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Peter Thiel To Join Trump Transition Team

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Re: Peter Thiel To Join Trump Transition Team

#981

Post by kafkaesq »

defgeneric wrote: post #537
yolesaber wrote: post #369

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://youtu.be/CoxxGhLFbw4?t=2m30s He argues that "climate science" is not real science because it has "science" in the name. I'm serious.

This comes from his philosophy BA at Stanford, which is a department largely of the analytic school. He is, broadly speaking, positivist. The idea of science we have is closer to the German Wissenschaft which has a more encyclopedic meaning, more about the organization of knowledge, and less strict in it epistemology which in the analytic school is very narrow and in its crude expression simply empiricist.

Sounds nice, but if you listen to what he actually said in that video it's pretty darn loopy and contorted thinking, no matter how you slice it. And when directly asked, he does say that he thinks climate science is "more pseudo-science" than a real science.

Re: Peter Thiel To Join Trump Transition Team

#982

Post by kafkaesq »

Cyph0n wrote: post #388
yolesaber wrote: post #369

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://youtu.be/CoxxGhLFbw4?t=2m30s He argues that "climate science" is not real science because it has "science" in the name. I'm serious.

Hmm so in that case, "political science", "materials science", "veterinary science", "biomedical science", "actuarial science", etc. etc. are all not "real" science. Very convincing argument, I have to say.

His whole reasoning in that section in the video is just stilly. The reason some subjects have "science" in them and others don't is usually just a matter of convention or linguistic accident -- it really doesn't have that much import (and in any case, no bearing at all on the substantive issues behind climate change). And yet, he's trying to draw the conclusion that there's some kind of a deep, revealing "tell" behind it.

Pseudo-intellectual tripe which we're supposed to take seriously (because he's a billionaire, I guess).

Re: Peter Thiel To Join Trump Transition Team

#983

Post by kafkaesq »

darawk wrote: post #530
kafkaesq wrote: post #266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In addition to what others have said: His head-over-heels support for a decidedly anti-libertarian candidate like Trump is in itself quite extremist. This has always been one of the standard tools for (crypto-)fascists and closet authoritarians of all ilks to get into positions of influence -- by using people of nominally "opposing" viewpoints as, in effect, wedge instruments to disrupt the system as violently as pos…

> His head-over-heels support for a decidedly anti-libertarian candidate like Trump Is Trump anti-libertarian? His policies seem fairly libertarian to me. I suppose being anti-abortion could be considered anti-libertarian, and maybe you could frame his immigration stance as non-libertarian? But i'm not sure. Libertarians don't necessarily extend their liberty to non-citizens. Are you thinking of some others? I'm perf…

His numerous sexual assaults on women (and indisputable, caught-on-tape remarks on the subject) are as diametrically opposed to the libertarian "non-coercion" principle" as one can get, I'd say.

Re: Peter Thiel To Join Trump Transition Team

#984

Post by kafkaesq »

masondixon wrote: post #570
Jtsummers wrote: post #327

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1) Seems a bit strong to tell someone what they can and can't say. 2) He didn't get half the country to vote for him. It looks like around 55-60% of voters turned out this year (the whole tally isn't calculated yet). Of those, he got less than 50% (as Clinton got more votes than him). So at best he seems to have gotten around 30% of the voters to vote for him. Not everyone is a voter (age, other disqualifying factors…

> Seems a bit strong to tell someone what they can and can't say. Oh the irony. Political correctness played a large part in this election especially for the youth vote. The left says: here is a list of things you can't say. Here are the punishments for saying them (public shaming, etc.). The right says: say anything you like.

The right says: say anything you like.

Unless it's in reference to a certain political candidate's hair, that is:

http://www.thewrap.com/gawker-says-peter-thiels-lawyer-threa...

Re: Peter Thiel To Join Trump Transition Team

#985

Post by TheSpiceIsLife »

CoryG89 wrote: post #742
AJ007 wrote: post #667

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here is what I said 25 days ago: > I think Thiel is hedging for both himself and as a proxy for Facebook. If Trump wins, Facebook gets the most favored corporation status currently awarded to Google. If Trump loses, Thiel perhaps assumes everyone will forget soon enough and Zuckerberg can diss-avow any Facebook connection. In retrospect, the one thing I think I was wrong about were the odds. I thought it was a long s…

I am no fan of the Clintons. Personally, during my lifetime, Obama is the only president I halfway respected, with his stance on state surveillance being a notable exception. I think there is a small amount of corruption with Hillary, as I believe is true of most politicians. However, given a choice between Hillary and Trump, for me it's no contest. Don't get me wrong, I think Trump has the potential to do some good.…

One major issue I see is that people believe there is a difference between Hillary and the GOP.

