[WikiEN-l] occidental pride and presumptuousness

Thu Aug 26 11:04:52 UTC 2004

see below

On 26 Aug 2004, at 12:25, wikien-l-request at Wikipedia.org wrote:

> Message: 10
> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2004 12:26:01 +0200
> From: "Pedro Fortuny Ayuso" <pfortuny at sdf-eu.org>
>
> (...snip...)
>>
>> - historically untrue,
>> - (on balance) also absurdly false as regards the present,
>> - anachronistically missionaristic and
>> - the positive aspects favoured in this paragraph are the very
>> ANTITHESIS of how occidental civilization has historically conducted
>> and continues to conduct itself.
>>
>> Occidental civilization as we know it is largely based on the
>> underlying morality of monotheistic religion(s). As such it is deeply
>> rooted in a moral code that has at its very heart the presumption of 
>> an
>> existing all-encompassing principle of GOOD and EVIL.
>
> This is quite wrong and is the basis of the forthcoming error...
>
>> This
>> ever-polarizing world view is one of dimensional reduction and not
>> particularly well suited to permit many faceted multi-aspect
>> deliberations and relations. In fact, among all world views and
>> civilizatory movements, it probably stands tall among the absolute
>> WORST suited ones.
>
> Well, you may allow to say that you seem a bit biased in this 
> statemeent,
> a bit unjust as to the way Western Civilization has evolved and... well
> just a bit too extreme. The mistake is at the beginning "the
> all-encompassing
> principle of GOOD and EVIL" is a misunderstanding which has led to more
> misunderstandings...
>
>
> Pedro.

My *typically wikipedian* response:

If you can give any reasons as to /why/ my statement as regards the 
impact of bipolar morality was "quite wrong", then you are cordially 
invited to continue this conversation on my talk page 
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Ropers) or via direct email to 
ropers -at- ropersonline.com.

-- Jens [[User:Ropers|Ropers]]