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My parents were loyal Americans and believed deeply in the American system of government and my dad spent most of his life supporting the American way of life

 My parents were loyal Americans and believed deeply in the American system of government and my dad spent most of his life supporting the American way of life one way or other. First by volunteering for the United States Air Force at the start of WWII. Then excelling in that service for which he gained medals of honor. [Some of which He did not tell me about  and others he revealed what they were for. One was for the setting up  of a Air Base in France which airplanes that were disabled could come in and be repaired in short order.] Later he contributed to the USA by his work on the U-2 project. He created one of the cameras used by the U-2. Also by inventing the first InfraRed telescope. Then work on laser communication between satellites for Star Wars SDA. In short my parents believed in the American way.

So when I see people like Trotsky, I wonder why the option of the American way did not occur to him as a better way to attain a just system of government?

The answer I have is that the situation was different. It was not a matter of choosing between czarism and capitalism.  Rather it seems to him and millions of Russians that the issue was how to throw off the yoke of the czars.

What this means for today is that, in fact, it would make much sense to look at the Constitution of the USA to see what a just system of government would be like.   Sadly this does not  seem to hold in the USA where the Constitution is nowadays ignored.   

Still, a lot depends n the sort of people the system is meant to govern.

If you think all menial workers are saints and all factory owners are demons that is going to result in a different sort of system than if one thinks that human beings across the board contain a evil inclination --even if they are workers, or black or female.

The shear number of people in the USA that hate the Co Constitution of the USA would have seemed as as terrible people. 

Deterministic Quantum Mechanics: the Mathematical Equations Gerard t Hooft

 Deterministic Quantum Mechanics: the Mathematical Equations Gerard t Hooft

He finds classical QM by means of fast variables instead of hidden variables.

 On one hand it seems like a great philosophical idea. The fulfillment of Einstein's idea that QM is a mathematical device, but not a theory of what is going on inside of stuff.

On the other hand, physics is about black holes and tons of other stuff in such away that at least in physics, it is not thought to be earth shaking or to matter much to what is going on today. 

There are tests of this theory as d' Hooft has noticed.

I think d Hooft's Deterministic Quantum Mechanics really is from String Theory where these fast vibrations can be seen.

Gemara in Avoda Zara 23 side b. Tosphot Rosh Hahanah 13 side a.

Tosphot Rosh Hahanah 13 side a. Gemara in Avoda Zara 23 side b. The Gemara in Avoda Zara asks why were Israel commanded to burn the Asherot? After all the land belonged to Avraham and אין אדם אוסר דבר שאינו שלו no one can make forbidden that which does not belong to him. Answer: Israel served the Golden Calf so doing idolatry was OK to them. For if it had been the trees from the previous generations that would have been enough to nullify them, not burn them. Tosphot brings up the point that even though the land belonged to Avraham, the Canaanites were not thieves. They had permission to plant trees. And the trees they planted were owned by them. But when the Gemara in Avoda Zara asks its question, it is referring to the asherot from the previous generations.  So let me try to figure out this Gemara in AZ [Avoda Zara]. I guess it must be talking about trees that were in the land of Canaan before it was given to Avraham. And then the land with the trees were given to Avraham. If so the question of the Gemara makes sense. The trees belonged to Avraham and so even if the Canaanites worshipped them, they could not make them forbidden. Then look at the answer: since Israel worshipped the Calf, therefore idolatry was OK to them. That does not answer the question since an ashera has to be planted as an ashera. It can not be a regular tree that was planted for fruit and then worshipped. [That is from the Gemara itself and brought in the Rambam. Avoda Zara perek 8.] So those trees would not have been forbidden even if idolatry was ok to Israel. So let's say the question refers to asherot that were in the land at the time of Avraham, and then given to Avraham. So now they are asherot of a Israel which are required to be burned. That would be great if that was the answer of the Gemara, but the question nor the answer refer to them. So lets say the question of the gemara refers to trees [or even asherot] that were planted after the land was given to Avraham. Well, then they belong to the Canaanites outright and so the question of the Gemara makes not sense. They can cause to be forbidden that which belongs to them. Possible answer: the Gemara might be thinking since the land belongs to Avraham so the trees do also [that were planted after it was given to him]. Maybe the Gemara is thinking that regular trees also can be made forbidden by being worshipped? 

