DISCUSSION OUTLINE RE ALEXANDER HAMILTON BIOGRAPHY BY RON CHERNOW

DISCUSSION OUTLINE RE ALEXANDER HAMILTON BIOGRAPHY BY RON CHERNOW

July 12, 2004

1.  Why did Hamilton feel so strongly about promoting mercantilism
(e.g., Is it the "lever of the riches" or an emulation of England)?

2.  How would the government and business environment of the United
States differ today if Hamilton had not caught Washington's attention in
1777?

3.   Other than the sawbuck, what is the most enduring monument to
Hamilton (e.g., the Fed, the political party, the army)?

4.  What defined Hamilton's consciousness (e.g., outsider who becomes
war hero, Fed Ex deliveryman, workaholic Wall Street lawyer) ?

5.  Was Hamilton the original Democrat or Republican (current parties)?
  Does either party label fit?  Would Dewey, James or Holmes think of
Hamilton as "like-minded"?

6.  Is Ron Chernow a good biographer, and if so what are his weaknesses?

7.  For extra credit, who is the man without qualities in this book?

8. Why was Hamilton silent during the Constitutional Convention
(after his "monarchy" speech)?

9. Why was Hamilton so eager to become Washington's number two
again during the Quasi War with France of 1799?

10. What were some of the principal reasons Hamilton's political
judgment became so poor/sour in his 40's?

11. Was the duel with Burr avoidable/inevitable?

12. Did Burr kill Hamilton on purpose and if so, why?

13. Did Hamilton and Angelica Church make love?  Is the proposition
that they did not because of the close relations among  Alexander, Angelica and
Eliza persuasive?

AND THANKS TO DAVID LAVERTY

14.  Would Hamilton be considered one of the important founders based
largely on his role as the key cabinet member under Washington? Without
this role, would he make the cut based on his Revolutionary War exploits
and his role as prime mover of the Federalist Papers? Given Hamilton's
relatively detached involvement at the Constitutional Convention, and
the relatively limited direct impact of the Papers on the ratification
of the Constitution, do you question his achievement with the Papers
(apart from his ability to explain and promote the work of others)?

Discussion Outline for Final Hour by Martin Rees and Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny by Robert Wright

To:  Book Club

From:  Fred Snow

Re: Book Club-Final Hour by Martin Rees and Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny by Robert Wright

Date: July 21, 2003

1.  Rees discusses the necessity of  'going slow."  Wright discusses the need to tolerate a "seductive effect."  Joe Tainter, an archeologist, has proposes a model regarding the rise and fall of complex societies (i.e., they don't necessary collapse, such societies return to a "normal" period of less human complexity when investment in complex society reaches a point of declining marginal return).  Are we going there?

2.  Rees discusses the advisability of science policy based an a sort of Pascal model (i.e., even through the probability if the existence of a vengeful God is remote, the price of being wrong keeps us in line).  As a policy matter, should we try to restrict/slow down science even when there is no theory suggesting a catastrophe should occur?  Genetic engineering of food comes to mind as an example.

3.  One of Rees more interesting risks is the risk of becoming less human because we can change the chemistry of our minds?  Should we as a society try to restrict access to therapies which present such a risk?

4.  Rees identifies the risk of global warming as a grave (a combination of high probability mixed with a highly bad result).  Efforts to control global warming have largely failed.  What is the role on nonzero sumness to this risk,  Can society be influenced by nonzero sumness even when the result is unknowable?  Do we adequately evaluate the interests of "others" when we nonzero (e.g., unborn individuals, the environment, other societies).

5.  Is the difference between the Islamic terrorist and western man merely a timing difference (I know this is obscure, just think in terms of the here and now and the afterlife)?

6.  From a writing standpoint, did Rees hold your interest?

Lunar Men

Finally finished Lunar Men while on vacation. Can't imagine a less interesting book about some of the most interesting men.

