The Luxury of Philosophical Thinking

"Are you asking how to prove intellectual property in an actual, legal sense? Or in
more of a philosophical sense?", Davimack asked recently.

I suppose I'm thinking about the fact that intellectual property
is a double-edged sword and that money and prestige direct its
movements, rather than individual endeavour alone.

Charles Darwin only decided to publish his theory
of evolution when it became
apparent that others were quite pleased to attribute
his findings to themselves and take credit for it.

I just find it interesting that it is very difficult
to produce a really new idea and then prove to
social institutions that it the result of
individual work. I'm sure that Davimack and
Tadimack, who work in the academic World,
must have many thoughts on this.

There's Going to be an Oil Shortage?

...I can't wait.

The last major oil upheaval was in the early
1970's. I hitch-hiked to class on cattle
trucks at night, racing through the countryside
alongside good-humoured farmers.

That experience cannot be relived.
People are now so frightened of hitching
a lift, or meeting strangers, day or night,
that they are on the verge of
classifiable mental disorder on the
subject.



But perhaps an oil crisis will stop the chainsaws
that are working their way through our city
as I write?

I'm an optimist, but I can hear my French friends,
more Worldly Wise, muttering:

"Il ne faut pas trop espérer".
(You can't expect too much.)

Frankly, what I would now wish for is
a bit less...

Sztuka

There is much contact with Polish culture in Dublin
these days. The exhibition of Polish Art in the
National Gallery in Merrion Square has been attracting
large crowds of visitors who should come away with many
new ideas for colour combinations and how to view geometry
and space.

This is just a reminder to anybody who decides to come
to this part of the World in the next few months,
don't forget to carry a "parasolka".
The rain looks like settling in.

Public Spaces and the Rule of Fear

I have just had an interesting insight into my personal
reaction to public discourse as operated by politicians.
I was about to post a comment to a blog written by an Irish politician
and I did not continue because I have not confidence that it would not
be used for some distorted point scoring.

I was educated to have consideration for the common good.
It seems to be an unfashionable idea, but perhaps in time
it will come round again.