Re: Enlightenment

        That's pretty good for 47 words.  I would certainly add a few more
to clarify that "adequate" does indeed mean "as limited by the carrying
capacity of the environment."  I would also insist that "society" be a
civil democratic society, lest we open up the possibility of a would-be
benevolent technocracy as in Skinner's WALDEN TWO.  And then there is the
heart of the Left Enlightenment--the belief that people cannot be free and
equal when some people have the wealth to control the destiny of--in
effect to own--other people.  Collective proprietorship of the means of
production, however that may be democratically implemented, belongs in the
creed.  But if you take "free and equal" literally, I think it does imply
both democracy and socialism, in which case your 47 words may do the
trick after all.

        Warren 

On Sun, 25 Mar 2001, g kohler wrote:

> This is a question for Professor Wagar or others - 
> How could one state the creed of the Left Enlightenment in 100 words or less?
> For example, would the following statement do?
> "All humans (men and women, members of different ethnic groups, people with 
>or without disability) are born free and equal. It is the responsibility of 
>society (local, national and global) to assure that they (we) are alive, free 
>and equal and have an adequate standard of living." [47 words]
> Would that be a suitable capsule statement?
> [ One could argue that "adequate standard of living" implies the goal of 
>ecological stability/sustainability, since the realization of an adequate 
>standard of living for all requires that the environment can sustain 
>it.]["alive" would imply that they (we) would not be exposed to, or engage in, 
>war, genocide or other forms of violence.]["creed" is not a strategic plan of 
>how to do it, but a statement of what is desirable.]
> 
> GK
>