Reality Redefined
Reality is not something pre-existing that we must learn to deal with as best as possible. That would be inconvenient, and might impede our desires.
No, reality is whatever we define it to be.
St. Paul and I Agree...
Taxation is not theft: "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves." -- Romans 13 The key idea implicit here, and the one that turned me on the subject of whether or not taxation is theft, is that "every soul" owes obedience to the "governing authorities." Now, if that is a debt I truly owe , then, when those authorities levy the taxes they need to do the job of governing, I owe them those taxes, and attempts to collect them certainly do not constitute acts of theft. And obviously it doesn't matter at all, from this point of view, whether or not I "signed" any sort of "social contract." (In fact, the history of political thought since the Reformation can be read as an attempt to find a secular rep...
Gene, they're not talking about redefining reality, they're talking about redefining what they see as a socially constructed conception of femininity. Now you may think that that conception of femininity is grounded in reality, but it mischaracterizes their position to say that they reject the notion that reality is something pre-existing. They just have different beliefs about that pre-existing reality than you do.
ReplyDeleteNo.
DeleteUm, would you care to elaborate?
DeleteKeshav, feminists already think that femininity is grounded in reality. If feminists state otherwise, they are free to toss out paternity leave, sexual harassment laws, abortion 'rights', etc., since, if these things are not tied to biological reality, they must be social and therefore, according to their own views, arbitrary!
DeleteFeminism is just female narcissism. It isn't even good philosophy.
"If feminists state otherwise, they are free to toss out paternity leave, sexual harassment laws, abortion 'rights', etc., since, if these things are not tied to biological reality, they must be social and therefore, according to their own views, arbitrary!"
DeleteFlounder!
"Feminism is just female narcissism."
That's a stretch.
What's wrong with this ad is that if you thought women were always capable of serving in the navy, you would not have to "redefine" them?
ReplyDeleteUsing the word "redefine" implies they were never suited for it in the first place.
Prateek, the problem is that they are *not* suited for it - at least not as well as men. Do some research on problems with pregnancy, sexual harassment, deployability due to injuries and medical problems, sensitivity training, etc. As an example, the Marine Corps. just finished a two year study on women in combat units, and they found out what the Brits have known for twenty years; women are not suited for these roles.
DeleteIf they were more brutal in their assessment, they would have found that women aren't as suitable for the Navy, Army, Marine Corps, etc. as men. The research is out there - look it up.
Really, in all honesty, this isn't (or at least, shouldn't) be a big surprise.
"Using the word 'redefine' implies they were never suited for it in the first place."
DeleteAgreed.