Philosophy Now Forum

Please, tell me why slavery is wrong. Because it diminishes and undermines the abilities, self-confidence, strength and intelligence of the slave-owners. They become dependent, just like any receiver of welfare, on the work of others. The moment they own a slave, they start atrophying and slide tow...

No, the slippery slope is not appropriate here. But then, Scanadavian countries are not relevant to the Socialist debate. They're not an example of what Socialism really does. But then the problem is you are using the term "socialism" to mean something different than most of us do. I'm us...

But here's another important question, I think: who is pushing for Socialism right now? And who stands to benefit? The Socialist story is that it's for "the commoners," "the poor" or "the proles." Really? Then why are the elites in business, the bankers, the media mogul...

Iwannaplato wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2026 12:40 am

Immanuel Can wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2026 12:37 am No, you're right: I don't. They aren't.

Great. You're not a slippery slope fanatic.

No, the slippery slope is not appropriate here. But then, Scanadavian countries are not relevant to the Socialist debate. They're not an example of what Socialism really does.

So, it's great that you don't even consider these states socialist, so presumably similar policies could be put in place in the US with it being called socialism, to you. This sets you apart from many conservatives in the US. Actually even from many liberals, if not most. It's not so great. You sai...

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2026 10:21 pm

Immanuel Can wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2026 8:03 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2026 8:00 pm

I don't know which to "accept" as true.

Wouldn't your conclusion then have to be that nobody has any way of knowing God? Or would you suppose that maybe some might, but you don't know who they'd be?

That's exactly my position.

Which one of the above? There are two.

So, it's great that you don't even consider these states socialist, so presumably similar policies could be put in place in the US with it being called socialism, to you. This sets you apart from many conservatives in the US. Actually even from many liberals, if not most. It's not so great. Take Ca...

Yes, that's true. You can criticize free markets without ending up in a gulag. Would that Socialism were the same. But what's more common is that the Socialists insist that their way doesn't HAVE to lead to economic collapse, murder, gulags and the end of freedoms, whereas in reality, that's exactl...

If there is a God, then I don't think we have knowledge of God, outside of what is speculated or what various people have claimed in conflicting accounts of alleged encounters with God. Well, which "speculations" or "allegations" do you accept? Or none? I don't know which to &qu...

I would call it a country that identifies itself as a capitalist, democratic republic and has a mixed system of state controls and free enterprise. Am I incorrect? Well, you're mostly right, but you included a nonsense word: "capitalist." It doesn't refer to anything. It's just a Leftist ...

If you say so, then it must be true. Not me. The Bible says it. As for the knowledge of God, let me ask you this: how do you think we can have it? What resources would you point to, in order to decide who God is, or what He wants? Or is your position that we have no such thing, and thus we cannot p...

So today is the US a "capitalist" country or is it not? Can you answer that question for me? There's no such thing as "Capitalism." There never has been, and probably never will be. So it's not an askable question. Politically and economically, the USA is a democratic republic, ...

If there is no such thing as "capitalism" then is there such a thing as "socialism"? That's easy. Before there was Socialism, there were societies, and social groups, and social habits. But they are not SocialISM. They occur everywhere, and aren't specific to any political proje...

According to the Bible, yes. Actually, according to the Bible, the answer would be "no." It's not automatic, that just because one was created by God one stands in a proper relationship to Him. As the book of John says, in its opening chapter, "He came to those who were his own, and ...

That was precisely his point. Often if you criticize something in what gets called capitalism you face slippery slope arguments or get labelled a commie, as if nothing in current capitalism could be problematic or the removal of which could only lead to gulags. Yes, that's true. You can criticize f...