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תוספות ראש השנה י''ג ע''א. גמרא עבודה זרה כ''ג ע''ב. The גמרא in עבודה זרה  asks why were Israel commanded to burn the אשרות? After all the land belonged to Avraham and אין אדם אוסר דבר שאינו שלו no one can make forbidden that which does not belong to him. Answer: Israel served the Golden Calf so doing idolatry was OK to them. For if it had been the trees from the previous generations that would have been enough to nullify them, not burn them. תוספות brings up the point that even though the land belonged to Avraham, the Canaanites were not thieves. They had permission to plant trees. And the trees they planted were owned by them. But when the גמרא in עבודה זרה asks its question, it is referring to the אשרות from the previous generations.  So let me try to figure out this גמרא in עבודה זרה . I guess it must be talking about trees that were in the land of Canaan before it was given to Avraham. And then the land with the trees were given to Avraham. If so the question of the גמרא makes sense. The trees belonged to Avraham and so even if the Canaanites worshipped them, they could not make them forbidden. Then look at the answer: since Israel worshipped the Calf, therefore idolatry was OK to them. That does not answer the question since an אשרה has to be planted as an אשרה. It can not be a regular tree that was planted for fruit and then worshipped. That is from the גמרא itself and brought in the רמב''ם הלכות עבודה זרה פרק ח. So those trees would not have been forbidden even if idolatry was ok to Israel. So let's say the question refers to אשרות that were in the land at the time of Avraham, and then given to Avraham. So now they are אשרות of a Israel which are required to be burned. That would be great if that was the answer of the גמרא, but the answer does not refer to them. [Rather the answer is about trees that were forbidden because Israel served idols. Not to tree that were already asherot and then owned by avraham which already required burning] So lets say the question of the גמרא refers to trees or even אשרות that were planted after the land was given to Avraham. Well, then they belong to the Canaanites outright and so the question of the גמרא makes not sense. They can cause to be forbidden that which belongs to them. Possible answer: the גמרא might be thinking since the land belongs to Avraham so the trees do also [that were planted after it was given to him]. Maybe the גמרא is thinking that regular trees also can be made forbidden by being worshipped? 

תוספות ראש השנה י''ג ע''א. גמרא עבודה זרה כ''ג ע''ב. הגמרא בעבודה זרה שואלת מדוע נצטוו ישראל לשרוף את האשרות? אחרי הכל, האדמות היו של אברהם ואין אדם אוסר דבר שאינו שלו [אף אחד לא יכול לעשות אסור את מה שלא שייך לו]. תשובה: ישראל שימשה את עגל הזהב ולכן עבודת אלילים הייתה בסדר מבחינתם. כי אם היו העצים מהדורות הקודמים היו מספיקים לבטלם, ולא לשרוף אותם. תוספות מעלה את הנקודה שלמרות שהאדמה הייתה של אברהם, הכנענים לא היו גנבים. היה להם אישור לשתול עצים. והעצים ששתלו היו בבעלותם. אך כאשר הגמרא בעבודה זרה שואלת את שאלתה, היא מתייחסת לאשרות מהדורות הקודמים. אז תן לי לנסות להבין את הגמרא הזו בעבודה זרה. אני מניח שזה בוודאי מדבר על עצים שהיו בארץ כנען לפני שניתן לאברהם. ואז האדמה עם העצים ניתנה לאברהם. אם כן שאלת הגמרא הגיונית. העצים היו של אברהם ולכן גם אם הכנענים סגדו להם, הם לא יכלו להפוך אותם לאסורים. ואז התבונן בתשובה: מכיוון שישראל סגדו לעגל, לכן עבודת אלילים הייתה בסדר מבחינתם. זה לא עונה על השאלה מכיוון שיש לנטוע אשרה כאשרה. זה לא יכול להיות עץ רגיל שנשתל לפירות ואז סגדו אותו. זה מהגמרא עצמה והביא את הרמב''ם הלכות עבודה זרה פרק ח. כך שהעצים האלה לא היו אסורים גם אם עבודת אלילים הייתה בסדר לישראל. אז בואו נגיד השאלה מתייחסת לאשרות שהיו בארץ בזמן אברהם, ואז ניתנה לאברהם. אז עכשיו הם אשרות של ישראל ונדרשים להישרף. זה יהיה נהדר אם זו הייתה התשובה של הגמרא, אך התשובה אינה מתייחסת אליהם. [אדרבה התשובה היא על עצים שהיו אסורים מכיוון שישראל שימשה אלילים. לא לעץ שהיה כבר אשרה ואז היה בבעלותו של אברהם שכבר נדרש לשרוף]. אז נניח ששאלת הגמרא מתייחסת לעצים או אפילו אשרות שנטעו לאחר שהאדמה ניתנה לאברהם. ובכן, אז הם שייכים לכנענים על הסף ולכן שאלת הגמרא אינה הגיונית. הם יכולים לגרום לאסור את מה ששייך להם. תשובה אפשרית: הגמרא חושבת מכיוון שהאדמה שייכת לאברהם כך שגם העצים [שנטעו לאחר שניתנה לו]. אולי הגמרא חושבת שאפשר לאסור עצים רגילים על ידי סגידה?