List of assigned books as of December 22, 2011 (with name of assignor)

Lunar Men-Uglow-Frank

Dark Wood Wondering-Hella Haasse-Paul

Final Hour- Martin Rees-Fred

Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny- Robert Wright-Fred

Federalist Papers-Alexander Hamilton, et al-David

Man Without Qualities Robert Musil-John

Metaphysical Club-Louis Menard-Spencer

From Soul to Mind-Read-Frank

The White Guard-Mikhail Bulgakov-Paul

Alexander Hamilton-Ron Chernow-Fred

Palladio Four Books on Architecture-David

Ten Books Architectura-Vitruvius-David

Open Society and Its Enemy-Karl Popper-John

Wittgenstein's Poker-John Eidinow-John

Swann's Way-Marcel Proust-Spencer

Kind of Blue Miles Davis-Ashley Kahn-Frank

Sound of Surprise- Whitney Balliett-Frank

The Good Soldier Svejk-Jaroslav Hasek-Paul

Gifts of Athena-Joel Merker-Fred

Within A Budding Grove-Marcel Proust-David

Team of Rivals-Doris Kearns Goodwin-John

Adventures of Augie March-Saul Bellow-Spencer

Jazz Modernism-Appel-Frank

Art-Clive Bell -Frank

Concerning the Spiritual in Art-Wassily Kandinsky-Frank

In Praise of Shadows-Jun'ichiro Tanizaki-Frank

Kite Runner-Khaled Hosseini-Paul

The Double Helix-James Watson-Fred

Walden and Civil Disobience-David Thoreau-David

Essays-Emerson-John

Leaves of Grass-Walt Whitman-Spencer

Democracy in America-alexis deTocqueville -Frank

Faith and Treason, Gunpowder Plot-Antonia Fraser-Paul

Einstein: His Life and Universe-Walter Issacson-Fred

Einstein's Clocks, Poincare's Map: Empires of Time-Peter Louis Galison-Fred

Roughing It-Mark Twain-David

Pragmatism and The Meaning of Truth-William James-John

Selfish Gene-Richard Dawkins-Spencer

Origin of Species-Charles Darwin-Spencer

Macbeth-Shakespeare-Frank

Witches and Jesuits: Shakespeare's Macbeth-Garry Wills-Frank

The Leopard-Giuseppe Di Lampedusa-Paul

Human, The Science Behind What Makes Us Unique-Michael Gazzaniga-Fred

India Unbound: The Social and Economic Revolution from Independence to the Global Information Age-Gurcharan Das-David

Magic Mountain-Thomas Mann-John

Watchmen- Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons-Spencer

Persepolis- Marjane Satrapi-Spencer

The Singularity Is Near-Ray Kurzwell-Frank

Seagull and Uncle Vanya-Anton Chekov-Paul

In the First Circle-Alexander Solzhenitsyn-Fred

Notes on State of Virginia-Thomas Jefferson-David

Thomas Jefferson-R. B. Bernstein-David

The Museum of Innocence-Orhan Pamuk-John

Jazz Modernism-Alfred Appel-Spencer

Crowds and Power-Elias Canetti-Frank

The Blue Mountain-Meir Shalev-Paul

Washington, A Life-Ron Chernow-Fred

Watership Dawn-Richard Adams-David

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban-Rowling-David

I Am A Strange Loop-Hofstadler-John

To The Lighthouse and Room of One’s Own-Virginia Woolfe-Spencer

Benjamin Franklin-Walter Issacson-Frank

The Razor’s Edge-W. Somerset Maugham

Discussion Questions for Washington Bio

Discussion Questions re Washington, a Life (“Life”):

1. I think I understand more about the causes of the American Revolution after reading Life. Did any of the causes discussed in Life surprise you? Do you think American Revolution was a civil war? If so, among whom? Why didn’t the British southern strategy work?

2. Did US win the American Revolution or did the British give up? Why give up? Why didn’t the British southern strategy work?

3. Did Ron Chernow’s thematic organization of Life work?

4. Was GW a revolutionary? (One could argue that his motives were tangled with many personal slights, including lose of western land at the whim of the governor.) If so, did Ron Chernow adequately discuss what made GW a revolutionary?

5. In drafting Life, Ron Chernow used letters (to and from GW, as well as third parties), paintings, minutes of meetings, legislation, reports to and from battlefields and legislators, cartoons, maps, contemporary and subsequent secondary sources and objects. Did Chernow miss anything? If one could interview one person, other than GW, who would it be? Who would be the most objective witness of GW?

