Daily Archives: 28 April 2016

Narcissism and Scientism

Posted on by
Reply

These are two different concepts, but I’m not convinced they’re unrelated.

First is a Wall Street Journal Notable & Quotable:

[The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5] . . . criteria for narcissistic personality disorder include these features:

Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
Expecting to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it
Exaggerating your achievements and talents
Being preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate…
Behaving in an arrogant or haughty manner

And

You may have secret feelings of insecurity, shame, vulnerability and humiliation.  To feel better, you may react with rage or contempt and try to belittle the other person to make yourself appear superior.

Second is another Notable & Quotable:

Now…science and especially science bureaucracy is a career, and one amenable to social climbing.  Careers attract careerists, in [Paul] Feyerabend’s words: “devoid of ideas, full of fear, intent on producing some paltry result so that they can add to the flood of inane papers that now constitutes ‘scientific progress’ in many areas.”

And

If science was unprepared for the influx of careerists, it was even less prepared for the blossoming of the Cult of Science.  The Cult is related to the phenomenon described as “scientism;” both have a tendency to treat the body of scientific knowledge as a holy book or an a-religious revelation that offers simple and decisive resolutions to deep questions.  But it adds to this a pinch of glib frivolity and a dash of unembarrassed ignorance.

Hmm….

Another PRC Challenge of the US

Posted on by
Reply

The PRC now is exploring Scarborough Shoal with the intent to expand its control over the South China Sea and to pose a more proximate threat to an American ally, this one the Republic of the Philippines.  Scarborough Shoal, as most of you know, is just 120 nautical miles from the Philippines 200 nautical miles from the capital, Manila.  Scarborough also is 470 nautical miles from the PRC.

In posing this challenge to the Philippines, the PRC also is making an in-your-face move against the US, with the intent of separating the RP from the US and of showing to the rest of the nations in the region just how little is the value of aligning with us.  The Obama administration is answering that challenge in just the way the PRC is anticipating—with timidity [emphasis added].

The six US aircraft that flew near Scarborough Shoal on April 19 are based at Clark [AB, 50 miles NW of Manila].  The four A-10 Thunderbolt fighters and two HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters “conducted a flying mission through international airspace…providing air and maritime situational awareness,” the US Air Force statement said.

None of the US flights flew to within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough, according to a US official, which would have amounted to a legal challenge to China’s claims on the shoal, but the proximity of the flights was clearly intended to send a message to Beijing.

A message was sent, all right.  By deliberately not challenging the legality of the PRC’s claims, the Obama administration said most clearly, “We accept your legal rights; we’re just making a feeble face-saving gesture.  Please.”

Elections have consequences.  And not only for us Americans.