"Authoritarianism and Realism"
To: egoism@topica.com Subject: more nominalist stuff From: "David G. McDivitt" <dmcdivitt@yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 13:22:36 -0600
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11090c.htm
http://mb-soft.com/believe/txn/nominali.htm
http://www.encyclopedia.com/printablenew/09316.html
On this list three years ago I debated Jim <AntiUtopia@AOL.COM>, the ontologist, and the classical view of knowledge described by him which begins with ontology, goes to epistemology, and ends with semantics. What he said made no sense to me. Jim's intransigence with regard to realism or "what is real", and the continued return by him to subtle authoritarianism did much for my intellectual development. Ever since that time I have sought out ideas regarding identity, objectification, and reality.
Today I must say there is no essential foundation at all to being human, being alive, or being me. There is no reason to it. There is no purpose to it. There is nothing to find. We exist in a world of definitions, ideas, and concepts. Important is what we each individually value, and not what is real, for reality statements are veiled authoritarianism so often, whatever utilitarian aspect there is to realism is thoroughly discounted through abuse.
A person must be satisfied there is no ultimate definition to anything. Whereas knowledge is based solely on what choices we make, and what valuations, it must be understood the many metaphysical models we have are an expression of that same choice. Let us therefore enjoy choice, our own choice, and not necessarily worship the knowledge of other men, for such is what their choices were at that time.