Someone, I can’t recall who, sent me a link to this over a week ago before Fakegate exploded. I’ve had it open in my browser since. Published in 1951, it seems prescient as we look at the global warming affair today. These ten commandments would apply well to the “robust” science of global warming. I wonder if Mr. Gore appropriated #9 for his own use?
Bertrand Russell A Liberal Decalogue (1951)
Note
This Liberal Decalogue first appeared at the end of the article “The best answer to fanaticism: Liberalism” in the New York Times Magazine (16/December/1951). It was then included in The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell, Vol. 3, 1944-1967.
It shows the usual sharp mind and tongue of Bertrand Russell, never more at ease as when presenting his unconventional ideas. From panarchy.org
Perhaps the essence of the Liberal outlook could be summed up in a new decalogue, not intended to replace the old one but only to supplement it. The Ten Commandments that, as a teacher, I should wish to promulgate, might be set forth as follows:
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1.
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Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.
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Do not think it worth while to proceed by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.
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3.
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Never try to discourage thinking for you are sure to succeed.
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4.
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When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavour to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.
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5.
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Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found.
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6.
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Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.
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7.
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Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.
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8.
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Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent that in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.
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9.
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Be scrupulously truthful, even if the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.
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10.
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Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool’s paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.
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Splendid stuff. As a fellow (though far less distinguished …) philosopher, I have my issues with ‘Bertie’, but there’s no denying that he was very good indeed at plain-language explanation. (And in anycase, I’m sure my ‘issues’ would delight him, vide No. 5.) A fine exposition of the traditional liberal position, albeit not of the current US usage of the word.
The meaning of liberalism has definitely changed these days. No wonder why some people say that liberalism is a mental disorder these days. I used to be liberal thinking that’s how it is but as I get older (thanks to the internet), it is definitely not what I thought it’d be. I suppose libertarian would be a better term for myself. It is pretty sad that the “liberals” have to resort to pulling out race card on me when it has nothing to do with racism at all. I am only against junk science, that’s all after what I have been through against saturated fat and cholesterol causing heart disease and sun scare that is responsible for wide spread vitamin D deficiency. You would think liberals would be more educated and open minded about these but that was not the case for me.
I have printed these out, I am most definitely going to keep them handy for a long time to come.
this dovetails with something I’ve been thinking about lately, how totally inappropriate all of our political labels are today. I imagine that’s quite intentional, since labels are just marketing and marketing rules our world now.
In American politics, the movement that identifies as “conservative” is actually quite Radical, wanting to overturn the current government status quo in almost every way. Because of this they have the same weaknesses and flaws that Radicals throughout history have had. Radicals love to smash things, but they never have very strong ideas of what they want to put in place of them. Which is why Radical movements go wrong so much of the time.
But the vast majority of those who call themselves “liberals” in America are in fact Reactionary Conservatives, dedicating to preserving the status quo ante no matter what it costs, whether or not it makes any sense. (see: social security, medicare) As such, they have an even weaker position than the Radicals since they are dedicated to maintaining an edifice which, in the long run, cannot be maintained and which must fall.
And there is a huge problem with the label “progressive”, for what does a “progressive” do when progress stops and social and economic regression sets in?
To be a Liberal in the tradition of Bertrand Russell is the only set of beliefs that will carry you through ups and downs, hard times and good. What a pity there are so few left! And the rest don’t even understand what we’re talking about.
These truisms are hardly “Liberal.” Russell was being political by claiming they are.
#5 is either bad advice or phrased badly. If he means ‘have no respect for the intellectual authorities others cite,’ then maybe he’s getting close to good advice. He should have said not to depend on the authority of others to win an argument for authority often is hollow. If he means be disrespectful of everyone with intellectual authority, then he’s definitely wrong.
Ayn Rand on logical positivists (from For the New Intellectual):
Actually, I think that list SHOULD be posted in schools at all levels. Behind the secretary’s desk, in every principal’s office, and on the wall of the Superintendent’s office and school board meeting room. It will be on my wall and I currently teach special education at the Elementary level.
It is a given that adults should adhere to this list. But it is never too early to teach children how to question and say NO, as well as yes.
What I’ll sign up for is being liberal minded. And hopefully, having a sense of humour. A person with those two characteristics is usually going to be pleasing company.
Brilliant and thoroughly enjoyable, but probably not to the taste of the CAGW cult’s true believers.