As P.J. O'Rourke said, though I think he was quoting someone else: America has one political party, and like everything in Anerica it was two of them.

Re: Peter Thiel To Join Trump Transition Team

#986

Post by TheSpiceIsLife »

pvnick wrote: post #718
AJ007 wrote: post #667

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here is what I said 25 days ago: > I think Thiel is hedging for both himself and as a proxy for Facebook. If Trump wins, Facebook gets the most favored corporation status currently awarded to Google. If Trump loses, Thiel perhaps assumes everyone will forget soon enough and Zuckerberg can diss-avow any Facebook connection. In retrospect, the one thing I think I was wrong about were the odds. I thought it was a long s…

> Not only can Facebook say you are a Trump supporter, but they can know by how much and as time series! That's a fascinating insight. They also have the geographic data and could slice/dice to get a sense of electoral college. After the systematic polling error that caught everyone off-guard, we will probably see some innovations in the next 4 years that will get incorporated into the ensemble models (e.g. 538). Per…

What polling error? Nothing I saw said "Clinton 100%".

I've seen enough horse races to know the favourite doesn't always win.

Re: Peter Thiel To Join Trump Transition Team

#987

Post by kafkaesq »

fib739mbbh wrote: post #215
kafkaesq wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apparently, the "certainly implement" part was a misattribution. But if you follow the analysis in the article you posted, it's quite clear that Trump basically does favor the idea of such a registry -- and that yes, it would be mandatory for all "legal" entries into the country: Friday, Nov. 20 The next day, an MSNBC reporter asked Trump, "Should there be a database or system that tracks Muslims in this country?" "T…

I'm not sure what you specifically mean by "such a registry", but if you read further, he clarifies his comments to MSNBC by saying he means a registry for Syrian refugees. After Trump’s tweet, Fox News asked him about his position on a Muslim registry. "Let's hear it directly from you," said host Kimberly Guilfoyle. "Would President Donald Trump support a full Muslim database?" "Basically the suggestion was made and…

Taken together, the best spin you can put on these statements is that he's obviously too muddle-headed to be shouldered with the responsibility of formulating and articulating national policy on sensitive issues like these.

Re: Peter Thiel To Join Trump Transition Team

#988

Post by kafkaesq »

jacalata wrote: post #557
akamaka wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I looked at your article and it seems he's just saying that when women were enfranchised, the type of democracy we had became less supportive of libertarianism. I have no idea whether that's true or not, but misquoting him is not contributing to an intelligent dialogue.

He thinks the world would be better if women couldn't vote, but it is too late to take it away from them.

Yup, that's the gist people should be taking from it.

And it's pretty darn stomach-turning and creepy, any way you slice it.

Re: Peter Thiel To Join Trump Transition Team

#989

Post by mbesto »

masondixon wrote: post #805
mbesto wrote: post #703

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why don't we have a debate on illegal immigration? Correct me if I'm wrong, but while you personally may want to have a debate about illegal immigration, the person who you support to represent you (Trump) does not want to debate. He just wants to make a sweeping change without anyone in his path.

The people elect the president. The people had the time to debate. We had the referendum. So now we live with it. If you weren't busy calling everyone xenophobes maybe you would have got some support and won the senate and we could discuss it more. Next time...

Wow, this escalated quickly. Where did I call everyone a xenophobe? I thought we were going to have some rational discourse and you quickly resorted to name calling and finger pointing. Thanks.

Re: Peter Thiel To Join Trump Transition Team

#990

Post by FullMtlAlcoholc »

random_upvoter wrote: post #969
FullMtlAlcoholc wrote: post #787

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I still dont see why people refer to Trump as some negotiating savant. Time after time, its been shown that hes notoriously thin skinned and easy to rattle. During the 3rd debate he was not doing terrible until Hillary commented that he's only successful because daddy gave him money. Trump's inherent identity and belief that he was responsible for all of his own success being under attack in a public forum caused him…

> Hillary commented that he's only successful because daddy gave him money. Well to be fair that was a pretty low blow. Tons of people inherit a lot of money. Not everyone becomes Trump.

> Tons of people inherit a lot of money. Not everyone becomes Trump

Trump inherited his father's wealth AND his father's business.

I'd argue that other modern reality TV stars are more successful then he is. Paris Hilton never received an inheritance (hefty allowance not withstanding) and built her own business. Kim Kardashian inherited less than him and is on her way to becoming richer. Both built their own business empire, not inheriting daddy's.

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