"He was a religion yesterday; today he seems to be regarded as a disease."- Buckland WW, 1949
Do purely intellectual arguments account for such a revolution in attitudes?
Are the issues that are argued over always the same?
It seems that a particular part of the theoretical enterprise, not necessarily that which is considered most fundamental, is treated in most later commentary as if it were the entire theoretical contributions.
Consistent misrepresentation of a jurist's ideas, where the misrepresentations are sufficiently widespread, assumes a proportion of myth.
Is he the victim of this kind of misrepresentation?
If we are to try to understand how political philosophy has developed and how its debates and disputes have been formed and conducted, the answers cannot be found entirely in the logic of philosophical arguments. They are in part at least, located in the wider context of ideas and activities in which theories are developed and evaluated.
The approach to understanding political philosophy is to understand the significance of substantive content of political debates about their nature. It argues, however, that that content is to be understood not as timeless but as a response to conditions and problems existing at particular historical moments in our socio-political development.
9 comments:
I would honestly say that I am unable to understand the thrust of your short article. However, I would like to pass along a message to the all the Mongs and Wankers within UMNO:-
If you agree with the allegations of Dr. M that Pak Lah is incompetent, corrupt, and lacking in vision, feel free to express your lack of confidence in him at PWTC this coming November. Do also demand for his resignation and that of Khairy Jamalludin. On the spot. As Prime Minister, it is the job of Pak Lah to consult with the Cabinet and to make decisions that affects the country. And only him. Therefore, if the decisions that he made were truly against the interest of UMNO and Malaysia, get rid of Pak Lah - A.S.A.P.
If, on the other hand, you agree with the views that the manner in which Pak Lah in the handling of the country has been exemplary and noteworthy, feel free to express your support for him at PWTC this coming November. Do also ask Dr. M and his supporters to Keluar Dari Malaysia or Tutup Satu Mata, if they disagree with the way Pak Lah is running the show. Last time I checked, a majority voted for BN under Pak Lah, not for Dr. M in Langkawi. For Five Years. Therefore, if you agree Pak Lah is the ONE, get rid of Dr. M - A.S.A.P.
But do not, PLEASE DO NOT, act like a bunch of effiminate Pondans in citing nonsensical excuses such as party unity or sitting on the fence, merely in order to delay the inevitable. Get rid of ONE OF THEM, so that the Prime Minister, by then, can get on with his REAL job.
Either Pak Lah is sent packing back to Kepala Batas or Dr. M is sent packing back to Kubang Pasu. For Good. By November 2006.
“Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.” Samuel Johnson
Hi Robin Goodfellow,
You are living in an idealistic illusion. You seems to suggest that going to PWTC, you will be able to remove, a PM or an ex-PM. You are utterly frivolous. The political reality, that only UMNO members themselves are capable to act to change their leaders or to make any new policy. Unless the propagator have a large enough followers to swing the majority, you can do nothing, you can shout, you can call UNDUR, until the cow comes home, but nothing, absolutely nothing, can change PM and ex-PM.
The essay is for readers to digress themselves, draw their own analogy, and form their own opinion. But it isn't about being robinhood.
I am truly sorry you took offense with my comments, although it Was Never Ever intended as a criticism of your essay. I myself, in the opening of the comment, express my own petty ignorance on the thrust of your writing. And if you felt that I was being sarcastic by saying such, I do offer my sincerest apologies for being a fool's fool, and pray that we shall leave it at that.
But if you took offense in the fact I called UMNO Putras as Pondans, well, I can only presume you are personally hurt over that statement and do proffer a consolation, that I am in agreeance with you that,
"only UMNO members themselves are capable to act to change their leaders or to make any new policy. Unless you are an UMNO member,and have a large enough followers to toe your line of ideology, you can do nothing, you can shout, you can call UNDUR, until the cow comes home, but nothing, absolutely nothing, can change PM and ex-PM."
I see that you have edited your earlier comment, prior to my apology. It is your blog and it is your right, but the other readers can only wonder what was it that Maverick SM wrote and subsequently deleted, which prompted a heartfelt apology from me.
"You have nothing to fear but fear itself." Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Hi Robin, sorry I had misconstrued your comments. I had deleted mine and re-phrase it correctly. I apologise but I would suggest that the word pondan was inappropriate as it would hurt millions of UMNO members who had done nothing wrong, tho' many may be the elegant silencers.
BTW, please accept my apology.
I accept your apologies. However, I stand by my P***** allusion, for varied historical and contemporary reasons. But let us not discuss of this any further, and once again, I apologise if I myself have offended or insulted you.
"Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want." Unattributed, Executive Digest Magazine
Looks like neither of us will be getting much 'experience' from this. Cheers and good health to you.
Thanks Robin. I do learnt one thing here: Be slow in getting hot. Read carefully and pay attention and not be distracted by some words that sounds harsh and idiotic. The word pondan caught my attention and blurred the other parts. However, it's difficult not to be paranoid in the circumstances. Somehow, I am thankful for your humility and intellectuality. Again, I just felt that two wrongs don't make one right and as a social creature, we shouldn't be too harsh to such a large populace; that's what I mean. I had been harsh in my writing, but is often directed to individual dim-wit, not to a community. The case is rested but the discourse can continue as we can truly learn from each other.
hey, you withheld my Comment yesterday joining in the spirited exchanges between Da Horst and Robin goodfellow. I protesteth if you are censoring/censuring Desi -- but I repeat the Gist of what I wrote, can?
Essentially, Robin GF, who I wsih I could better identify like linked to a webpage or prfoile, I think makes an engaging CONversationist of my ilk. If you two should be at each other's neck, don't do it without calling in a Second, like in the olde, chilvary days of Thre Musketeers and even Robin Hood? Challenge to a duel -- I can book one hall next to the PWTC; maybe can raise soe fun-D by charging commers and arranging RTElm live telecast?
AS to your Essay, I agree with Robin GF that he is, I am qlso quite LOST at sea tho we are not on the Titanic or asSli...One of our mutual mGf Helen said oce to Desi, not too diplomatically, that she could under get 30% of some of my writes; Today I say the same thing too, also Not diplomatically, that your Essay could reach about 1/3 of the 'rite!:(
If you agree with Robin GF's challenge, now you need to bring TWO Seconds -- do Howsy and Anak M want to stick their necks out? I'll not become an unwilling D*art! I'm potentially like thee -- Mavericky!:(
Chow! as in Eat Lots, or Seeya later! I quoted thee a li'l in my Post (Da Epic Play continues...), do I need to pay Kopileft?:(
Hi DEsi, first and foremost, Selamat Hari Raya Idilfitri and Happy Deepavali.
Next, I don't get what you mean I delete your comment here. I didn't! Now, I get your comment and I love it... you are damn naughty and writes in English that I can't understand.
Next, I am actually glad you didn't understand my essay..hahaha...otherwise I may get bombarded by theee.......
I want to agree with few points you made: Ia gree that Robin should if possible identify himself with his blog or his profile. That way, we can have some ideological understanding. I actually did delete my own earlier comment because it was misconstrued. It isn't something exceptional...
If you and the three musketeers are willing to join this discourse, I am pretty happy to be engaged as it will bring a lot more sense and better analysis of the subject. I believe, Howsy will understand the philosophy encrypted and I am prepared to expand on the esotericity of the essay; but first, someone must decode it..hehehehe.
Desi, we hadn't been engaged for quite sometime since your open declaration of Anwar's love....hahahaha...
Let's get on in another engagement of sort, like Pak Lah vs Dr. M. Come get me!!!!!
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