more on editorial comment

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Stef is an old friend and is, most likely, considerably more to the right
than I am on many issues (not all). I strongly believe in the right to have
strong disagreements and still remain friends.

Dave

------ Forwarded Message
From: Einar Stefferud <Stef () thor nma com>
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 2003 02:07:59 -0800
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Re: [IP] editorial comment

It is extremely hard to openly state that I disagree with Dave's
tendencies to bias in his choices of what to include and what to
exclude from his IP mail flows.

I know he believes he is properly biased to what he finds to be "the"
center between the right and left, up and down, etc.

The problem is that there is no knowable reference point as to where
the left ends and the right begins. or up ends and down begins.
The only reference points available are all personal and subjective,
or inter-subjective, because there is no objective universal truth
to any individual claims to know where The Center is.

So, I (along with many others) send stuff to Dave for inclusion,
knowing that he will make his choices subjectively, which I know
is his right, and I have no complaints about his choices, because IP
is Dave's thing to which he is faithfully devoted, for which I am
grateful for what it is.

But, I like most of you, I am sure, make up your own mind, message
by message, as to what you think about IP messages.

My point is that Dave's Center is not my center, so I must always
discount opinions for the offsets.  Facts are one thing, but opinions
are just opinions, and are not facts.

Also, as Dave has taught me, false facts exist, because a fact is
defined to be a widely held belief, which might in fact be false.
Perhaps Dave can repeat his dictionary definition as he explained
it some years ago.

So, this is not a complaint, but is an observation by someone with
a different finding of fact that Dave uses a different "center"
than I use, and so I see bias where Dave does not.

But, I must repeat, it is his right and obligation to be faithful
to his perceptions of where the "center" really is, or might be.
If not his own, then whose is it?

I trust that Dave's editorial comment was not intended to be a
declaration that his judgement as to where his center is should
supercede our judgements as to where our centers are found to be.

What I see happening here and everywhere that discussion is occurring,
is contributing with the intention to either find where the real center
is, or move the perceived centers of others in an effort to relocate
the group's collective perceived center.  The center does move about
from time to time.

Please note that I have not indicated here any notion of which way I
might like to shift Dave's IP center, because that is not for me to
choose, or even comment about.

So, I am pro-Dave, in response to his editorial comment, and I
positively state that I strongly support his rights and privileges to
serve as editor of his discussion forum, to which I try to contribute,
and from which I read and learn on a daily basis.

But this is not a vote for the accuracy of his judgements regarding
the location of "THE" Universal Global Center.  And I do not advocate
that he replace his with mine.

The so called "center" is actually some kind of global average, or
national average, or IP average, which results (if determinable) from
arithmetic kinds of calculation and which may not actually exist in
any actual mind.

This also follows from the observation that there is no actual average
person, or automobile, but only a calculated average for comparing with
specific real individuals or automobiles.  Etc...

Cheers...\Stef


------ End of Forwarded Message

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