The trouble with philosophical abstraction is that it tries to create a space separated from the world. The metaphor of the slippery slope, for example, has become almost literal. That’s why it is often effective. Who wants to slide down a slippery slope? What is unstated but operative is that this metaphor encourages the reader/hearer to assume – without question – that there exists a place that is not slippery, where one cannot slide or fall. In our complex world…
In answer to NOW’s Question of the Week: Do you read blogs? Tell us if blogs change your views on political issues. Blogs are of many kinds: scrapbooks, personal journals, advertising spaces, photo logs. Political blogs are only one form of the blog. The blogosphere is about freedom of expression – dittoheads, propaganda portals, soap boxes, fake identities, but also debate, discussion, original ideas, and scrapbooked information/evidence/argument. Some political blogs actually investigate and report news. Some are focused tightly on…
Interesting to see it from another point of view: this one from the front page of the leading Russian paper (and website) Pravda. The USA’s National Debt Clock can’t keep up with Bush’s spending – Pravda.Ru Front page / World / Americas 30.03.2006 The USA’s national debt is increasing by $2.43 billion everyday. People expect the state debt to top the ten trillion dollar mark in the next few years. A special huge electronic display in New York which shows…