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Logic in a World of Terror rss

Brief thoughts on logic, science, and policy in our post-9/11 world today.

November 30, 2004

9-11: A Memoir: The experience of Andrew on that tragic day three years ago.

Airport Security: Keeping Me Off Planes: Why Andrew is scared to ride planes, with all the security, and crap that people have to go through to get on planes.

Civil Liberties for Bin Laden?: Why you shouldn't give up Civil Liberties & Rights During Wartime.

Crisis Events and Freedom: Crisis events are the main threat to freedom in our country.

Dealing with the Bioterror Threat: Suggestions on how to address this problem through tapping community resources.

Free the Basic Reservoir: 9/11 closed a great resource for locals. Let's reopen it now.

More Thoughts on the PATRIOT Act and It's Sons: Andrew takes another look at the PATRIOT Act.

Poverty: The Root Cause of 9-11: Ending world poverty, will bring world peace.

Security Lies: When government promises security, they only promise lies.

She's Come Undone: Commentary on the PATRIOT Act and COINTELPRO.

Should We Support the Taliban?: A seditous article that argues for free speech and support of the Taliban.

Terrorism: Some thoughts on terrorism and our society.

Terrorism Strikes Deep: Two Months Later: A reflection of lost lives, enviromental destruction,lost civil liberties and a war.

Unfree America: America's lack of freedom in a coming of age, sucks.

Logic in a World of Terror

All should be logical in society in one way or another. Logic should not be limited solely to easily quantifable rational phenomon. It should embrace all parts of life, not only including humans but the environment around us. Logic when it is correctly used does not produce the truth, but only produces a truth that is limited in usefulness. Such a truth is only version of how things work. This truth is whatever you believe to be right. There are multiple forms of truth that surround us in our world.

Must of us agree that we live in a logical society or at least aspire to act in logical ways. We do things because they make sense and are the reasonable to do. Logic gives us technology and frameworks to understand our overly complex society, yet all too often it fails to be considered when needed most. Yet, feelings crowd out rational thought, replacing case studies and evidence with fear and paranoia.

It is hard to argue against logic, but it certainly is possble to downplay logical thought as being unsensitive and unfeeling. As they say, "so what if the numbers show that your never going to get into a terrorist attack—remember September 11th and those people jumping out of buildings". Your much more likely to die in a car fire caused by a distributor shorting out then a terrorist attack, but few have such fears.

We need to look beyond such fears and be realistic. We should not trust science or bureaucrats blindly, but we also should not trust our fears. With any policy choice, we must carefully consider all ramifications and not be blocked by fear.

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