Definitions are NEVER ‘forever’.
As an ex-science teacher I certainly know the value of definitions and my most enjoyable lesson of each year at A level was to unfold how definitions evolve in science - notable was the case of OXIDATION. The treatment showed that oxidation had only historic links to oxygen.
The use of definitions in any discussion can be a major hindrance to agreements and any learning from the discussion. That is unless all involved spend a short time agreeing any definitions that will be used in that particular research area. That actually happens naturally as more people join the new discovery area. As soon as one does not fit a previously agreed definition then everyone in the ‘battle’ must work on a new definition that suits both the old definition case and the new cases.
The people testing Palestinian and Israeli governance problems are giving rise to bad feelings. If they wish to involve the Labour Party or any other interested party or individual in their discussions about anti-semite tendencies. They should first convene a wider committee than people with pure jewish interests and make sure they get agreement over a large number of test case.
The changing nature of definitions is a strength not a weakness.
Do you agree that science thinking can help politics ?
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I agree with you when you say definitions are never forever. I think the current difficulties the Labour Party finds intself in are largely of its own making, in regards to the definition of what antisemitism means. I don’t believe Jeremy Corbyn is an antisemite, but I do believe that there are those on the extreme left who are. Whether science can help resolve this issue I’m not sure I follow your argument, except if you mean that we adopt the scientific approach of assessing all the evidence from the widest range of views, then yes in that case I agree.
Marionville
Level 10
Sep 2, 2018
1
@NickNakorn I consider some Momentum members to be pretty far to the left.
@NickNakorn Everyone knows the extreme right are anti Semitic that goes without saying, and neither am I referring to communists. I am referring to certain people on the far left of the Labour Party who have been shown to be antisemitic. You are displaying the same denial that has got the party into the mess it’s in. It’s time to stop digging and get start building bridges with Jewish community who have traditionally been labour supporters. There will never be another Labour government if you don’t get your house in order.
@NickNakorn Dream on .....the next election will see which one of us is right. Labour should be miles ahead in the polls given the sheer meltdown the Tories are in with a cabinet and party split in two. I have no horse in the race.....I can’t vote for either so no axe to grind, just an observer but one who has followed politics all my life.
I think politicians never do try to check all the evidence. They are biased not to. Our system would never look at a full scientific approach, at least in my lifetime, but it could solve a lot of problems and needs consideration now.
The idea that there should be evidence to support opinion is universal and crosses all fields of discipline. The "anti-Semitic" debacle that is dividing the Labour Party is not just about opinion, it is about attitude. Attitude is subjective, and a key ingredient to motivation. As an emotional element it is not subject to reason.
rcandlish
Level 7
Sep 2, 2018
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