Thank you Richard. I think I have made some of the points you draw attention to but thanks. Having concern about actions and consequences IS a moral position that's why I have made reference to consequentialism and have pointed out that it is the actions of both parties that should concern us rather than labels. I'm not really sure what an 'anti-moralist' is - could you explain please.
Response to The Busker's "Israel-Palestine Weekly Update"
The distinction between Hamas actions and Israel's actions is easily made. Israel is an occupying state. Hamas is a resistance organization. Therefore, nothing Israel does can be considered "morally correct." So the question resolves around whether the actions of Hamas can be so considered.
People like to condemn the deaths of Israeli civilians at Hamas' hands. There is an assumption that every Jew in Israel who is not in the military is a legitimate "civilian". There are two problems with this. One, most Israelis serve in the IDF at some point - which ipso facto makes them military targets, whether they are in uniform at the time or not and once they have been released from service and are now in the reserves. Second, EVERY Jew (or anyone else) in Israel who did not emigrate before the the state of Israel was formed and/or who did not acquire his property by legitimately purchasing it from a Palestinian is an "occupier" by definition - and is thus a legitimate target.
There is, of course, the question of strategy. As I've always said with regard to so-called "terrorism", it is pointless to gun down random individuals. You attack the leaders of your enemies and their capable enforcers. You don't waste efforts on meaningless individuals in a vain attempt to get the government you oppose overthrown by its own population.
This is the Carlos Marighella concept, articulated in his "Minimanual of the Urban Guerilla" described here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimanual_of_the_Urban_Guerrilla. It's an invalid concept. If one goes back to the time of "The People's Will" in Russia, one finds that group explicitly advocating producing terror in the minds of the government - not the civilian population. That is the correct approach.
As I have often asked, "Why the hell is Benjamin Netanyahu still alive?" He and his cronies are the legitimate and strategically correct targets. But it was Arafat and his PLO idiots who engaged in random terrorism internationally in order to bring attention to the Palestinians' plight - and thus got the Palestinians labeled as "terrorists" - an appellation that Hamas, a legitimate local resistance front, has now inherited.
It is now pretty clear from reports from Israel that the Hamas attack on October 7 was directed against military targets primarily and with the additional goal of obtaining civilian hostages to exchange from Palestinian hostage in Israeli prisons. The attack on the musical event appears to have been opportunistic, not originally intended.
Many of the alleged "civilians" killed were actually IDF or former IDF. Many of the actual civilians killed were likely killed by panicked police and IDF military who used indiscriminate fire against people they could not identify positively as Hamas. It has even been suggested that there may have been orders to do so under the alleged "Hannibal Directive" which is intended to prevent IDF personnel from being taken hostage, although there appears to be no proof of this.
Finally, released Israeli hostages so far have not condemned their treatment by their Hamas captors.
All of this is putting a severe dent in the description of Hamas as "terrorists". But nothing can erase the clear images and videos of mass casualties among actual civilians in Gaza - as well as the terrorist actions of Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
In any event, as a committed "anti-moralist", moral and ethical questions do not interest me. What matters are actions and consequences, both on an individual level and scaled up to society and civilization.
Well, if Sam Pepys' diary can be used as an historical resource, and we don't suffer a complete technological collapse, substack will be an open source information portal that charts contemporary understanding of the huge historical paradigm shift that we are witness to at this time.
My little history project's main aim is to explore the possibility of providing a time-grid to measure patterns and chart the suppostion that there could be cycles and repeats/rhymes. The grid itself is as objective as a calendar. My main reservation WRT it relates to the 'patterns' and 'coincidences' being the result of my own pattern biases. Another problem or issue is that it keeps growing and I have always had a tendency to be easily distracted... :o) ... just as well it's just a hobby.
Sorry Lantern Dude, I've only just seen this. Took my eye off the ball. Your project sounds interesting, especially for a history buff like me. Studied the history of ideas and the Idea of History for a few years so am interested in historical 'patterns' - following Hegel, Marx among many others. But I don't fully understand what your project is about. I'm not sure what you mean by 'providing a time-grid to measure patterns'. On what foundations would you construct such a device? Would it be based on patterns that others have assumed to exist (or have proven to exist)? I could ask many more questions because it sounds interesting. Anyway, it's a good hobby, imv.
