scottsittlow Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Are innovations justified if they only make survival more efficient, or does your survival have to depend on the innovation for it's creation to be justified? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aequalsa Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Are innovations justified if they only make survival more efficient, or does your survival have to depend on the innovation for it's creation to be justified? I am not sure why innovations need to justified at all. Could you explain further as to what you mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidOdden Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Are innovations justified if they only make survival more efficient, or does your survival have to depend on the innovation for it's creation to be justified?Your expenditure of time and wealth to create innovations is justified by your realization that it will advance your ultimate goal (your life), so that could be physical survival, or more efficient means of producing goods that are essential to simple physical existence, or any goods that you use to exist and flourish qua man, i.e. using your mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimpy Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 (edited) Whose "survival" are you talking about? Dave Odden had it right: if the innovation advances your own life(in monetary or spiritual terms), then its creation would certainly be justified. Edited February 4, 2007 by Mimpy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 in·no·va·tion /ˌɪnəˈveɪʃən/ [in-uh-vey-shuhn] –noun 1. something new or different introduced: numerous innovations in the high-school curriculum. 2. the act of innovating; introduction of new things or methods. jus·ti·fy /ˈdʒʌstəˌfaɪ/ Pronunciation Key - [juhs-tuh-fahy] verb, -fied, -fy·ing. –verb (used with object) 1. to show (an act, claim, statement, etc.) to be just or right: The end does not always justify the means. 2. to defend or uphold as warranted or well-grounded: Don't try to justify his rudeness. A careful analysis of the definitions leads me to conclude that the topic creator suffers from some sort of insanity. What possible way could that question ever make any sense? To whom does he think new inventions must be justified? If I think up a easier way to carve a turkey, do I have to plead permission from some authority? The very idea that permission is or should be required for an innovation is utterly monsterous, and the poster should run away and hide in shame. If he has an alternate explanation for the meaning of his words, he should present it, and quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aequalsa Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 The very idea that permission is or should be required for an innovation is utterly monsterous, and the poster should run away and hide in shame. If he has an alternate explanation for the meaning of his words, he should present it, and quickly. Man, somebody woke up on the wrong side of his bed of nails this morning. Let's not scare off new people right away. We ought to at least wait until they make the mistake of asking about masculinity or femininty before we attack. lol I'm sure he meant something else then what the definitions imply. Scott, what did you have in mind, exactly? Because I don't understand either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Man, somebody woke up on the wrong side of his bed of nails this morning. Yeah, I was in a rare mood. But if he meant it the way it looks, he deserves every word of it and then some. So, come on Scott, post up and let us know what the heck you're talking about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottsittlow Posted February 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2007 Your expenditure of time and wealth to create innovations is justified by your realization that it will advance your ultimate goal (your life), so that could be physical survival, or more efficient means of producing goods that are essential to simple physical existence, or any goods that you use to exist and flourish qua man, i.e. using your mind. That answered my question. I wanted to know what way objectivists would answer that question so i could understand objectivism better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aequalsa Posted February 6, 2007 Report Share Posted February 6, 2007 Your expenditure of time and wealth to create innovations is justified by your realization that it will advance your ultimate goal (your life), so that could be physical survival, or more efficient means of producing goods that are essential to simple physical existence, or any goods that you use to exist and flourish qua man, i.e. using your mind. That answered my question. I wanted to know what way objectivists would answer that question so i could understand objectivism better. OK. It seems like the question you are getting at is objectivism regarding life as the standard of value, and whether life in this context means maintainimg your basic physical existence or something more. I think there are a few threads on that subject, if you further interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Posted February 6, 2007 Report Share Posted February 6, 2007 Your expenditure of time and wealth to create innovations is justified by your realization that it will advance your ultimate goal (your life), so that could be physical survival, or more efficient means of producing goods that are essential to simple physical existence, or any goods that you use to exist and flourish qua man, i.e. using your mind. That answered my question. I wanted to know what way objectivists would answer that question so i could understand objectivism better. Good, but what a strange way of asking. You made it sound like you were asking if innovations had to be Justified to the Council Of Elders or something. Yes, you're correct: Objectivism does not advocate mere grave-avoidance as the standard of behavior, but rather flourishing qua man. You may consider all of the vitrol above to not be directed at you. I'm sorry for any consternation it may have caused you so long as you are sorry for the consternation your phrasing caused me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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