One more political observation, which I hope won't piss anyone off this time

[maradydd]

As most of you have probably picked up on, I'm among that minority of computer scientists who actually writes code, and often prefers it to writing papers (much to the chagrin of my advisors and colleagues). I enjoy my theoretical work, but if I spend too much time on theory alone, the joy turns hollow; I want to build things that people can use.

Comments

[whswhs]

I look at this in what I'd almost have to call a dialectical way:

I don't believe in great society-wide mathematical schemes that everybody must adhere to. I believe in a network of local engineering problem-solving efforts. I emphasize local, and, in particular, I favor each local decision-maker having as much freedom as is consistent with allowing others the same freedom; I don't believe in treating one person as a resource for somebody else's social engineering.

But then this is itself for me an almost mathematical ideal: a rigorous application of the principle of informed consent and voluntary cooperation, with all forced cooperation completely purged. That's a very abstract vision. And my natural impulse is to look at most actual political decisions as at best losing sight of the goal, and at worst selling it out. My grand theoretical solution is to maximize the degree to which people are enabled to find their own concrete solutions.

You mention the dichotomy of mathematics and engineering. But to me there's a duality between engineering and art. Engineering takes a project and looks in a handbook for standard textbook solutions that can be applied to it; art looks for designs that uniquely fit the particular situation. To me ethics requires both aspects: there are general principles that guide successful human lives, but ultimately you have to find your virtues to guide your life. And a good society is one that gives you the freedom to find the ethical life design that's right for you.

I'm reminded, too, of the Marxist distinction between right opportunists (who get so focused on the practicalities of preserving the revolution that they forget what the revolution is for) and left sectarians (who care so much about the revolutionary goals and are so eager for their immediate attainment that they fail to think about making their efforts sustainable at all).

And all this, I guess, shows that I'm yet a different type of abstract thinker: a philosopher. "Go not to the elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes."