Theos-Talk Archives (December 2002 Message tt00258)

Hi everyone,

Yesterday on the way into work (late due to the ice storm) I heard 
two philosophers on NPR's morning talk show discussing the theories 
of John Rawls who died this week. The most important political 
philosopher of the 20th century, they called him. And focused on his 
operational definition of a just society. This relies on what he 
called the "veil of ignorance." Meaning, you can do a thought 
experiment in which you pretend that you do not know your own 
position in society; then from that perspective and only thence can 
you define the rules that characterize a just society. (Any 
reasoning that takes into account our own personal situation in 
society is going to be skewed by self-interest.)

Thinking this morning about Terrie's post, I envisioned a thought 
experiment. She wrote:
--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "thalprin" <thalprin@y...> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Truth is, there certainly are "unknown super beings" on the other 
> hand you will never meet these folks unless and/or until your own 
> consciousness warrants (it) their interests. 
> 

Experiment: envision two authors. Author A knows from personal 
experience for a certainty that "unknown super beings" exist, having 
met them and warranted their interest. Author B is spiritually 
blind, totally incapable of warranting their interest or meeting them.
Both are given the same assignment: using the standards of evidence 
and reason acceptable to a university press, examine all the 
descriptions of Masters by Blavatsky and associates, juxtapose them 
with available information about her known and probable mentors and 
sponsors, and explain the relationship between said descriptions and 
information. Thought experiment: how would their results differ?

> So, as a matter of "their" existence, for many folks these 
questions 
> are just likely to remain a quandary and/or are likely to seem a 
> mysterious thang to imagine.
> 
Point of clarification: the existence of such beings isn't the "myth" 
I refer to, but rather the stories told about them. Another thought 
experiment. A: such beings exist. B: such beings are imaginary. 
Task: examine the stories people tell about such beings and determine 
whether or not these stories have the characteristics of myth. Does 
the result of this task tell us anything one way or the other about 
the existence of such beings? Or only about people and their stories?

Cheers,

Paul


> Have a BEAUTIFUL day,
> Terrie