Good question. Your previous post inspired me because I have heard many
professional philosophers have argued that their value to society is because
their learning and teaching, somehow serves the greater good. Mechanical
Engineering surely does serve the good of society when it is harnessed,
idealistically or philosophically, interesting and valuable goals.
Extropianism and Transhumanism seem to seek a greater good. Human empowerment
and the need to transcend warfare and death and disease appear to be laudable
goals. Keep up the good work!
Mitch
In a message dated 12/23/2000 1:37:21 PM Eastern Standard Time,
neptune@mars.superlink.net writes:
<< I don't understand how my article inspired those questions, but...
Does mechanical engineering "owe anything, as a discipline, to promote the
greater good?" I'm not trying to be sarcastic, but just to show that
philosophy can be considered just as mechanical engineering, as a discipline
or a body of knowledge. In either case, people use them for good or ill.
Philosophies vary a lot too. One shouldn't assume that all of them are
equal or as useful or as valid. In this vein, it's my belief that
philosophy's purpose, against which it can't be measured, is to help
individuals to live life. So in a sense, it should be for the good, though
there is a lot of difference between different people and different
philosophical systems over what is good.
Cheers!
Daniel Ust
http://uweb.superlink.net/neptune/
My "Rand the Libertarian," published in the current issue of _The Thought_,
is now up viewable on the web at:
http://uweb.superlink.net/neptune/RandLib.html >>
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