It’s great for you to publish this list of Ten Commandments of the Old, New, constant Left. My first thought is: What kind of an adult do you get when you raise your children this way? Well, now we know, we get doKtor Gleick’s, doKto Mann’s, et al.
The best irony is that doktor Gleick was just voted, CEO. Chief Ethical Officer!
Iren says:
February 24, 2012 at 2:20 am
“I can see why you left this open throughout this turmoil. It directly addresses the current situation in an extraordinary prescient way”
Or, post-scient. The same conditions and memes have been floating around since antiquity. We ping-pong back and forth in an endless volley, with “liberals” of today changing the established order to become the reactionaries of tomorrow, and vice versa.
Russell’s Flying Teapot
“If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.”
― Bertrand Russell
No 5 looks rather like the Royal Society’s motto Nullius in verba
Pity they don’t live up to it now.
Anyone living by any “Dictate” has not will or intellect of their own.
The “dictate” of the LEFT…is that “we” are destroying the environment. They are completely igonorant of history.
This could be Richard Feynman’s Decalogue for Scientists!
In other words: Nullius in Verba
(Would that today’s Royal Society followed this, their own motto.)
Robert of Ottawa says:
I’m not sure about #7. Some opinions, though eccentric, are just plain wrong. Other opinions, although not eccentric, have lasted eons and are no less true for that..
You don’t understand #7. What you say is correct, but it does not oppose the point of #7. Number 7 does not state that all eccentric opinons are correct, it says that not all eccentric opinons are incorrect. Observing (or asserting) that all accepted opinons were once considered eccentric is offered as evidence of that.
These ten principles might as well be titled “the sceptics decalogue”. They are anathema to the likes of the “Climate Scientists”, who operate on false certainty, hiding adverse data, stifling debate, abusing power, telling lies, and asserting their own authority as proof. These principles also address the advocates of “consensus science” whether amongst scientists or the general public, as they accept and appeal to the authority of the “Climate Scientists”.
Contrast #9 of this Sceptics Decalogue:
Be scrupulously truthful, even if the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.
with the Creed of the Climate Scientist, per Stephen Schneider:
On the one hand, as scientists we are ethically bound to the scientific method, in effect promising to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but — which means that we must include all the doubts, the caveats, the ifs, ands, and buts. On the other hand, we are not just scientists but human beings as well. And like most people we’d like to see the world a better place, which in this context translates into our working to reduce the risk of potentially disastrous climatic change. To do that we need to get some broad based support, to capture the public’s imagination. That, of course, entails getting loads of media coverage. So we have to offer up scary scenarios, make simplified, dramatic statements, and make little mention of any doubts we might have. This ‘double ethical bind’ we frequently find ourselves in cannot be solved by any formula. Each of us has to decide what the right balance is between being effective and being honest.
What made Liberal thinking become so lame? Well, marijuana must be considered.
Not only are ‘liberals’ now the illiberal among us, the self-styled ‘progressives’ are, if anything, anti-progress. Go figure.
/Mr Lynn
The problem with political Liberals is they expect everyone else to follow their missives.
Start with logic that uses data that supports your arguments, then try the carrot, then the nudge, pricing methods, and finally, the stick. See, e.g., alcohol and tobacco.
Tobacco taxes – how we punish schizophrenics.
Schizophrenia and Tobacco
Evidently we are not as liberal as our polished halos would indicate.
One must not confuse modern Liberals with historical Liberals. I wish modern Libs would all read this and take it to heart.
A better summary of the cognitive dissonance inherent in the reactionary left I have never read.
Caleb says:
February 24, 2012 at 8:48 am
What made Liberal thinking become so lame? Well, marijuana must be considered.
I think this makes better sense:
http://classicalvalues.com/2012/02/the-ptsd-party/
Big Clue: Bill Clinton “I feel your pain.”
Anthony wrote – “Someone, I can’t recall who, ” It was me 🙂 (I think)
I just sent the link in the submit story form and since I am not I writer I left it to Anthony to come up with something.
Big Smiles from Slovakia
REPLY: Thank you, been a bit busy this week. – Anthony
“obviously, “Liberal” meant something different back then”
In fact it did. We have exactly turned the definition of liberal 180 degrees. Liberal was the notion of individual rights and the idea that the state is subordinate to the people. The “Statist” notion that the regime is all powerful was the “conservative” (meaning in this case ‘not wanting change’) or “Tory” position where the crown or the government was all powerful and the people were ruled over by the state.
What we consider to be “conservative” notions these days are the classical liberal ideas.