Hm. Seeing the US constitution as an ethical document strikes me as profoundly misguided; an example of Mythologising; "The tale is finished; it cannot grow further". — Banno

As a foundation it's pretty solid. Everyone is guided by defending it, despite rampant paranoia or insecurity. Humdrum for it's ethical import nowadays with the existence of Chinese viruses or shithole countries.

But the Constitution produced a fossil. — Banno

Nah, ethics and morality are timeless. Just the kind of stuff that need to be included in it, the 'stitution.

I always thought the idea of time being a dimension was flawed.

Anyone else has more to say about this, or any physicist?

So, who are you guys and gals gonna vote for?

Biden or Trump?

I think I need to evacuate myself. Excuse me.

Sanders had multiple conversations with Obama ahead of decision to end campaign.

The Kool-Aid is fruity.

Well, you do start to be like Mexico. — ssu

Mexico at least cares about religion. Here in the US, they only exist to evade taxes.

How about Neitche and Hegel? Superman and the State is God. — Athena

What about them? As I understand it, most Americans are closet Nietzsche'ians. Hegel only makes sense in America, for the dominant party, which is none, since Democrats and Republicans both are guided by self-interest for their constituents (dot dot dot), which are themselves.

We must pay attention to education and culture — Athena

Well, the issue as I understand it, is some kind of anti-intellectualism dominant in the US. It's a big issue that some astonishingly large percentage of Americans believe wholeheartedly in creationism, like thinking that rain causes frogs to be created or some such loony'ness.

The 2.3 Trillion isn't even mentioned on Bloomberg.com and hidden over at CNN.com

Just shows how rigged and corrupt the whole system is.

I think we are in a cultural crisis and that unless we return education to defending our democracy, we will lose it. — Athena

The Constitution was meant to instill confidence and security. Now, you have an agency that is monumental, power-mad, and continuously given more and more powers that thrives on insecurity, fear, and paranoia. I'm not sure how long the Constitution will maintain its ethos.

Watch closely what happens in the next 4 years of Trump's favorite agency.

So, another 2.3 Trillion just got injected into the economy, and lent to the FED.

Wow... guess what? The markets aren't really reacting.

:rofl:

In theory, Congress is supposed to be the oversight committee for intelligence agencies. — Gnomon

In theory, that doesn't work. Because, the nature of intelligence gathering limits the analysis to a unifying understanding of the scope needed to understand all loose ends and knots. I don't believe this should be handled by a person who has 4 years to get to understand everything and then comment on it. Thus, the need for a central agency to handle the task, that has no time constraints.

Talk about a debacle for the US. The OPM (database of all government employees) got hacked by the Chinese in 2014.

You do an analysis of (un)encrypted credit and debit card transactions (which isn't hard to do), and all the secrets are out. Crazy...

So I am all for the DOD doing some things but not to make sure we aren't handing our country to a traveling salesman. — Valentinus

Yeah, there's an issue here. The DoD has command over the military; and yet all the other alphabet agencies are under civilian jurisdiction. :chin:

I think the President can't sleep at night, thus, the need for an oversight agency, no?

What about stipulative definitions? What to do about those that plague philosophy?

The "agency of oversight" you are thinking about has already been established. — Valentinus

That was the FBI's role, hasn't it, or what agency are you referring to?

I always thought CISA was an NSA branch, as it should be. Yet, Homeland Security gets it, and effectively becomes the most powerful government agency in US history.

What the fuck?

Just connecting the dots here; but, CISA legitimizes the perpetual use of the Patriot Act in effect.

Mother of God.

The DoD needs to step in from a perpetual state of paranoia and insecurity that the above entails.

I think the system is crashing...

In regards to the OP:

https://reason.com/2020/01/30/house-moves-to-give-homeland-security-more-power-to-snoop/

The legislation—like its companion in the Senate—gives the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) more power to subpoena information from internet and telecommunications companies, including subscriber names, addresses, and telephone numbers.

...