Dec 6, 2023·edited Dec 6, 2023Liked by Dr. Rob Campbell
“On what foundations would you construct such a device? Would it be based on patterns that others have assumed to exist (or have proven to exist)? I could ask many more questions because it sounds interesting”.
I couldn’t have even tried, before the 1930s or the development of the WWW.
Once the existence of Pluto was confirmed and then subsequently included in the ephemeris catalogues the ‘device’ became a possibility. With the existence of the world wide web and the proliferation of business sites of all types – in this particular case an astrological site. That site included a vast ephemeris catalogue that provided the Zodiac position of Pluto right back to 5000BC.
Aries is the first sign of the western Zodiac, because it’s zero degree point represents the Spring Equinox and therefore marked the beginning of the season of Spring. In much the same way that the other three ‘cardinal’ signs, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn represent the commencement of Summer, Autumn and Winter respectively.
The initial project went back as far as 130BC, which was the nearest Spring Equinox Position of Pluto prior to the beginning of the Christian or Common Era.
From that date there nine such cycles, including the current cycle.
For convenience each cycle is currently called a plutonian year and each Pyear is compose of a spring, summer, autumn and winter. The nine cycles can be super imposed over the others in a spiral that reflects the linear process we readily understand as ‘history’. Additionally the possibility of super imposition reveals patterns and strange coincidences that can be effectively ‘time stamped’.
When I began I had a very rudimentary knowledge of the history of the past 2000+ years so I basically read what I could find and just put it into the grid. I never studied history beyond ‘O’ and ‘A’ level and using local library services limited the areas I could include.
I had avoided the current cycle for one reason or another, however current events have become an almost complete distraction.
Are you saying that there is a causal relationship between the position of Pluto and events on earth (and elsewhere)? If so, can you give some examples to flesh it out. I used to believe in astrology until about 30 years ago when I read that the model of the Universe on which astrology is based is not correct. Have you heard of that: can't remember where I read it. Anyway, your work sounds interesting and I would like to understand it better.
Dec 7, 2023·edited Dec 7, 2023Liked by Dr. Rob Campbell
I think that it would be a stretch to assume a causal connection "between the position of Pluto and events on earth (and elsewhere)"; that's venturing into the realm of divination. It is merely calendaric in the same way as the Sun forms the basis of regular calendars. The only limitation of the traditional Zodiac that I am aware of is that it is Geocentric - hence the fallacy of retrograde motion. The raison d'etre of 'history' swings between elite propaganda and 'truth', where examples of the former are hagiographs designed for cultural continuity. Whereas the latter attempts to pierce the veil of the existing illusions that favours the existing wallpaper.
WRT to the universe I think Einstein with his thoughts on gravity altered the paradigm. Not sure who came up with Big Bang but one could imagine that as the universe expands there is the possibilty that human imagination and understanding might expand as well.
It still doesn't make sense to me Lantern Dude. What is the nature of the relationship between the position of Pluto and the periods of propaganda and truth to which you refer? I can understand that there could be such periods in history but can't see the connection with Pluto. Forgive me for being dense.
Dec 2, 2023·edited Dec 2, 2023Liked by Dr. Rob Campbell
Thanks once more for this particular update Rob.
PS as this may well become a resource WithRegardTo to this particular assault by the Israeli authorities; "... UK is considering applying the ‘terrorist’ label to Hamas but as > a < write this has not yet been done." should read ..." UK is considering applying the ‘terrorist’ label to Hamas but as > I < write this has not yet been done."
Thanks for that. Forgive my ignorance but I don't know what a resource WRT is. Also, I can't see any difference between the first and second sentences you quote. Surely you meant the second one to be different from the first.
Hey - thanks for that. I can rest assured that if I make a huge error you will point it out. I don't think I'll alter it on this occasion though - people will know that I meant 'I' rather than 'a'. I supposed it could be a historical resource - never thought of it that way. What is it that you are studying of an historical nature btw?
