What Ptolemy can teach us in the modern world or the power of thought.

Over a period of time Ptolemy collected a series of observations recorded at various points around the known world and put them together in the marvellous catalog of thought Almagest. One can imagine him gathering all these facts and figures around him and staring out the open window for a bit before drawing some circles and angles. From this he is able to discern that the Earth is spherical and explain a convincing argument as to why the earth must be the center of the universe. (He is unable to measure the subtle astronomical changes in the heavens due to the pace of that change (Millenia rather than years)). He does work around the inconvenient retrograde motion of the planets, but too many other factors fit, and his world view being what it was, they were a minor inconvenience that couldn't dissuade him from the beauty of the universe he had created in his head.

Contrast this to our modern world where thought and for that matter addressing facts is frowned upon.We should not attempt to gather information and act upon observable reality, that is the province of the Liberal Elite; worse still dare I say Intellectuals. Today General Abizaid sat before congress and warned that there might be a Civil War in Iraq if we are not careful. Interesting, I would have thought that Sunni's and Shia blowing each other up in Iraq might in fact already constitute a Civil War. In order to face the problems of the world we must be willing without prejudice to view the facts of a case and apply thought to find a reasonable resolution. Thought has the ability to open even what cannot be directly observed to the microscope of intelligence. How could ptolemy have verified that the Earth was a sphere? Truth is that wasn't visibly proved until the advent of space flight almost 2 millenia later when we got up there and turned to look back.

Now I understand that our current regime suggests and perhaps exemplifies that the Liberal Elite are the only ones who have the power of thought, but I've known some pretty sharp conservatives. (Pope John Paul and William Jennings Bryan come immediately to mind) I'm thinking (oops sorry) that the forces that move the American machine have a vested interest in keeping us from thinking. If we watch Al Gore's film and observe the facts we might begin to reason that we are “off the charts” in terms of the footprint we are leaving on this planet. We might accept our impact on Global Warming as more than a “theory.” (Note to Conservatives, the word you are looking for is “hypothesis.” Theory means something which has been adequately proved and no longer needs to be demonstrated it can simply be stated. So yes Global Warming and Evolution for example are theories. They have both been adequately proved and are beyond need for scientific debate.) What would happen if we sat like Ptolemy and stared out the window reflecting on the facts? Let's just say I'm glad I drove away from the Theater in my Prius Hybrid. Maybe we would conserve and recycle, maybe we would stop thinking of the next minute's profits, and think instead, of the next century when our children grow up in a world that doesn't require reflective clothing. Maybe we look at our actions in the Middle East and our unquestioned support of the aggressive sliver of Israel's political pie and realize that violence is sometimes not the answer. We have removed a despicable man in Iraq, and replaced him with a movement of people who will kill without concern as to world opinion or sanctions. We have cheered as Israel followed suit. The facts of the case do not support the conclusion. There were no weapons, Saddam was brought to heel, regime change has done more harm than good. Promoting democracy does not mean that you get to name the government. If the people elect Hamas, or Iran's representatives, tough bannanas. Democracy means will of the people, not of other democracies.

Thinking means an end to subsidizing corporate profits, (Tax Breaks, Government Land giveaways, Mercantile invasions, Paying farmers not to grow things while a significant portion of the world starves. (Let's think about that one we pay farmers our money to keep the prices up through scarcity, so we can pay more when we go to the store as well! And farmers means big multinationals these days not ma and pa so don't even start with that crap.)) it means healthcare for all, it means finding ways to power the world in a way that doesn't leave too much of a mark. (Conservatives If you wouldn't want it next to your house it's probably too high impact!) it means an end to disposable society with its inherent garbage pollution, disposable relationships (There's defense of marriage for you) and disposable entertainment. It means that all people have been given the inalienable right to freedoms of Life, Liberty, Property and their corrolaries in the Bill of Rights. Thinking means and end to “Newstainment” and a return to something resembling diligent journalism. It means that government will stay within the very limited bounds granted to it by the Constitution. Stay out of my house, my mind, my morals and my speech. Government can be changed; you want a department of education put it in the Constitution. Thinking means finding what is best even if it's not convenient or popular. Wait a minute. If this is what the Liberal Elite do than where do I sign up.

Thanks Ptolemy, sorry about the whole Copernicus thing, guess he had a better flashlight.