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Single Idea 20674
[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 1. Purpose of a State
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Full Idea
The main ambition of the Nazis was to protect humankind from degeneration and encourage its progressive evolution. …Given the state of scientific knowledge in 1933, Nazi beliefs were hardly outside the pale.
Gist of Idea
The Nazi aim was to encourage progressive evolution, and avoid degeneration
Source
Yuval Noah Harari (Sapiens: brief history of humankind [2014], 12 'Worship')
Book Ref
Harari,Yuval Noah: 'Sapiens: a brief history of Humankind' [Vintage 2014], p.258
A Reaction
It still sounds a fairly worthy ambition, close to the heart of educationalists everywhere. The problems start with the definition of 'degeneration' and 'progress'.
The
29 ideas
from 'Sapiens: brief history of humankind'
20663
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If a group is bound by gossip, the natural size is 150 people
[Harari]
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20664
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Animism is belief that every part of nature is aware and feeling, and can communicate
[Harari]
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20671
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In order to explain both order and evil, a single evil creator is best, but no one favours that
[Harari]
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20670
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Dualist religions say the cosmos is a battleground, so can’t explain its order
[Harari]
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20669
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Dualist religions see everything as a battleground of good and evil forces
[Harari]
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20673
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Manichaeans and Gnostics: good made spirit, evil made flesh
[Harari]
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20666
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Most polytheist recognise one supreme power or law, behind the various gods
[Harari]
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20667
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Polytheism is open-minded, and rarely persecutes opponents
[Harari]
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20668
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Monotheism appeared in Egypt in 1350 BCE, when the god Aten was declared supreme
[Harari]
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20665
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Mythologies are usual contracts with the gods, exchanging devotion for control of nature
[Harari]
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20674
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The Nazi aim was to encourage progressive evolution, and avoid degeneration
[Harari]
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20675
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The more you know about history, the harder it becomes to explain
[Harari]
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20676
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History teaches us that the present was not inevitable, and shows us the possibilities
[Harari]
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20677
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Since 1500 human population has increased fourteenfold, and consumption far more
[Harari]
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20679
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We stabilise societies with dogmas, either of dubious science, or of non-scientific values
[Harari]
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20678
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The Scientific Revolution was the discovery of our own ignorance
[Harari]
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20684
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Financing is increasingly through credit rather than taxes; people prefer investing to taxation
[Harari]
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20685
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No market is free of political bias, and markets need protection of their freedoms
[Harari]
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20682
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The main rule of capitalism is that all other goods depend on economic growth
[Harari]
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20681
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The sacred command of capitalism is that profits must be used to increase production
[Harari]
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20683
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The progress of capitalism depends entirely on the new discoveries and gadgets of science
[Harari]
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20687
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In capitalism the rich invest, and the rest of us go shopping
[Harari]
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20686
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For millenia people didn't know how to convert one type of energy into another
[Harari]
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20690
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The state fostered individualism, to break the power of family and community
[Harari]
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20689
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In 1750 losing your family and community meant death
[Harari]
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20691
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Real peace is the implausibility of war (and not just its absence)
[Harari]
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20688
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People 300m tons; domesticated animals 700m tons; larger wild animals 100m tons
[Harari]
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20693
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Freedom may work against us, as individuals can choose to leave, and make fewer commitments
[Harari]
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20692
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Money does produce happiness, but only up to a point
[Harari]
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