tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post114382840297857376..comments2023-10-10T08:02:18.073-04:00Comments on Rationally Speaking: Much ado about nothingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-1143905974233833872006-04-01T10:39:00.000-05:002006-04-01T10:39:00.000-05:00There is nothing more attractive and inspiring on ...There is nothing more attractive and inspiring on related matters, be it science, philosophy or religion, than someone who LOVES what they do and does it with the most intentional of convictions. So I'd have to agree with 9/10s of your commentary, M. I just have no idea where on the earth you think women are better off than in the western world. <BR/><BR/>In the soviet countries, women are often well educated and usually work, but the rates of alcoholism (especially among men folk) are very high. <BR/><BR/>Asian countries? Maybe, depending on a few variables. But on the matter of variables, just about the same is true here. Except that we have “reproductive rights”, many areas of Asia do not.<BR/><BR/>Possibly some of the Scandinavian countries? There again, I think one gains certain things in one regard in those people groups, and loses other freedoms. (you know, inside of socialism it's at least equal opportunity slavery for everyone :)<BR/><BR/>calAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-1143835643548287612006-03-31T15:07:00.000-05:002006-03-31T15:07:00.000-05:00To "me": all kidding about what MP does or does no...To "me": all kidding about what MP does or does not want aside, what you suggest isn't too far from the truth, anyway. I've completely lost track of the number of mind-numbingly boring colloquia that I've attended, both pre- and post-doctorate, and only extremely rarely were the speakers anything less than ecstatic (or at least enthusiastic) about their work. Academia is, for the most part, an excercise in applied hope: we pay people to follow research interests, but only if they go down an untraveled path, and we hope that--out of the countless new papers, dissertations, studies, and reports that result--there might be one, two, or even a few useful notions. But we're fooling ourselves if we really believe that the <I>bulk</I> of that work is really interesting to a wider audience, much less useful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-1143832886594172252006-03-31T14:21:00.000-05:002006-03-31T14:21:00.000-05:00So, you would be pleased if these scientists and p...So, you would be pleased if these scientists and philosophers started their talks out with:<BR/><BR/>"I doubt this will be of any interest to you, or anyone other than a few of my colleagues, but it fascinates me. Thanks for coming!"Derek (formerly 'me')https://www.blogger.com/profile/01993249375321760846noreply@blogger.com