In response to my posting about the BBC's "greatest philosopher" vote, Mark suggested that I should take a look at a fascinating piece by Paul Graham entitled What You Can't Say. After a short preamble comes the challenge:
Let's start with a test: Do you have any opinions that you would be reluctant to express in front of a group of your peers?
Now this is fascinating, because in a conversation with a friend last week I mentioned that I was thinking of posting a piece challenging people to say whether or not they subscribed to any unorthodox or "fringe" beliefs. Graham's formulation is much better: it avoids the awkward judgment as to what would count as "unorthodox" by framing it in terms of behaviour.
Graham's essay is about how we see ourselves, and how we might want to reconsider our confidence in our contemporary beliefs by comparing them with others times and other cultures. It's really well-written, and I strongly recommend it. I, on the other hand, would like to pause a while with his challenge, and invite people to "come clean" about opinions that they might be reluctant to express in front of their peers. The nice thing about blog comments is that they can be anonymous, so your peers will never know that it's you....
I'll kick this off with my own personal "reluctant admission". I am a firm believer in the Aquatic Ape Theory proposed by Alister Hardy and documented by Elaine Morgan. Today it is often treated as an example of weird fringe science, but I am convinced that, in time, it will become part of the orthodox account of the evolution of homo sapiens.
Your turn.
Posted by geoff2 at June 13, 2005 07:06 PMMe, I'm with you on the apes.
I can't even get Maia's mother to consider it. Won't so much as look at an article on it.
I am also in favor of the aquatic inhabitation of the Americas.
TK
Posted by: Terry Karney at June 13, 2005 07:19 PMI prefer water myself and marine mammals :-)
Posted by: Susan in St. Paul at June 13, 2005 09:24 PMYou are all creations of my imagination.
Posted by: rchrd at June 14, 2005 01:35 AM"You are all creations of my imagination." Ah, yes: solipsism. Irrefutable, pointless, perpetually seductive.
Posted by: Geoff Arnold at June 14, 2005 02:13 AMSolipsism: "pointless?"
"Ah, but you would say that, wouldn't you... ?"
from Hardy to Morgan the aquatic ape theory has undergone a complete sex change. Have you too wondered what was involved in that procedure?
Remember what the siens did to the male sailors!
Does one now has to be "demaled" before considering this theory?
signed;lost sailor.