[quidnunc]

Iris7 wrote: If you want to learn about politics and such read Cicero. Nothing has changed since then except technology.

You keep nattering on about philosopers and ancient Greek and Roman worldviews.

May I remind you that both societies were heavily dependent upon slavery for their functioning?

Look at Old Europe, the countries of which are prone to ordering their societies acording to the dictates of philosophers.

This tendency gave us just in the last 100 years fascism, Marxism/communism and most lately postmodernism which — along with its handmaiden, multiculturalism — insists there is no such thing as objective truth.

So while studying the ramblings philosophers may be useful for liberal-arts students, there is very little there applicable for modern statecraft.

A pox upon all philosophers.

[Jason Kauppinen]

"So while studying the ramblings philosophers may be useful for liberal-arts students, there is very little there applicable for modern statecraft.

A pox upon all philosophers."

How about Aristotle's Organon?

Or would you prefer to have statesmen who make decisions based on having a soothsayer cut open a chicken and do an entrail reading?

[Iris7]

And you use amazingly sweeping generalities. Do not confuse your own opinions with the truth. In fact, your prejudices appear unexamined.

With enormous risk of being uncharitable, your point of view reminds me of Henry Ford's "History is bunk." That reminds me of "Ignorance is bliss." If I were mean spirited it would remind me of "Freedom is Slavery."

[Reactionary]

"Look at Old Europe, the countries of which are prone to ordering their societies acording to the dictates of philosophers."

Look at America. Our philosophers were Locke, Hobbes, the rest of the Enlightenment philosophes. Just like "Old Europe." "This tendency gave us just in the last 100 years fascism, Marxism/communism and most lately postmodernism which — along with its handmaiden, multiculturalism — insists there is no such thing as objective truth."

The "tendency" of societies to base themselves on Western philosophy is the rule, not the exception. As a matter of fact, the only countries currently free of Western philosophy are theocratic dictatorships in the Middle East.

[rightofrush]

A pox upon all philosophers.

I do believe that you mean this sincerely.