Aqualyst

>>Sherlock stated: And the main purpose of sex in organisms is reproduction---this is so obvious that any reasonable man can see this without having recourse to scientific data. It is so accepted as common wisdom that reproduction figures in the dictionary definition of sex. If the context is the continuation of the species, homo sapiens, then, yes, the "purpose" of sex is reproduction. If the context is man as a rational animal who chooses his actions, then the "purpose" of sex depends upon the individual. One man may choose to engage in sex for reproductive purposes, while another may choose sex as the means to celebrate his love for a particular woman. Dictionary definitions and common wisdom may have little to do with the context of a particular thread. If such things are the context of this thread, then the argument in the above quote is valid. If not, then the argument is not valid.

As a former police officer with the New Orleans PD in the late 60s, I can offer a point of view based on extended observations of traffic on main urban thoroughfares. From my observations, the single factor causing most auto accidents was following too closely. Next in order of accident causation was driving too fast for the prevailing conditions (heavy traffic, rain, ice, snow, etc.). A speed limit per se, except in isolated circumstances, seems unsuited for its intended purpose (protecting against accident and injury). It would better serve the public if police officers were to concentrate on those driving faults that actually caused accidents. Speed limits, however, are easy to enforce. Other violations are more difficult to prove and consequently cause officers to spend more time in court. A ticket book in those days contained 25 tickets. Patrol officers (those who handled calls) were expected to write at least 4 ticket books a month. Traffic officers (those who were assigned solely to traffic violations) were expected to write at least 4 books each day of duty. At no time was the word "quota" mentioned during pre-shift roll call meetings. Nonetheless, each officer had better be regularly asking for more ticket books from the duty sergeant. In the United States today, writing speeding tickets is generally accepted as a means of reducing traffic accidents. However, again from my perspective, it is not the ticketing of speeders that reduces accidents, but rather the increased attention level of drivers due to the acknowledged presence of police officers on the roads.

I am a water conditioning engineer working and living in the intellectual wasteland of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I design and fabricate systems for the application of water treatment chemicals to industrial and commercial processes.My last face-to-face meeting with a real Objectivist was eight years ago when living near Charlotte, NC. My only contact with Objectivists these days is through the Internet.I've been lurking on this website for a few months, but this has the dubious virtue of being my first post. I must further state that this website is by far the slickest Objectivist forum I've encountered. My compliments to the webmaster.