Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Characteristics', 'The Communists and Peace' and 'The Evolution of Co-Operation'

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4 ideas

21. Aesthetics / A. Aesthetic Experience / 2. Aesthetic Attitude
18545 The disinterested attitude of the judge is the hallmark of a judgement of beauty [Shaftesbury, by Scruton]
     Full Idea: Shaftesbury explained the peculiar features of the judgement of beauty in terms of the disinterested attitude of the judge.
     From: report of 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury (Characteristics [1711]) by Roger Scruton - Beauty: a very short introduction 1
     A reaction: Good. I take our vocabulary to mark a distinction between expressions of subjective preference, and expressions of what aspire to be objective facts. 'I love this' versus 'this is good or beautiful'.
23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 8. Contract Strategies
22725 When players don't meet again, defection is the best strategy [Axelrod]
     Full Idea: When players will never meet again, the strategy of defection is the only stable strategy.
     From: Robert Axelrod (The Evolution of Co-Operation [1984], 5)
     A reaction: This gives good grounds for any community's mistrust of transient strangers, such as tourists. And yet any sensible tourist will want communities to trust tourists, and will therefore behave in a reliable way.
22724 Good strategies avoid conflict, respond to hostility, forgive, and are clear [Axelrod]
     Full Idea: Successful game strategies avoid unnecessary conflict, are provoked by an uncalled for defection, forgive after a provocation, and behave clearly so the other player can adapt.
     From: Robert Axelrod (The Evolution of Co-Operation [1984], 1)
     A reaction: [compressed] Exactly what you would expect from a nice but successful school teacher. The strategies for success in these games is the same as the rules for educating a person into cooperative behaviour. TIT FOR TAT does all these.
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 9. Communism
21240 The truth about events always comes from the oppressed and disadvantaged [Sartre, by Bakewell]
     Full Idea: Work out who is most oppressed and disadvantaged in the situation, and then adopt their version of events as the right one. If something is not true in the eyes of the least favoured, then it is not true.
     From: report of Jean-Paul Sartre (The Communists and Peace [1953], final part) by Sarah Bakewell - At the Existentialist Café 12
     A reaction: A theory of social truth, rather than truth in general. A bit simplistic, but appealing. If you want to know the truth, ask the people involved. This is true of the Savoy Grill, as well as of homeless life. You must first care about the oppressed.