Auckland/Conference, Overlander and Palmerston North

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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

[tatjna.livejournal.com]

Woo hoo for you being at the Geek Mansion!

(it's lovely)

[mundens.livejournal.com]

Welcome to Wellington Lev!
That's my son programming AI in the corner. :)

[madame-mage.livejournal.com]

AWESOME paper you wrote, I must say tho, if Bush was tried for War Crimes and impeached while in office, the vice president Dick Chenney would have stepped up to fill the vacancy left by Bush, NO one in their right mind in this country ever wanted that to happen, he's an evil bastard. So this was a deal-with-the-lessor-of-the-two-evils situation.

Im amused that our gov't under Repug rule thought the American people wouldn't get a hint about what was going on, The horrible tragic event of 9/11 around the time Bush's approval ratings were slipping, boosted him well into the spotlight. By god by golly yippiee ki ay this heah cowboy was gonna git him some terrorists and score some oil in the process..

Facepalm*

[greylock.livejournal.com]

Although well-meaning people, an ignorance of worldly affairs leaves me wondering how people derive meaning and satisfaction from vicarious trivialities.

Just because their world is smaller it is no less real, and the dispute over Farmer Footrot's cows is no less important than the dispute over rulership of Iraq (albeit Farmer Footrot's shotgun is trumped by the US nuclear arsenal).

We make meaning where we find it.

[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.