tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28912962023-06-21T00:33:13.901-04:00Matus - philosophy.science.politicsstudent of philosophy, science, skepticism, politics. Libertarian*, Physicist, Inventor, Eudaimonist, Extropian
www.matus1976.comMatus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comBlogger240125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-51237704878872572592007-06-15T11:40:00.001-04:002007-06-15T11:40:42.547-04:00"Liberty and Freedom, you can make a distinction between them. Liberty perhaps being political rights, freedom; not being enslaved. The ancient Athenian had only one word "Eleuthera" …and to him it was the noblest and defining character of his nation. To be free." – J. Rufus Fears – “The History of Freedom” Lecture series.Pop culture is often a reflection of predominant philosophical themes.Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-58724571889136617972007-05-29T16:58:00.001-04:002007-05-29T16:58:34.045-04:00Rand on Relationships without Sacrifice"I want nothing from you except what you wish to give me. I want you to come to me seeking nothing but your own enjoyment. To know that the joy you give me is paid for by the joy you get from me – not by your suffering or mine. I don't accept sacrifices and I don't make them. If you asked me for more than you meant to me, I would refuse. If ever the pleasure of one has to be bought by the Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-75549627805055025362007-03-21T10:57:00.001-04:002007-03-21T10:57:38.084-04:00They pretend an object is not what it really is.In the hopes it will not be that which it always is.Imagination, it seems to them, is meant to be absurd.They use a gun instead of reason to make their voices heard. They won't come to ever see how their morals shape reality, the only end they care to see is violent: forced equality. They pretend your mind is something that belongs to them.It's onlyMatus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-6928524957877550002007-03-07T17:50:00.001-05:002007-03-07T17:50:50.276-05:0050,000 galaxies, killer asteroids, and beat againSome quick news itemsSomebody beat me to it =( Still, mine will be better, but too slow on the draw again...http://i.n.com.com/i/ne/p/2007/34monotracer550x365.jpgCheck out this amazing Hubble image, 50,000 galaxies, be sure to load the zoomed version and explore the galaxies, 50,000 of them!http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2007/06/Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-26223259005499256472007-02-21T10:28:00.001-05:002007-02-21T10:28:58.970-05:00Check out my updated essay "Humanity Needs an Insurance Policy" on AssociatedContent.comHumanity Needs an Insurance PolicyIs Self Destruction from the Rapid Growth of Technology the Answer to the Fermi Paradox?http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/137048/humanity_needs_an_insurance_policy.htmlMatus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1151457247347260652006-06-27T21:13:00.000-04:002006-06-27T21:14:07.363-04:00Here in south eastern CT, one of the most heavily traveled corridors of the nation sitting squarely between Boston and NYC, a battle is being waged between rational progress and environmentalist paranoia. In the early 70’s a highway was constructed which connected route 2 near Hartford, the capital of CT and major business center, with south eastern CT. Before that the highway route required Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1149733176881728492006-06-07T22:19:00.000-04:002006-06-07T22:20:20.880-04:00Nuclear Power vs Coal PowerMany people consider Uranium and subsequently nuclear power to be worse, over all, than coal or other fossil fuels. They claim, for various reasons, including mining, refining, storage, and disposal; that nuclear power is worse than coal, but the reality is that in all areas Uranium and Fission power far outshine coal power. Lets take a quick look at the Energy DensityMatus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1147387272405854222006-05-11T18:38:00.000-04:002006-05-11T18:41:40.976-04:00Communism and Moral AmbiguityMost people react with vile disdain when they see a Nazi flag, and rightly so. Nazism has killed 20 million people, an estimated 6 million Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and physically deformed people intentionally in prison camps. However, how many people share the same disdain for Communism? Even though it has killed almost ten times as many people as Nazism did, it Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1147387079741728552006-05-11T18:37:00.000-04:002006-05-11T18:37:59.743-04:00On Different kinds of FreedomIn a conversation with an Anarchist I was told the following:“Just because someone is taking the free will of others, doesn't mean, in my opinion, that I have the right to take their free will (life).”And “The use of force to stop oppression is the same thing as the use of force to oppress. It is the will taking of another person's will through sheer force.”Freedom Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1147386934474326472006-05-11T18:32:00.000-04:002006-05-11T18:36:34.413-04:00Life, Death, Obligation and ObfuscationI am a strong advocate of productive value affirming behavior. I frequently have discussions with Objectivists and Extropians holding them accountable to their own professed highest value, that of their own life. Most professed life loving secularists are content to sit idly by while they age, wither, and eventually die. They deride cryogenic preservationMatus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1146108943226245512006-04-26T23:35:00.000-04:002006-04-26T23:35:43.240-04:00The Week and I on dogs, security, and emotionshttp://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog&pop=1&indicate=1One of my favorite news magazines is “the Week” which does a great job of presenting many sides of issues rationally and objectively, I have a real hard time finding any bias in it. I highly recommend this publication. Here are some notes from a recent issue.From “The Week” March 10 Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1146007071746804982006-04-25T19:17:00.000-04:002006-04-25T19:17:51.763-04:00This weekend I saw a performance of the musical Chicago at the university my friend is attending. I had not yet seen this story on stage or in film, and was not overly familiar with it beyond having to do with some dancers and murder. The performance I saw was very enjoyable as far as productions by college students go, and a good friend of mine had a major role in it. Overall the cast did a Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1136407599514640552006-01-04T15:45:00.000-05:002006-01-04T15:46:39.526-05:00The