Thank you Richard. I think I have made some of the points you draw attention to but thanks. Having concern about actions and consequences IS a moral position that's why I have made reference to consequentialism and have pointed out that it is the actions of both parties that should concern us rather than labels. I'm not really sure what an 'anti-moralist' is - could you explain please.
Response to The Busker's "Israel-Palestine Weekly Update"
The distinction between Hamas actions and Israel's actions is easily made. Israel is an occupying state. Hamas is a resistance organization. Therefore, nothing Israel does can be considered "morally correct." So the question resolves around whether the actions of Hamas can be so considered.
People like to condemn the deaths of Israeli civilians at Hamas' hands. There is an assumption that every Jew in Israel who is not in the military is a legitimate "civilian". There are two problems with this. One, most Israelis serve in the IDF at some point - which ipso facto makes them military targets, whether they are in uniform at the time or not and once they have been released from service and are now in the reserves. Second, EVERY Jew (or anyone else) in Israel who did not emigrate before the the state of Israel was formed and/or who did not acquire his property by legitimately purchasing it from a Palestinian is an "occupier" by definition - and is thus a legitimate target.
There is, of course, the question of strategy. As I've always said with regard to so-called "terrorism", it is pointless to gun down random individuals. You attack the leaders of your enemies and their capable enforcers. You don't waste efforts on meaningless individuals in a vain attempt to get the government you oppose overthrown by its own population.
This is the Carlos Marighella concept, articulated in his "Minimanual of the Urban Guerilla" described here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimanual_of_the_Urban_Guerrilla. It's an invalid concept. If one goes back to the time of "The People's Will" in Russia, one finds that group explicitly advocating producing terror in the minds of the government - not the civilian population. That is the correct approach.
As I have often asked, "Why the hell is Benjamin Netanyahu still alive?" He and his cronies are the legitimate and strategically correct targets. But it was Arafat and his PLO idiots who engaged in random terrorism internationally in order to bring attention to the Palestinians' plight - and thus got the Palestinians labeled as "terrorists" - an appellation that Hamas, a legitimate local resistance front, has now inherited.
It is now pretty clear from reports from Israel that the Hamas attack on October 7 was directed against military targets primarily and with the additional goal of obtaining civilian hostages to exchange from Palestinian hostage in Israeli prisons. The attack on the musical event appears to have been opportunistic, not originally intended.
Many of the alleged "civilians" killed were actually IDF or former IDF. Many of the actual civilians killed were likely killed by panicked police and IDF military who used indiscriminate fire against people they could not identify positively as Hamas. It has even been suggested that there may have been orders to do so under the alleged "Hannibal Directive" which is intended to prevent IDF personnel from being taken hostage, although there appears to be no proof of this.
Finally, released Israeli hostages so far have not condemned their treatment by their Hamas captors.
All of this is putting a severe dent in the description of Hamas as "terrorists". But nothing can erase the clear images and videos of mass casualties among actual civilians in Gaza - as well as the terrorist actions of Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
In any event, as a committed "anti-moralist", moral and ethical questions do not interest me. What matters are actions and consequences, both on an individual level and scaled up to society and civilization.
Excellent points Richard.
Well, if Sam Pepys' diary can be used as an historical resource, and we don't suffer a complete technological collapse, substack will be an open source information portal that charts contemporary understanding of the huge historical paradigm shift that we are witness to at this time.
My little history project's main aim is to explore the possibility of providing a time-grid to measure patterns and chart the suppostion that there could be cycles and repeats/rhymes. The grid itself is as objective as a calendar. My main reservation WRT it relates to the 'patterns' and 'coincidences' being the result of my own pattern biases. Another problem or issue is that it keeps growing and I have always had a tendency to be easily distracted... :o) ... just as well it's just a hobby.
Sorry Lantern Dude, I've only just seen this. Took my eye off the ball. Your project sounds interesting, especially for a history buff like me. Studied the history of ideas and the Idea of History for a few years so am interested in historical 'patterns' - following Hegel, Marx among many others. But I don't fully understand what your project is about. I'm not sure what you mean by 'providing a time-grid to measure patterns'. On what foundations would you construct such a device? Would it be based on patterns that others have assumed to exist (or have proven to exist)? I could ask many more questions because it sounds interesting. Anyway, it's a good hobby, imv.
