"Cogito ergo sum" said Descartes and thus began the struggle between mind and matter. The rationalist believes that all is in their heads, the empiricist believe that all is factual and represented by what is presented externally.
I was reminded of this today when my grandson called to say he saw a pickup truck in West Virginia with a bumper sticker stating, "I identify as a Prius". This allegedly allowed parking in select Prius spots. I do not know if he was ticked.
But the argument is simple. If person A identifies as X, and society approves of such rational self identification, then is it permissible for person B to identify person A as Y? If we accept such rational self identification, does it not then apply to all? For if the empiricist does not use their external facts, then the rationalist can use their own reason to do wherever the like?
Just a thought. I wonder if the bumper sticker is enough to get a good parking space?
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A blog containing opinion and analysis in a wide array of areas including the economy, health care, broadband and international relations.
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- Florham Park, NJ, United States
- Terry has spent most of his career in industry, half in corporate executive positions, and half involved in his start ups. He started on the Faculty and Staff at MIT in 1967 and was there until 1975, and he had returned to MIT from 2005 to 2012 to assist groups of doctoral and post doc students. Terry has focused on a broad set of industries from cable, to satellite, wireless, and even health care software and medical imaging. Terry has published extensively in a broad set of areas as well as having written several books. Terry has returned to Medicine on Boards at Columbia University Medical Center. Copyright 2008-2024 Terrence P McGarty all rights reserved. NOTE: This blog contains personal opinions of the author and is not meant in any manner to provide professional advice, medical advice, legal advice, financial advice. Reliance on any of the opinions contained herein is done at the risk of the user. For publications see: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Terrence_Mcgarty
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