[MD] Biological Quality & Social Conservatism

[pholden at davtv.com]

Quoting ARLO J BENSINGER JR <ajb102 at psu.edu>:

> [Arlo previously]
> >From whose intellect do we derive the right of "free speech", a right that I
> take it you think the majority should not be able to vote away?
> 
> [Platt]
> Good question. What's the answer?
> 
> [Arlo]
> Well, I suppose the "literal" answer would be, in this case, a "consensus of
> learned individuals appealing to philosophy and reason". Perhaps adding "with
> the power to enforce their decision on anyone who would dissent" (assuming
> there were colonists who may have not liked the whole "free speech" thing). 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this sounds like the Founding Fathers.

> Much as it is beleagured, I think representational government, with a guarded
> divisions of power, with the capability to determine when something transcends
> "majority vote" and when to respect the will of the majority is the best we
> have come up with.

Also, this sound pretty much like the system in place in the U.S. today.

> Of course, there are always Plato's ideas on The Republic.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Republic_%28Plato%29

Somehow rule by philosophers strikes me as a really bad idea, I guess because
Richard Rorty comes to mind. 

All in all, however, I can't think of any better answers than those you
express here. Thanks.




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