Compelling private information when it involves risks to "critical infrastructure" might sound smart. But it's important to keep in mind that it doesn't take much for CISA to deem something critical infrastructure. The agency's 16 sectors of critical infrastructure extend to such places as casinos, hotels, motels, campgrounds, zoos, shopping malls, self-storage facilities, condominiums, banks, insurance companies, and motion picture studios.

...

Thompson has said the bill will likely be part of a bigger package of "DHS authorization legislation."

Also, if anyone wants to promote the FBI, as this type of Oversight agency, just read the Wiki article on the FBI. It sounds no different than Homeland Security from whoever wrote that Wiki entry.

Drink the Kool-Aid, DNC!

Can someone possibly help out with a proof of this assertion in the OP?

Another 4 more years of Trump is near certain...

Holy shit, it's good to be poor in America for some strange reason. Middle class just keeps on getting fucked over.

I am surprised the unemployment level is that low. — Athena

Historically unemployment applications have NEVER in comparison been so effin high. It's really bothering me.

What do you have to say about that? — Athena

It only makes sense if you eliminate all other entitlement benefits. At least, economically.

As to whether people will become lazy or apathetic is irrelevant really. As if some Protestant work ethic were an all good or categorical imperative.

I really need a benzo now.

Economic turmoil, depression and anxiety gonna be the new norm, suicide rates sky high. Mother of God.

Governments are focusing on the general populations not just the fat cats. How will this turn out? Has something like this ever happened before? — Athena

Nope. It's unprecedented by the look of the unemployment rate in the US hovering around 13 percent!

But, in economic terms we are experiencing the most Keynesian form of economic theory possible. I suspect Universal Basic Income will become a hot topic soon.

Fine.

Modi is a cunt, but on this he was way ahead - quite literally - of the curve. — StreetlightX

One could say he had foreknowledge on the issue...?

Really doesn't make sense that Italy got decimated and Pakistan, Russia, and India just entirely dodged the bullet here...

Call me paranoid, I don't care. I'm anxious and spastic as fuck.

How did India avoid this debacle entirely?

I have my paranoid suspicions; but, it doesn't really make sense that all developed nations got this disease.

13 percent unemployment rate, people. That's pretty effin scary.

Thank you for sharing that observation. That is exactly what I hoped would be the subject of this thread. — Athena

If you want my personal opinion, philosophy has experienced a fundamental shift as of lately. It seems to me that women have populated the field much more extensively than at any point in the history of philosophy due to liberal colleges. People like Peterson kind of are a dying relic and countermovement to that sentiment; but, aren't taken as seriously as in the past. Good times!

I think, despite the law of large numbers, one can say that there is something about the differences between feminist ethics, and morally obligated theories like Nietzsche (to a lesser degree, although almost exclusive to males) or Kantian ethics.

I am a personal subscriber to A Different Voice by Gilligan or ethics of care by Noddings. There's obviously a bias in the field of philosophy towards male dominated ethical theories in my view, which is unfortunate, given that women roam the interwebs also.

Yes, well. I did provide a small study to this matter. So, my concern wasn't with making a nation look bad or their policies towards the educational experience. It was born out of concern, since I visited such a place on my own.

Can you answer the question as to why my thread about that topic got deleted?

Wow, that sounded really bad. Sorry. Let me reiterate. I started a thread asking why young students from Israel go to holocaust camps as an educational experience, at such a young age.

It got deleted, and was wondering why,

To live is to evaluate. — 180 Proof

Yes. But, in regards to what exactly?

You act as if happiness is something that's static. — ISeeIDoIAm

People tend to act or expect as if it is...

I've been waiting to, in fact am dying to, know what non-hedonistic values would look like? — TheMadFool

@unenlightened, please help us out here...

What could be so valuable that happiness doesn't matter? Whatever it is, the fact that happiness is the challenge it must overcome is eye-opening no? — TheMadFool

Say more...

And value is simply a comparison in my mind. — ISeeIDoIAm

A comparison of what to what?

what goal are you trying to achieve? — ISeeIDoIAm

What outcome? — ISeeIDoIAm

To the first question. I do not know.

To the second, completeness or unity in understanding I suppose.