Re: Sanity (was: Survey)

From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Mon Dec 25 2000 - 08:33:40 MST


From: "James Rogers" <jamesr@best.com>
> I refer you to the unofficial qualifier for what the military calls a
> Section 8 (discharge for reason of insanity), as it is instructive. One
> of the primary indicators of insanity is that one never questions their
own
> sanity; questioning one's own sanity is considered a definition of a
sane
> individual and generally prevents the possibility of a Section 8
discharge.

Yes, sounds like the celebrated Catch-22.

> If you apply this principle to the population at large, it should scare
> you. How many people routinely engage in grossly irrational acts, yet
> never for a moment question their own sanity for doing so? History as
it
> has happened is a reasonable outcome, all things considered.

It does scare me, and it seems to me you've described this important
aspect of human life quite succinctly. (I'll add this to my quotes list.)
Thank you for the validation, James. I had been a bit worried about my...
well, you know. The world can probably survive either killer apes or
insane apes, but not insane killer apes.

May 10,000 enlightened masters bless you with eternal kindness.

Stay hungry,

--J. R.
3M TA3

=====================
Useless hypotheses: consciousness, phlogiston, philosophy, vitalism, mind,
free will



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