[MD] Betternes - 4 levels of!

[Horse]

  Hi Mark

As with any area of knowledge starting somewhere is essential. However, 
assuming that this starting point is unassailable and irrefutable is, as 
I think you point out, the origins of dogma.
Questioning the origins of knowledge is best done by reasoning and not 
just replacement by a new dogma. Then there's good reasoning and poor 
reasoning. Ignoring data or experience which refutes a wanted conclusion 
is a species of the latter. Only when considering all relevant 
data/experience can reasoning be qualified as good reasoning and even 
then it is reason that decides what is relevant and what is not.
As far as I'm concerned any process or area of knowledge that fails to 
question it's underlying assumptions is dogma. If it's wrong throw it 
out and start over or modify the original assumptions.


Horse



On 02/11/2010 15:16, 118 wrote:
> Hi Horse,
> Thanks for the above.  Don't get wrong, I fully subscribe to to the sense of
> betterness that you posted as summarized by the examples.  I am not
> questioning those as effective descriptions.  My only point was that we
> accept them as is, and then move on to betterness or Quality, to ask how?  I
> certainly do prefer reasoning along such lines, that is why I endeavor to
> make it more clear.  Indeed questioning is a good tool to bring about
> reason.  That is what I was doing with my post to you.
>
> As I see it, we have to start somewhere.  That somewhere is not always a
> product of reason.  Certainly such precepts can be further supported, but
> such support becomes somewhat self-referential.  However, that is to be
> expected since that is the nature of knowledge.  I have no doubt that what
> has been referred to as Dogma has also undergone significant thought and
> reason by those who search for such things.  Then there are those who accept
> the teachings of those who thought and work out such dogma.  We see this all
> the time in the fields of science.  It would not make sense to have to
> rethink many of the principles that form the basis of an advanced science.
>   Such dogma is trusted.
>
> Again, I was not disputing what you posted, only disputing it's presumed
> lack of Dogma.
>

-- 

"Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
— Frank Zappa