Auckland/Conference, Overlander and Palmerston North

[tcpip]

Spent three days at Auckland for the Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy and gave my paper on Lying in Politics Revisited (draft). Seemed well received with third parties telling me it had attracted some interest. Was particularly pleased with recommended further readings in the psychology of moral disengagement and for further elaboration on strategic action. Was also impressed with Paul Miller's (ANU) paper on "The Ambiguity of Freedom" which argued for freedom to be understood as a process and a relationship rather than the traditional model of sovereignty and, continuing on the theme, Matheson Russell's paper on Hannah Arendt's intersubjective concept of freedom and agency. Also managed to meet up and had a great yarn with James Flowers of Redbrick, current publishers of the Earthdawn and Blue Planet roleplaying systems. Managed to miss the entire third day of the conference following drinks with James, then drinks at the conference dinner, and then drinks at a club afterwards!

Took the Overlander down to Palmerston North, which is the first time I'd made that journey by train and was very pleased to do so. It was quite a feat of engineering to have a trainline, requiring flat and straight tracks, through a land famous for hills, valleys and bends. Staying in Palmerston North for a few days to visit mother and brothers was pleasant, very relaxing but quite unexciting. There is only so much small-town gossip I can handle before my eyes glaze over; lengthy stories of who married who, where they live, what their home is like, and what their relationship is with other members of the community. There is no discussion of great ideas, and little of great events (hat-tip to Elanor Roosevelt). Although well-meaning people, an ignorance of worldly affairs leaves me wondering how people derive meaning and satisfaction from vicarious trivialities.

Anyway, I'm now in Wellington at Geekmansion with beagl and kimeros. I can see how one could spend entire days in conversation and/or coding looking over Evans Bay to Mount Victoria. Beautiful.

Comments

[axver.livejournal.com]

'It was quite a feat of engineering to have a trainline, requiring flat and straight tracks, through a land famous for hills, valleys and bends.'

To put it mildly. What has always impressed me the most about the line is not the Raurimu Spiral itself, but the fact that the guy who designed it, R. W. Holmes, visualised the whole thing simply in his imagination, despite the inability to see it all from one location and the poor quality of surveys at the time. The damn thing's ingenious and the alternate route isn't even worth thinking about - it would've been a spectacular ride, but nobody wants to build something with nine viaducts.

In any case, consider me jealous. I'm pretty sure the only part of that trip I've done is Palmerston North to Taihape, on a steam excursion when I was little.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Hmmm.. I'm going to have to get the little history book I grabbed on the journey and do more reading. If it isn't mentioned, that ability at mental images of RW Holmes should certainly deserve a mention, although I understand in some mathematicians and engineers it is not uncommon to have such clarity. IIRC Roger Penrose visualises numbers as shapes with a great degree of consistency and accuracy.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Ah yes.. Holmes is mentioned in reference to the spiral with a rather good aerial shot which gives a great indication of the sort of mental map he would have drawn to get it to work..