America's Three Worst Presidents
From Ari Kaufman writing for the American Thinker.
This article is extremely interesting and goes to the heart of this blog's subtitle: Perspective, Perception, Paradigms, and Reality. These subtitle words were chosen carefully and purposely ordered. Defining these words is important and expresses how this blog makes inferences to gain an understanding of what is real.
Perspective:
a. The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance.
b. Subjective evaluation of relative significance; a point of view.
Two definitions are given here because the first definition portends to be objective while the other is purely subjective. The first definition makes us examine how different events in history lead to an event. The second definition focuses instead on the event itself.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voters Rights Act of 1965 were passed under the presidency of LBJ. A closer examination (given in the article cited above) accurately reflect they were originally conservative legislation that were blocked by liberal Democrats. In fact, when they were finally passed, more Republicans voted for these laws than did Democrats. However, liberal Democrats are today still given credit for passage of these laws.
By the same token, 9/11 occurred on President Bush's watch. Therefore, it is purely his fault. This perspective is a subjective point of view which upon closer examination of actual interrelations, does not bear truth.
Perception:
a. the act or faculty of apprehending by means of the senses or of the mind; cognition; understanding.
b. the representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept.
Again, two definitions are given here. The first portends to scientific analysis to arrive at a conclusion. The second definition only involves cursory observation.
Unfortunately today, the MSM has a tendency to give only cursory observation to events and does not analyze events in their full context.
As noted in the article cited above, The Civil War occurred under President Lincoln's watch and is therefore his fault. However, an examination of the facts shows he inherited southern secession due to the inaction of his predecessor, President Buchanan.
Detailed examination of events leading up to 9/11 also show that President Bush inherited this event from the inaction of his predecessors. However, most people believe (or are under the perception) the 9/11 attacks were a response to President Bush's policies.
Paradigms:
A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline. One that serves as a pattern or model.
The outcome of the two preceding words (perspective and perception) come together to be one's paradigm or model for world events. While now only one definition, two paradigms are possible. One paradigm is based on accurate perspective and perception. The other is based on faulty perspective and perception.
Man-made global warming is a perfect example of two versions of the same paradigm. Does an increase in carbon dioxide result in global warming or does global warming result in an increased outgasing of carbon dioxide? It depends on one's paradigm. Does variation of sun spots from the big bright ball in the sky have any effect on global warming? Interestingly enough, not according to climate models which keep radiation from the sun constant in climate models. Yet, even rudimentary observations show Venus, which is 28% closer to the sun than the Earth, is involved in a runaway greenhouse effect with an average temperature of 4670C while Mars, being 34% further from the sun, is a cold desolate planet with an average temperature of -550C.
Reality: something that constitutes a real or actual thing, as distinguished from something that is merely apparent.
These three words above (perspective, perception, and paradigms) bring us to reality.
The Civil War occurred on President Lincoln's watch; therefore, it is his fault. This same statement is erroneous when examined more closely.
Democrats has given us the many popular reforms to include the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Act of 1965. Again, this statement does not accurately reflect reality, but is the perceived reality.
9/11 occurred on President Bush's watch; therefore, it is his fault. This erroneous statement is something that is merely apparent and does not constitute a real or actual thing.
Global Warming is caused by man-made carbon dioxide production. Again, we have a case here of erroneous cause and effect as for most of the Earth's history (dating back to 600 million years) the average temperature has been about 210C and is actually cooler now than in most of its history.
As a scientist I was taught, if one item disproves a hypothesis, it is an invalid hypothesis. Unfortunately today, many scientists and sociologists use erroneous points of views (perspectives), subjective concepts (perceptions), and faulty models (paradigms) as a basis for their hypotheses. In addition, when their hypotheses are shown to be invalid ,they often ignore reality.
An example of this phenomenon is also seen in The Surge of US forces in Iraq. While it has clearly reduced violence in Iraq, many liberals either ignore the reality and continue with their distorted reality. One may state that continued, while reduced, violence (one item) disproves The Surge has worked. This one item does not disprove the fact The Surge has worked. Instead, it actually leads one to hypothesize more troops will further reduce violence. In addition, the corollary is also apparent. Less troops (a withdraw) in 2007 would have increased violence.
| Presidents Day has taken a deep back seat these days on our holiday calendar to the point that not only do schools go on as scheduled, but so do many state and government offices. This is not surprising in 2008, and many revel in it. Presidents Day now celebrates all presidents, not just our greatest. That being the case, let's "celebrate," or at least recall, the three worst presidents in our country's otherwise proud history. |
Perspective:
a. The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance.
b. Subjective evaluation of relative significance; a point of view.
