Journal
2234 K Thu 18 Oct 2001
I have been consider matters of copyright and public domain this morning. I thought the site I have linked to the right was a good one. I think it gives good ideas about how to give intellectual property to the public, or part of the public.
I was running late for this afternoon's class so I drove into the city. It was a good class in Metaphysics, with readings of Aquinas "Is natural law a habit?" and Jean-Paul Sartre, "Existentialism is a Humanism":
Man simply is. Not that he is simply what he conceives himself to be, but he is what he wills, ... Thus, the first effect of existentialism is that it puts every man in possession of himself as he is, and places the entire responsibility for his existence squarely upon his own shoulders. ... To choose between this or that is at the same time to affirm the value of that which is chosen; for we are unable ever to choose the worse. ... As an example by which you may the better understand this state of abandonment, I will refer to the case of a pupil of mine who sought me out in the following circumstances. ... he, at this moment, had the choice between going to England to join the Free French Froces or of staying near his mother and help her to live. ... on the one side the morality of sympathy, of personal devotion and, on the other side side a morality of wider scope but of more debatable validity.
A few quotes probably do not make much sense. But I found it engrossing. After class I followed my habit of going to the station. I started reading again when the train was near Box Hill. Then it struck me. I had driven the car into the city, it was parked there. So much for "unable ever to choose the worse"! I had not choosen, just followed habit, not thought, made a mistake. So off the train, back to the city and drove home.
Copyright J.R. Lilburne, 18 October 2001.
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