From: hal@finney.org
Date: Wed Jun 27 2001 - 14:07:57 MDT
I haven't finished reading Greg's talk at
http://gregburch.net/progress.html. But it is fascinating to see how
recently the idea of progress as we know it has come into being.
I've begun reading Darwin Among the Machines, by George Dyson, which
was recommended here recently. The book opens discussing Thomas Hobbes,
a 17th century philosopher who played a major role in forging the modern
view towards science and culture.
Hobbes had a lot to say but one comment he made, perhaps in jest,
struct me as remarkably apropos. Dyson introduces it, "The eloquence
of his arguments wounded his critics deeply, whereas Hobbes suffered
only superficially from the charges of heresy and promises of eternal
hellfire pressed against him in response."
Hobbes wrote, to a friend, "In writing books just as in real life,
enemies are more useful than friends."
This is true today. It seems that every group needs an enemy in order
to retain its cohesiveness and motivate its members. Enemies further
call attention to one's arguments, raise disputes that keep an issue in
the open. The conflict will raise the profile of all parties. It will
sell books, gain attention.
In truth, enemies need each other.
Hal
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