The signature of the Gra on the letter of excommunication

The signature of the Gra on the letter of excommunication is generally ignored and because of that the Dark Side has taken over most of the religious world. [There are exceptions like the great Litvak yeshivas that are devoted to straight Torah, -- but outside of them I fear the religious world is dark and ugly-- and highly immoral.] 

[The problem is that  if you look at Kelley Ross's Kant Fries school you will see there is a hierarchy of areas of value. 

From that I think it is possible to see that the major test of a person  is to separate the good from the evil in whatever area of value his or her abilities lie in.] So the test of the religions area of value is if one is willing to accept the insight of the Gra. The signature of the Gra is what separates good from evil. But it is not  an area that is impossible to discern. Rather--reason can discern where is the truth. All one needs is a bit of common sense. I.e. reason has the ability to discern between good and evil. [As Huemer goes into in his paper on Ayn Rand.]

The great aspect of the Litvaks is the basic faithfulness to authentic Torah.

The great aspect of the Litvaks is the basic faithfulness to authentic Torah. Yet what is the idea of "kollel". To support people for learning Torah "lishma"--for its own sake and not for money. And in fact if people would be learning Torah for the sake of money or power that takes away any value in what they are doing. So it comes out we are supporting people that learn Torah not for the sake of money by giving them money.

[My impression of the religious world is that in fact it is all about money. But I might give to individuals that I sense that they are true Torah scholars and are learning Torah for its own sake.]    

 

between Hegel and Leonard Nelson.

 To me it seems the most important issue to straighten out is between Hegel and Leonard Nelson. That last is known as the Friesian school. It is completely ignored in the West, but was well known in the USSR.

The issues between these schools of thought are many about Kant's dinge an sich. Things in themselves isolated from all characteristics, [known by dialect, or by immediate non intuitive knowledge, or by straight reason according to the intuitionists like Huemer, G.E. Moore and Prichard.

It looks like the same sort of argument that existed between Plato and Aristotle until Plotinus made Neoplatonism philosophy based on Plato, but incorporated elements of Aristotle. 

[The issues between these two schools seem great to them, but the areas of agreement are much more that the strange areas where philosophy drifted into afterwards.  It seems that there is great value and insight in the Kant Friesian school but that should not be a reason to cancel Hegel or Prichard. What it looks like to me is  is the "soul" The deeper level where  intuitive [sense perception] and a priori knowledge originate. That is implied by Kelley Ross. I once wrote to him asking about this kind of question -that immediate non intuitive knowledge refers to a level of existence that is in the physical world and yet also refers to some level of reason--an end of the regress of reason. And his answer was that these two levels in their origin are one. That seems to refer to the soul. The "soul" seems  to be one area that philosophy has skipped in some sense except the Friesian school. 

But after one would come to this level, the questions still remain how to distinguish between area of good and evil- for every area of value seems to have  an opposite area of value that mimics the authentic area of value.