The Campaign Builder's Guild

"Hobbes is a fun dude."
Sic scripsit Marcus Crassus.

Aren't you ashamed of yourself?

Anyway, judging from the dates you gave, I assume you are referring to the Byzantine Empire being the only thing that intersts you after 476. How about the Renaissance scientist types (who, I might add, tended to write in Latin!)?

Since this is no hour to write a good review of a philosophical work worthy of a good review I will get back to you on Hobbes in a few days.

;) Túrin

Latin, my friend Turin, is a pale, pale reflection of the glorious Hellene tongue.  

You are, however, quite correct about the Byzantine Empire.  It is also in this year that the Hundred Years War draws to a close. :(

(I do like a few other things after 476 and before 1453.  In general, any culture whose language begins with the word 'old' or 'classical' is good by me too.  Old Norse, Old English, Classical Armenian...

I think we need to re-energize this thread with a new topic.  Evaluations of philosophers are good and all, but what about a topic more accessible to those who haven't had the pleasure of reading Hobbes et al?  (Maybe something that the high school students among us could participate in.)

I'm open to suggestion.

Like I mentioned in another thread, we recently had elections here. Perhaps we could discuss politics on a more day-to-day level?

Or we could go into some more general philosophical topic, such as the meaning of life, or religion (I have a high expectation of our forum with respect to being able to have a mature discussion without flaming).

EDIT: to make a start on the elections-topic: did any of you get the Dutch news back in 2002? You know, reovlutionary elections and the murder of Pim Fortuyn and all that.

i'm afraid that i do not have the luxury of receiving the news from anywhere outside my little chunk of hick-town, USA.  however, if I may suggest we discuss the purpose of literature?  I am fond of that topic, and reasonably capable of debating it.  lus, it has a seemingly universal application of this community.

Damn, I do believe I just made a statement with an inteeligent connotaion.

Dutch elections are more important to us here in the USA than most know, since our infrastructure, especially the mining industry, is quite entangled with your country.
The Netherlands are probably the most important non-English speaking part of the Anglo-Saxon collective, though if you guys blink, India will usurp your traditional power position.


As for the porpoise of lit'retoor, is it not to express those insanities it is socially unacceptable to scream out on the streets? :D

Alright, the importance of literature seems good to me.  (Politics is not one of those subjects which either the very young or the very academic of us is inclined to know much about, I'm afraid, Turin.)

Though me and CYMRO seem to be able to discuss it to some degree, so please ignore us while we continue that for a sec.

What exactly do you mean by the Anglo-Saxon collective? Doesn't that by definition only include English-speaking nations?

In what respect, exactly, do you think the Netherlands are important? Also, do you mean important for the Anglo-Saxon collective or important for the USA?

Quote from: TúrinThough me and CYMRO seem to be able to discuss it to some degree, so please ignore us while we continue that for a sec.

What exactly do you mean by the Anglo-Saxon collective? Doesn't that by definition only include English-speaking nations?

In what respect, exactly, do you think the Netherlands are important? Also, do you mean important for the Anglo-Saxon collective or important for the USA?

The Anglo-Saxon collective includes:
Britain(obviously)
Netherlands(because the House of Orange saved Britain from internal collapse twice)
USA
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
India(too long the jewel of empire not to have been tainted :D )
South Africa
Bits of Germany(especially Hesse and Brunswick)
Rhodesia
Much of the Caribbean
Liberia

It is the influence of the culture that defines the Collective.  And a tenacity for withholding real power from those outside its ever shifting borders.
America is in the twilight days of hegemony in the Collective.  Soon, India will be the superstar, with us and Britain in the supporting roles.  Just as with the Monroe Doctrine, Britain became the second to us.  You Dutch are the important financial ballast, as well as a good ethical weathervane.  We would be a footnote in history without the House of Orange.

That list feels rather arbitrary. Why do you call it a Collective?

See, the real-world politics is good and all, but the poor thread doesn't seem to stay afloat when only two people on the boards are interested.

Well, since me and Cymro are enjoying ourselves, the task falls to you to breathe new life in this thread by opening up a new philosophical subject to discuss. So go right ahead. :P

Quote from: TúrinThat list feels rather arbitrary. Why do you call it a Collective?

It is a term that came out of the late 1940s when the Union Now movement sought to bring those nations, and a few others, under one umbrella government.Ã,  The U.N. movement overshadowed it, but as a backseat driving political force, the Collective has staying power.Ã,  Even Liberia, the unwanted stepchild of America, is feeling its power.
I think not uncoincidental that the President of Liberia spoke to the U.S. Senate this week.Ã, 

Philosophical conundrum of the week:

Predestiny? Or determinism?

Quote from: Elven DoritosPhilosophical conundrum of the week:

Predestiny? Or determinism?

Predeterminestiny rules all!