Talk:Noam Chomsky

2007-09-03T23:15:52Z

Harmlesstree:

Talk:Bertrand Russell

Harmlesstree:

'''Palestine''' is the name given to the land of [[Israel]] by the [[Roman]]s and others in order to deny that the land belongs to the [[Jew]]s.

Palestine (from Latin: Palaestina; Hebrew: פלשת‎ Pleshet, פלשתינה Palestina; Arabic: فلسطين‎ Filastīn, Falastīn) is one of many names for the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the River Jordan. Many different definitions of the region have been in usage in the past three thousand years.

Worth mentioning that the Philistines who at one time lived in part of the area were completely conquered by [[King David]].

Other English names for this region include: Canaan (Hebrew: כנען‎), Land of Israel (Hebrew: ארץ ישראל‎ Erets Yisrael), Judea (Hebrew: יהודה‎ yehuda), Holy Land (Hebrew: ארץ הקדש Erets Ha-Kodesh‎; Latin: Terra Sancta; Arabic: الأرض المقدسة‎ (Ard-al-Muqaddasah)and Cisjordan.

The Hebrew scriptures call the region Canaan when referring to the pre-Israelite period,(Hebrew: כּנען‎) and afterwards Israel (Yisrael). The name "Land of the Hebrews" (Hebrew: ארץ העברים‎, Eretz Ha-Ivrim) is also found. The wide area appears to be the habitat of the ancient ethnic Hebrews, though perhaps shared with other ethnic groups. The land of Canaan is part of the land given to the descendants of Abraham, which extends from the Nile to the Euphrates River (Genesis 15:18). This land is said to include an area called Aram Naharaim, which includes Haran in modern Turkey, from where Abraham the ancestor of the Israelites departed.

The events of the Four Gospels of the Bible take place entirely in Israel.

In the Qur'an, the term الأرض المقدسة ("Holy Land", Al-Ard Al-Muqaddasah) is mentioned at least seven times, once when Moses proclaims to the Children of Israel: "O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin." (Surah 5:21)

Currently, the Palestinians living in the occupied territories, according to an international law, are working to create a state called Palestine, whose creation is supported by a broad international consensus.

As one of the names for this region over the years has been "Palestine," but that name never referred to a sovereign country [http://www.israelinsider.com/views/articles/views_0297.htm] nor was it ever an Arab country
[http://christianactionforisrael.org/never_arab.html]. Historically, [[Arab]] Palestinians have lived primarily in [[Syria]] and [[Jordan]].
The area Palestine is the home of many [[militant]] organizations, such as the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]], [[Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade]] (related to [[Fatah]] [[Arafat]] & [[Abu Mazen]]), [[Hamas]], [[Islamic Jihad]].

== See also ==

[[Yasser Arafat]]

[[Category:Geography]]

Bertrand Russell

2007-05-13T04:34:22Z

Harmlesstree:

[[Image:998086u.jpg|right|thumb]]
'''Bertrand Russell''' (1872–1970) was a 20th century philosopher, mathematician,socialist,and atheist<ref>His own characterization: "I never know whether I should say 'Agnostic' or whether I should say 'Atheist'.... As a philosopher, if I were speaking to a purely philosophic audience I should say that I ought to describe myself as an Agnostic, because I do not think that there is a conclusive argument by which one [can] prove that there is not a God. On the other hand, if I am to convey the right impression to the ordinary man in the street I think I ought to say that I am an Atheist, because when I say that I cannot prove that there is not a God, I ought to add equally that I cannot prove that there are not the Homeric gods." Russell, Bertrand (1947) "Am I An Atheist Or An Agnostic?"[http://www.luminary.us/russell/atheist_agnostic.html] Most online sources say "by which one prove," probably a mistake.</ref> and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950 for his writings.

Russell visited the Soviet Union and met Lenin in 1920. In a tract, ''The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism'' he wrote: The chief thing the Bolshevics have done is create hope...I cannot share the hopes of the Bolshevics any more than those of the Egyptian anchorites; I regard both as tragic delusions, destined to bring upon the world centuries of darkness and futile violence. I do not know whether Bolshevism can be prevented from aquiring universal power. But even if i cannot, I am persuaded that those who stand against it...will be the bearers of the seeds of progress."

His most significant early work was a three-volume attempt to derive all mathematical principles from a well-defined set of axioms and inference rules in symbolic logic, entitled ''Principia Mathematica'' (1910-1913). He published this work with [[Alfred North Whitehead]]. Although the ''Principia'' is widely considered by one of the most important and seminal works in logic and philosophy, part of its success was in inspiring others to question its propositions. In 1931, [[Kurt Godel]] proved that what Russell attempted could not possibly be both consistent and complete.

During the [[Cold War]] he advocated, with Albert Einstein, nuclear disarmament, even if it were unilateral on the part of Western powers, a stance which some people mocked as "better Red than dead".

A member of British nobility with the title of "Earl", Russell remained a hero to those on the political left, particularly in the English-speaking world, throughout his life. In his 1929 book ''Marriage and Morals'', he argued that that sex between a man and woman who are not married to each other is not necessarily immoral if they truly love one another. In the 1960's he became a vocal critic of the [[Vietnam War]].

Russell also famously encapsulated the dilemma faced by all those seeking objective moral truths in the face of almost overwhelming logical evidence to the contrary:

''"I cannot see how to refute the arguments for the subjectivity of ethical values, but I find myself incapable of believing that all that is wrong with wanton cruelty is that I don't like it."'' <ref>[http://uk.encarta.msn.com/quote_1861989747/Ethics_I_cannot_see_how_to_refute_the_arguments_for_the.html]</ref>

Philosophy, 1960, "Notes on Philosophy"

==Notes and references==
<references/>

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[[Category:Philosophers]]
[[Category:Mathematicians]]