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Dick Chambers
Guest
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| Posted: Thu May 12, 2005 9:31 pm
Post subject: One-line philosopher. |
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I went to the barber this morning, and was reduced to reading the Daily Mail
while I waited my turn. I found one item in it that did please me, so I now
rate the Mail as 99% bad instead of 100% awful.
The bit I liked was the "one-line philosopher" feature they have towards the
end of the newspaper. Readers are invited to submit a philosophy of life, in
no more than one sentence (not necessarily "one line").
This morning's philosophy was:-
"If it is totally beyond comprehension, better to do nothing about
it".
This can claim to be a philosophy, because it is commenting on mankind's
inability to be effective in the face of our own ignorance.
However, there is a very fine line between this "philosophy" and Dennis
Healey's maxim:-
"If you're in a hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging".
You also have proverbs:-
"Honesty is the best policy".
and rules of thumb:-
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth".
"The Daily Mail is 99% bad".
What is the essential difference between a one-line philosophy, a maxim, a
proverb, and a rule of thumb? Can you provide a clear example of a one-line
philosophy that could not possibly be mistaken for a maxim, a proverb, or
rule of thumb?
Richard Chambers Leeds UK. |
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R H Draney
Guest
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| Posted: Thu May 12, 2005 11:34 pm
Post subject: Re: One-line philosopher. |
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Dick Chambers filted:
| Quote: |
What is the essential difference between a one-line philosophy, a maxim, a
proverb, and a rule of thumb? Can you provide a clear example of a one-line
philosophy that could not possibly be mistaken for a maxim, a proverb, or
rule of thumb?
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No idea if it qualifies, but one that I doubt anyone here has heard it before:
"Progress consists of poking holes in previously-poked holes" - Jan Cox
.....r |
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TakenEvent
Guest
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| Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 7:11 am
Post subject: Re: One-line philosopher. |
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"Dick Chambers" <richard.chambers7@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:5FKge.2107$X86.779@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...
| Quote: | I went to the barber this morning, and was reduced to reading the Daily
Mail
while I waited my turn. I found one item in it that did please me, so I
now
rate the Mail as 99% bad instead of 100% awful.
The bit I liked was the "one-line philosopher" feature they have towards
the
end of the newspaper. Readers are invited to submit a philosophy of life,
in
no more than one sentence (not necessarily "one line").
This morning's philosophy was:-
"If it is totally beyond comprehension, better to do nothing about
it".
This can claim to be a philosophy, because it is commenting on mankind's
inability to be effective in the face of our own ignorance.
However, there is a very fine line between this "philosophy" and Dennis
Healey's maxim:-
"If you're in a hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging".
You also have proverbs:-
"Honesty is the best policy".
and rules of thumb:-
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth".
"The Daily Mail is 99% bad".
What is the essential difference between a one-line philosophy, a maxim, a
proverb, and a rule of thumb? Can you provide a clear example of a
one-line
philosophy that could not possibly be mistaken for a maxim, a proverb, or
rule of thumb?
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Does a philosophy have to encompass all of a lifetime's situations?
Squint and ride away. |
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