Suppose this is organised by the people involved in May 21st 1987 (operation spectrum victims). What do you think the Govt will do? Applaud them? One more question, why is our Govt not doing the same (learning from parties with a longer history), by sending a team to learn from the democratic first world countries?

What abt removing the conversation between smallvice585 and Singaporedaddy that is irrelevant to this article? Put it somewhere else.

We will take the contents of the thread as well.

As a matter of courtesy, I think it only fair the we should inform you.

SD (Internet liaison officer of the brotherhood

As far as I am concern I support what Mr. Teo has been doing so far. He is doing a good job. As his ex-colleague, I had the priviledged to know him better. I have seen how he rallied the company to go through some tough times. He also stood up for the staff even if he has to risk his career. Not many bosses would do that but he would do it. I would rather follow a leader like him than anyone else.

“It is actually common general knowledge that Pragmatism is one of the great movements of philosophy since Charles Sanders Peirce first broached the idea in 1878.”

Wrong! I am NOT asking you whether pragmatism is a philosophy; read my question carefully again please @ 36) Singaporedaddy on March 18th, 2009 7.39 pm.

FYI there is even a philosophy on the life cycle of an ameoba, but just because it is published doesnt mean any country on this planet is using it to run their monetary system or balance their fiscal cost of capital.

I am asking you for something very pragmatic that can be meaningfully applied to the entire gamut that makes up the whole idea of govt in the form of executive, legislature and judiciary – ie a book where pragmatism as a body of knowledge is commonly used as governing principle of statecraft like lets say keynesianism or Adams Smith, wealth of the nations -instead you provided me with a washing machine manual and the toto almanac – by giving me a book on the subject of pragmatism.

Another thing. No one here expects to be spoon fed. But as a tax payer. I would have expected someone who decides to troupe off to China to explain what is his objective, goal and expected return on investment – I do not believe this is an unreasonable request.

If you could show please show me one article, website or even so much as a graffitti in some cubicle of a gents washroom where he might have even scribbled his grand plan to go back to China like Sun Wokung then maybe all of us here will not be so confounded by his incomprehensible actions. And this article by Ravi would not even have been required – If as you say the request for information = spoonfeeding, then I take exception to your statement and once again this can only point to a serious deficit. And I would seriously expect someone at the branch level of PAP to look into my complaint concerning the general and perceived lack of Ah Teo.

Again please, where is the book? I really want to understand. Pls dont waste my time, I took 5 minutes off my busy schedule to engage you.

SD

There is no need to insult me or to claim that I am mentally unstable or have made multiple postings, you can check this matter up with Andrew Loh, he will verify everything that I have said here is true –

Back to the point: You said here: 33) smallvoice585 on March 17th, 2009 5.26 pm – there is a school of thought called pragmatism and all I asked you to give me the title of this book.

I did NOT even ask for ten books, or even five or even three books – all I asked of you was ONE book.

And you cannot even give me a straight answer. Instead what you do is deflect the whole issue by coming up with a smart alec comment that is designed to side line the issue.

My question still stands and this is for the record.

Like I said someone at PAP branch level seriously needs to look at the lack of Ah Teo. I believe if they do not take this seriously. Then it is very unlikely for PAP to get the support of the thinking folk.

If you want I will even print out this whole thread and post it up as a whole article – what do you think?

SD (Internet liaison officer the brotherhood)

They trying to help the needy

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/world/asia/19vouchers.html?ref=world

PAP believes in corporate welfare as evidenced by Job Credit Scheme, where job saving is not the main aim.

So maybe CCP will teach PAP to be pro-poor?

You may be right. There seems to be a variability in the standard of postings by “Singaporedaddy”. Perhaps they are posted by different people. But, I’m not really interested in such mindless games.

(i) It is actually common general knowledge that Pragmatism is one of the great movements of philosophy since Charles Sanders Peirce first broached the idea in 1878.

If you really need to read the actual texts to convince yourself of its existence, I’m truly at a loss as to what to recommend you – because the bibliography is so long it can fill a small book! Ok, maybe look at William James’ “Pragmatism: A New Name for some Old Ways of Thinking” and Cheryl Misak’s “Truth, Politics, Morality: Pragmatism and Deliberation” as representative of the different camps of the Pragmatic argument.

(ii) If you think having our own Constitution is re-inventing the wheel, and that we should mindlessly follow the crowd of 48 other countries, may I just suggest that you re-read this sentence a few times and hopefully realize how ludicrous this is.

(iii) Your insistence that you will not know anything unless told directly and simply by anybody about anything is truly disappointing. Paying taxes does not entitle you to be spoon-fed!

Do you have a good idea who among the Singaporedaddies is the real one?

(i) You said – “There is no such thing as a concept of pragmatism”! Did you really say that? If you care to look through the history of philosophy, Pragmatism is one of its major movements.

[name me a treatise, book or seminal study on pragmatism and I will gladly pack up and shut up}

You further said - “pls dont try to elevate a mere word beyond its dictionary meaning”! Am I hearing you right? We are discussing politics here - obviously we need to go beyond the meaning of ordinary words. We need to examine abstract ideas, ie concepts such as the application of Pragmatic philosophy to political practice.

[show me the book then we will take it from there]

(ii) You are obviously a fan of the American Constitution. I may or may not be one too. But the American Constitution is for the USA only, not for any other country. Since we have a right to self-determination, Singapore has its own Constitution and is not obligated to xerox the American one.

[48 countries follow it - why should we reinvent the wheel? Can you give me one reason why? Singapore may have its own constitution but does it apply it constitutionally - you are missing the point]

(iii) You further said – ” I am not aware of ANY (more politically-important and strategic motives) as Ah Teo never bothered to explain to all of us, so how are we supposed to read his mind?” Oh my! Do you need the protagonist to spell out his thoughts in big letters to you for you to know anything?

To discuss politics, you need to do a little analysis on your own.

[disagree very strong, on record Ah Teo did not bother to even flesh out a rationale, let alone philosophy as to why he is doing the things he is doing - we pay taxes not to play Nostradamus; we pay taxes to get value for money; if he wants to go to china that is fine - but please share with us what is your rationale, philosophy and expect return on energy - this is not too much to ask as a tax payer - unless he thinks that I am his Ah Kong to sponsor him on foreign trips which he doesnt even care to provide an explanation for.

As I said, this man lack the metier, he is lacking in the cut - someone at branch level needs to seriously look into this]

SD (Internet liaison officer of the brotherhood)

(i) You said – “There is no such thing as a concept of pragmatism”! Did you really say that? If you care to look through the history of philosophy, Pragmatism is one of its major movements.

You further said – “pls dont try to elevate a mere word beyond its dictionary meaning”! Am I hearing you right? We are discussing politics here – obviously we need to go beyond the meaning of ordinary words. We need to examine abstract ideas, ie concepts such as the application of Pragmatic philosophy to political practice.

(ii) You are obviously a fan of the American Constitution. I may or may not be one too. But the American Constitution is for the USA only, not for any other country. Since we have a right to self-determination, Singapore has its own Constitution and is not obligated to xerox the American one.

(iii) You further said – ” I am not aware of ANY (more politically-important and strategic motives) as Ah Teo never bothered to explain to all of us, so how are we supposed to read his mind?” Oh my! Do you need the protagonist to spell out his thoughts in big letters to you for you to know anything?

To discuss politics, you need to do a little analysis on your own.

A delegation is now in the Middle East…..

Next ,another delegation may head to India….

GE is just round the bend…..it is on.