Two definitions are given here because the first definition portends to be objective while the other is purely subjective. The first definition makes us examine how different events in history lead to an event. The second definition focuses instead on the event itself.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voters Rights Act of 1965 were passed under the presidency of LBJ. A closer examination (given in the article cited above) accurately reflect they were originally conservative legislation that were blocked by liberal Democrats. In fact, when they were finally passed, more Republicans voted for these laws than did Democrats. However, liberal Democrats are today still given credit for passage of these laws.
By the same token, 9/11 occurred on President Bush's watch. Therefore, it is purely his fault. This perspective is a subjective point of view which upon closer examination of actual interrelations, does not bear truth.
Perception:
a. the act or faculty of apprehending by means of the senses or of the mind; cognition; understanding.
b. the representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept.
Again, two definitions are given here. The first portends to scientific analysis to arrive at a conclusion. The second definition only involves cursory observation.
Unfortunately today, the MSM has a tendency to give only cursory observation to events and does not analyze events in their full context.
As noted in the article cited above, The Civil War occurred under President Lincoln's watch and is therefore his fault. However, an examination of the facts shows he inherited southern secession due to the inaction of his predecessor, President Buchanan.
Detailed examination of events leading up to 9/11 also show that President Bush inherited this event from the inaction of his predecessors. However, most people believe (or are under the perception) the 9/11 attacks were a response to President Bush's policies.
Paradigms:
A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline. One that serves as a pattern or model.
The outcome of the two preceding words (perspective and perception) come together to be one's paradigm or model for world events. While now only one definition, two paradigms are possible. One paradigm is based on accurate perspective and perception. The other is based on faulty perspective and perception.
Man-made global warming is a perfect example of two versions of the same paradigm. Does an increase in carbon dioxide result in global warming or does global warming result in an increased outgasing of carbon dioxide? It depends on one's paradigm. Does variation of sun spots from the big bright ball in the sky have any effect on global warming? Interestingly enough, not according to climate models which keep radiation from the sun constant in climate models. Yet, even rudimentary observations show Venus, which is 28% closer to the sun than the Earth, is involved in a runaway greenhouse effect with an average temperature of 4670C while Mars, being 34% further from the sun, is a cold desolate planet with an average temperature of -550C.
Reality: something that constitutes a real or actual thing, as distinguished from something that is merely apparent.
These three words above (perspective, perception, and paradigms) bring us to reality.
The Civil War occurred on President Lincoln's watch; therefore, it is his fault. This same statement is erroneous when examined more closely.
Democrats has given us the many popular reforms to include the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Act of 1965. Again, this statement does not accurately reflect reality, but is the perceived reality.
9/11 occurred on President Bush's watch; therefore, it is his fault. This erroneous statement is something that is merely apparent and does not constitute a real or actual thing.
Global Warming is caused by man-made carbon dioxide production. Again, we have a case here of erroneous cause and effect as for most of the Earth's history (dating back to 600 million years) the average temperature has been about 210C and is actually cooler now than in most of its history.
As a scientist I was taught, if one item disproves a hypothesis, it is an invalid hypothesis. Unfortunately today, many scientists and sociologists use erroneous points of views (perspectives), subjective concepts (perceptions), and faulty models (paradigms) as a basis for their hypotheses. In addition, when their hypotheses are shown to be invalid ,they often ignore reality.
An example of this phenomenon is also seen in The Surge of US forces in Iraq. While it has clearly reduced violence in Iraq, many liberals either ignore the reality and continue with their distorted reality. One may state that continued, while reduced, violence (one item) disproves The Surge has worked. This one item does not disprove the fact The Surge has worked. Instead, it actually leads one to hypothesize more troops will further reduce violence. In addition, the corollary is also apparent. Less troops (a withdraw) in 2007 would have increased violence.
Labels: 9/11, Global Warming, Iraq
posted by Lieutenant Colonel Caveman at Monday, February 18, 2008
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