6. Could you envision GW’s plan to rid US of the French after American Revolution, or did he not really worry about that problem?

7. Why did GW tolerate slavery? Why did he favor gradual abolition? Whatever the perspective, it seems to involve the intersection of several character issues.

8. If GW’s story was a novel, how would Thoreau portray GW’s visits to his western lands? How would Proust portray his relationship with Sally?

9. How did your view of GW change after reading Life?

10. Was GW a great president? A great politician? What was GW’s greatest weakness, as general and as president?

11. Does GW’s character/personality materially change when confronted with challenges to his authority or talents? How about despair?

Discussion Questions for What Makes Us Human

Discussion Questions-Human, The Science Behind What Makes Us Human

1. Is narrative essential to the advancement of scientific thought? If scientific paradigm based on competing narratives? Is Human a good science narrative pertaining to how humans are unique from other animals and machines?

2. Can brains become minds without a body?

3. What is nature of the interpreter? Does the interpreter free our conscious mind to do what needs to get done?

4. How can singularity have potential to exist if its human creators cannot perceive but a fraction of the matter, energy, thoughts, desires, etc of the universe? How do human goals coincide with the goal of the machine? For extra credit, what did you dream? It's alright we told you what to dream".

5.What is intelligence? How does intelligence arise? What is art? What is literature? (Attached is short transcript of conversation between Mike Gazzaniga and Tom Wolfe)



6. Is love an illusion?

7. Should Barack be permitted to carry his Blackberry after inauguration?

8. Is the reason affluent social groups tend to have small family sizes compared to less affulent social groups based on status?

9. 36 year old Michael visits Brown Buns tanning salon and exposes himself to 16 year old Becky. Michael then heads to Blockbuster and exposes himself to 22 year old Anita while watching Minority Report. Michael then threatens Anita with physical harm if she refuses to provide oral sex. Anita complies. Michael is arrested, tried and convicted of sexual battery and served a five year sentence in state penitentiary. While incarcerated, the prison psychologist evaluate s Michael pursuant to a state program to evaluate the mental state of sex offenders prior to release. The psychologist files a report with Vincent Bugliosi, the state's attorney who prosecuted Michael. The report concludes the Michael suffers from "exhibitionism, " a "antisocial personality disorder" and is "impulsive". Based on the conclusions of the report, Vincent petitions the court to civilly commit Michael to the state's facility for violent sexual predictors indefinitely.

What does it mean to be impulsive? What does it mean to lack control?
What is an antisocial personality disorder? What standard determines disorder? What standard of what society is relevant?
Should the testimony of the psychologist be admissible in the civil commitment hearing as an expert? How about Dr. Phil or Dr. Laura?
Does this case involve punishment for a predicted crime?
Does it matter to analysis that the state knows of no therapy or treatment for Michael's disorders.
What if Michael dies in the facility and his autopsy reveals a tumor pinching his amygdala?
At his trial, Michael testifies that he did not intend to expose himself or threatened Anita, but he needed to expose himself and threatened Anita?
What might an evolutionary psychologist say about Michael's behaviors?

Discussion Questions for Gifts of Athena

Discussion Outline for September 20, 2005 Book Club Discussion re
Gifts of Athena by Joel Mokyr:

1. Discuss the application of useful knowledge to development of
successful organization (e.g., law firm, university, bank)

2. There has never been a time when the transmission of, and access
to, useful knowledge has been cheaper. Why do countries with abundant
resources continue to fall behind the economic tiger counties?

3. Discuss the problem of acceptance of new technologies based on
concern of the unknown (e.g., development of agricultural hybrids
resistant to glyphosate herbicides, so-called frankenfood). Is this a
problem in which propositional knowledge lacks "tightness"?

4. What mechanisms of technological evolution did the Lunar Society
either use or contribute?

5. Discuss how pragmatists advanced useful knowledge (e.g.,
advancement of the acceptance of useful knowledge in a society).

6. Discuss how society will think about the evolution of recent
technology with social concern (e.g., genetic testing in selection of
offspring, retinal identification of people in public spaces,
genetically-based racial identity)