Wednesday 14 March 2012

James Corbett's intellectual poverty

Oh dear it seems I'm not very popular with James Corbett, regarding The Corbett Report from 3rd August 2011 (see video below). The opinions of James are very unintelligent, which is to be expected during this benighted pre-Singularity era.

James Corbett appears to live in a fantasy world where logic does not apply to reality. Instead of logic he prefers wild accusations.

On a positive note it seems my "evil" cult is inherently popular regarding my attempts to enslave the human race.

James Corbett misunderstands the definition of utopia. If utopia cannot be real because it is a nowhere-imaginary place then dystopia likewise cannot exist because the word dystopia is rooted in the word utopia. Contrary to to the opinions of James, both "utopia" and "dystopia" are actually very valid words to describe perfect or imperfect socioeconomic societies. The word "Utopia" was created via a novel but this fictional origin does not mean the concept cannot change thereby becoming real. Sadly the thought-police will probably insist utopia can only ever apply to the novel.

James perplexingly wants to state the concept of utopia cannot exist, based on the etymology of the word. Most people know the word utopia means a perfect social and political system, a perfect way of life, a perfect era, but it seems James doesn't have access to a dictionary. My description of my utopian identity contains various dictionary definitions of utopia if you need clarification.

Perhaps James was reading 1984 at the time of his so-called "Report", thus he's enthralled with the Newspeak idea of removing words (concepts) from our language. If James Corbett has a problem with the word "utopia" I can invent a new word based on Latin, novus temporibus (aetas) perfectus verus ratio, which explains my meaning, the meaning of utopia: a new time (era), perfect, real, true, a system based on reason (science). Taking the first letter of each aforementioned Latin word I could create a new word "ntapvr" to replace "utopia" or we could simply be sane thereby continuing to utilize the word utopia. Utopia and dystopia are both very possible situations, which can manifest in reality in a very real way. Utopia is not merely science fiction eternally destined to never be real.

Shortly after Sir Thomas More created the word "utopia" Copernicus was formulating the heliocentric model of our solar system. Around 70 years after the Copernicus heliocentric exposition, Galileo struggled to explain the difference between the unreal and the real. Sadly the truth told by Galileo did not prevail because the church deemed heliocentrisim to be "absurd and false". Understandably in 1516 the idea of utopia could easily be deemed eternally impossible (an imaginary or nowhere place) because in 1616 (100 years after the word utopia was created) the following excerpt reveals shockingly untrue and irrational conclusions by the Catholic Holy Tribunal and Inquisition:

"We say, pronounce, sentence, and declare that you, the above-mentioned Galileo, because of the things deduced in the trial and confessed by you as above, have rendered yourself according to this Holy Office vehemently suspected of heresy, namely of having held and believed a doctrine which is false and contrary to the divine and Holy Scripture: that the sun is the center of the world and does not move from east to west, and the earth moves and is not the center of the world, and that one may hold and defend as probable an opinion after it has been declared and defined contrary to Holy Scripture. Consequently you have incurred all the censures and penalties imposed and promulgated by the sacred canons and all particular and general laws against such delinquents. We are willing to absolve you from them provided that first, with a sincere heart and unfeigned faith, in front of us you abjure, curse, and detest the above-mentioned errors and heresies, and every other error and heresy contrary to the Catholic and Apostolic Church, in the manner and form we will prescribe to you."

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/galileo/condemnation.html

The etymological origin of the word "utopia" maybe unreal (fictional), but the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four demonstrates how fictional concepts can apply to real life, thus the initially fictional term of "Big Brother" or "Thought Police" can be applied to to describe real-life, tangible scenarios. Words and phrases evolve beyond the initial circumstances when they were created.

Before spaceflight was a possibility the concept of leaving the Earth was merely fiction. Utopia will likewise be a reality one day. In our current era notable people such as NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Google's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt are willing to state science fiction will become, or is becoming, fact.

Attempts to create utopia in the past have failed but it's worthwhile note how the first attempts to create airplanes flailed. Initial repeated failure doesn't mean failure is eternal because if it does then we should give up trying to cure AIDS, cancer, and many other illnesses. After many failures it can often seem darkest before dawn but the dawn will eventually come. Don't fall prey to the Boy Who Cried Wolf Syndrome.

The earliest piece of science fiction is widely accepted as being written in the 2nd century, which was a long time ago. Thankfully the wildest imaginary-nowhere-science-fiction-places from our dearest dreams will soon become real. Don't be afraid to dream. I have a dream of utopia. In words of NASA Administrator Charles Bolden: "We're gonna turn science fiction into science fact." I hope you have a dream too. Contrary to the narrow-minded views of James Corbett, I will not enslave you and I'm not evil... utopia is coming and it is real. Science and technology is not a fantasy. The dream of black equality was real, not a fantasy, likewise the dream of utopia is real; we are striving for a very real state of affairs.

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