, since that's where analytic talent and interest went, but I still maintain a fascination with the ideas of physics. I'm lucky to do Relativity problems with a calculator and a manual, though.

[skribb]

Agorism sounds interesting. How is health care treated in an agoristic society? And education?

[Cheimison]

Agorism sounds interesting. How is health care treated in an agoristic society? And education?
People attain these things by free association, by any arrangements which are agreeable to its members. Agora means 'open market' in Greek. I am in favor of legitimately gained private property and complete freedom of its use, including your person, in any way that does not interfere with the physical integrity of someone else's property. I believe that most of the modern problems, including the vast influence of modern fascistic corporations, is due to the existence and activities of the State. Agorism is a form of revolutionary, radical libertarianism.

[crest]

My first real intellectual interest was in science, primarily in high energy particle physics and astrophysics. However I don't have a lot of mathematical talent, and even less mathematical schooling.

I know exactly what you mean. I'm essentially over halfway through my training to become a mathematical physicist; but there isn't a day I scorn my own abilities in the maths sector. I've got where I am today in mathematics with a whole load of graft and now multiple years of frustration. Some just seem to get it and see relationships before the rest. Hopefully, I will not be in the rest for much longer.

[Single Serving Jack]

Hello to Chemision and crest also - now I know where to go when I get stuck on my OU science courses :D

[skribb]

Do tell if you wish me to start a separate thread for this;
Have you seen the abuse and mistreatment sick people get from privately owned hospitals?

I really am at an infant level when it comes to philosophical politics (or political philosophy, whichever you prefer). I've always been interested in politics because I want to know which is the best political system to apply on a society, nevermind the whole world. I think I'll read up on agorism!

[Cheimison]

Have you seen the abuse and mistreatment sick people get from privately owned hospitals?There are a few ways to answer this from an agorist perspective.

1. The present market is anything but free, and it is hard to define how many companies can be considered private, considering that they are regulated and taxed and that - furthermore - many businesses use state power to advance their positions and protect themselves from competition. Both the 'conservative' pro-market and 'liberal' anti-market rhetoric completely miss the point that what we have, and have had for over a century, is Mercantalism or Fascism. Thus it is inappropriate to either criticize or defend the existing economic order and treat it as a criticism of the free market.

2. Economic logic and Pareto-superior criteria both seem to lead to me the conclusion that no matter how bad society is, the State is always worse. How can one imagine that these so-called 'private' hospitals are bad, yet when the government gets involved things are going to be better. Remember, 'government' is nothing but individual human beings acting in their self-interest (however they perceive that). Government agents are people who receive all their power and wealth from robbery and control, who are essentially exempt from personal responsibility and accountability, who need not produce in order to consume, and whose job depends not on innovation but upon conformity and support of this network which creates their job and the job of their fellow bureaucrats. How is this remotely likely to attract or promote better people than individual freedom?

3. How much do you actually know about free markets, and how much of it have you just heard? Just because something sounds or looks plausible does not mean it is true, I think you will find that, upon deeper analysis, most 'problems' are caused or exacerbated by State intervention and that further intervention either makes it worse or causes entirely new problems. Writing, money, grain and medicine were all developed by the free market. What has the government got, 300,000,000 non-combat deaths in the 20th Century? The state is not defensible on either historical, economic or philosophical grounds. It is simply the old Crown-And-Altar routine from Egypt and Anatolia, Rome and Assyria; they give us dogma and gods, use their priests to spread it, but the fact is they got their position from war and conquest and when they told us they were benevolent we were stupid enough to believe them. Of course, if you didn't believe them, they just cut your legs off.

[PhilOchsLives]

Shit. Welcome, smart dude.

[Professor Chaos]

What awful misguided conclusions to draw...

[Kate]

But is he using crayons?

[skribb]

What awful misguided conclusions to draw...
Who? What? Where?