“On what foundations would you construct such a device? Would it be based on patterns that others have assumed to exist (or have proven to exist)? I could ask many more questions because it sounds interesting”.
I couldn’t have even tried, before the 1930s or the development of the WWW.
Once the existence of Pluto was confirmed and then subsequently included in the ephemeris catalogues the ‘device’ became a possibility. With the existence of the world wide web and the proliferation of business sites of all types – in this particular case an astrological site. That site included a vast ephemeris catalogue that provided the Zodiac position of Pluto right back to 5000BC.
Aries is the first sign of the western Zodiac, because it’s zero degree point represents the Spring Equinox and therefore marked the beginning of the season of Spring. In much the same way that the other three ‘cardinal’ signs, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn represent the commencement of Summer, Autumn and Winter respectively.
The initial project went back as far as 130BC, which was the nearest Spring Equinox Position of Pluto prior to the beginning of the Christian or Common Era.
From that date there nine such cycles, including the current cycle.
For convenience each cycle is currently called a plutonian year and each Pyear is compose of a spring, summer, autumn and winter. The nine cycles can be super imposed over the others in a spiral that reflects the linear process we readily understand as ‘history’. Additionally the possibility of super imposition reveals patterns and strange coincidences that can be effectively ‘time stamped’.
When I began I had a very rudimentary knowledge of the history of the past 2000+ years so I basically read what I could find and just put it into the grid. I never studied history beyond ‘O’ and ‘A’ level and using local library services limited the areas I could include.
I had avoided the current cycle for one reason or another, however current events have become an almost complete distraction.
Are you saying that there is a causal relationship between the position of Pluto and events on earth (and elsewhere)? If so, can you give some examples to flesh it out. I used to believe in astrology until about 30 years ago when I read that the model of the Universe on which astrology is based is not correct. Have you heard of that: can't remember where I read it. Anyway, your work sounds interesting and I would like to understand it better.
I think that it would be a stretch to assume a causal connection "between the position of Pluto and events on earth (and elsewhere)"; that's venturing into the realm of divination. It is merely calendaric in the same way as the Sun forms the basis of regular calendars. The only limitation of the traditional Zodiac that I am aware of is that it is Geocentric - hence the fallacy of retrograde motion. The raison d'etre of 'history' swings between elite propaganda and 'truth', where examples of the former are hagiographs designed for cultural continuity. Whereas the latter attempts to pierce the veil of the existing illusions that favours the existing wallpaper.
WRT to the universe I think Einstein with his thoughts on gravity altered the paradigm. Not sure who came up with Big Bang but one could imagine that as the universe expands there is the possibilty that human imagination and understanding might expand as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buqtdpuZxvk
It still doesn't make sense to me Lantern Dude. What is the nature of the relationship between the position of Pluto and the periods of propaganda and truth to which you refer? I can understand that there could be such periods in history but can't see the connection with Pluto. Forgive me for being dense.
Thanks once more for this particular update Rob.
PS as this may well become a resource WithRegardTo to this particular assault by the Israeli authorities; "... UK is considering applying the ‘terrorist’ label to Hamas but as > a < write this has not yet been done." should read ..." UK is considering applying the ‘terrorist’ label to Hamas but as > I < write this has not yet been done."
Hi Lantern Dude,
Thanks for that. Forgive my ignorance but I don't know what a resource WRT is. Also, I can't see any difference between the first and second sentences you quote. Surely you meant the second one to be different from the first.
I've edited the original - hopefully it's clearer now. I suppose I meant 'historical resource'.
;o)
Hey - thanks for that. I can rest assured that if I make a huge error you will point it out. I don't think I'll alter it on this occasion though - people will know that I meant 'I' rather than 'a'. I supposed it could be a historical resource - never thought of it that way. What is it that you are studying of an historical nature btw?
This latest report is just perfect, nobody writes such great reports like you do. Many thanks!!!