Rape of Nanking I just recently completed Iris Chang’s book ‘The Rape of Nanking’ This alarming title does not do justice to the true horrors of this event, and no collected works ever could. Iris first heard stories about Nanking when she was growing up, her parents told terrible stories of horrific events full of torture, rape, and murder. When she started going to school she tried to Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1130474100868163542005-10-28T00:34:00.000-04:002005-10-28T00:35:00.883-04:00Are you Proud of your race?In a forum I frequent a poster stated that she was proud of her race. I would ask why are you proud of your race? Now it is important to emphasize the correct word here, I am not asking why she is proud of *her* race, or proud of her *race*, but why she is *proud* of her race. One should not attach any special significance to their race because that, in itself, is a Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1129612916902492322005-10-18T01:20:00.000-04:002005-10-18T01:21:56.910-04:00This post was written to VietPundit, a Vietnamese American who writes a popular blog. Someone accused him of being a 'chickenhawk' and this was my response to him.Vietpundit,First let me thank you sincerely for taking the time to create and maintain this blog, America is severely lacking in voices which tell a more accurate story of the Vietnam War. As an <30 year old American, I was not around Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1112676031165362542005-04-05T00:39:00.000-04:002005-04-05T00:40:31.170-04:00April 30th, 2005 marks the 30th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, and the start of the brutal oppression of the 100 million people who have lived and are living in Vietnam. Even as an atheist and a libertarian I never the less applaud US President George W. Bush and his administration for demonstrating their resolve in the just cause of supporting freedom and liberal democracy in the world. I Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1075280626079353492004-01-28T04:03:00.000-05:002004-01-28T04:05:54.590-05:00Caroline said - "I can't wait till the day someone figures out a social ideology that can be applied to and benefited by everyone on this planet. I mean, it should be universally divine and scalar to a technologically advanced nation such as Japan, to an extremely complex and non-heterogenous nation such as America, and to the indigenous tribes of the Amazon--ALL THE SAME, without bending the Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1074070045051545922004-01-14T03:47:00.000-05:002004-01-14T03:49:14.450-05:00Values in pursuit of Happiness
By Michael Dickey
V 1.0
Aristotle teaches us, and common sense would dictate that our ultimate goal in life is happiness. Most of what we do is done for the sake of happiness, but there is nothing else for its sake we choose happiness. Be it seeking a particular career, learning to play an instrument, or simply going down to the store to buy some milk.
Who we Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1074069998622467902004-01-14T03:46:00.000-05:002004-01-14T03:48:28.030-05:00Values in pursuit of Happiness
By Michael Dickey
V 1.0
Aristotle teaches us, and common sense would dictate that our ultimate goal in life is happiness. Most of what we do is done for the sake of happiness, but there is nothing else for its sake we choose happiness. Be it seeking a particular career, learning to play an instrument, or simply going down to the store to buy some milk.
Who we Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1074024474589173292004-01-13T15:07:00.000-05:002004-01-13T15:09:43.860-05:00> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-
> bounces@lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Paul Grant
> > The Palestinians, having been deprived of statehood by force, are not
> > and cannot be a "high contracting party".
> >
>
> When did the Palestinians ever have a state to begin with? Egypt nor
> any other Arab country didn't see fit to give Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1073961034817713092004-01-12T21:30:00.000-05:002004-01-12T21:32:22.796-05:00> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-
> bounces@lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Major
>
>
> The Palestinians, having been deprived of statehood by force, are not
> and cannot be a "high contracting party".
>
When did the Palestinians ever have a state to begin with? Egypt nor any other Arab country didn’t see fit to give em one.
Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1073773487875038932004-01-10T17:24:00.002-05:002004-01-10T17:26:33.090-05:00http://www.frontpagemag.com/articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=3735
Environmental Pol Pots
By Walter Williams
FrontPageMagazine.com | October 9, 2002
Activists in the environmentalist movement have a callous disregard for people. You say: "What do you mean, Williams? We can't think of a more caring people." First, I'm not talking about sensible people who're concerned about clean air and water. I'm Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1073773457895287362004-01-10T17:24:00.001-05:002004-01-10T17:26:03.106-05:00This is one of the most superb sites I have found on the web detailing ideals similar to those shared by many members of this mailing list. I highly recommend checking it out if you are not all ready familiar with it.
Michael
--------------
Atheism and Politics pages of Mark Humphrys
Pro-free private life: Atheist. Pro-science. Pro-reason. Pro-free speech. Pro-liberal democracy.
Pro-freeMatus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1073773442448979432004-01-10T17:24:00.000-05:002004-01-10T17:25:47.670-05:00These guys have crashed some of the recent peace protest and infiltrated ANSWER. They have a good number of photos and videos from the experience, definitely worth a look to those pro-freedom and pro-reason.
Michael
From www.protestwarrior.com
"War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelings which thinks that nothing is worth Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2891296.post-1073687294843691632004-01-09T17:28:00.000-05:002004-01-09T17:29:58.716-05:00> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-
> bounces@lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Harvey Newstrom
>
> Michael Dickey wrote,
> > My statement that sometimes war may be extropic is a strong
> > assertion? How so? Seems like that absolute that war is
> > *always* anti-extropic is the strong assertion, since it
> > requires not only a clear Matus1976http://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780798095753561noreply@blogger.com