Matthew Braham

Professor of Practical Philosophy, University of Hamburg
Decision and Game Theory, Social Choice, Moral and Political Philosophy

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@aryehazan @kevinnbass Recognizing the limitations of language for discussing topics neutrally. The engl version of cofnas can be discussed neutrally if one wants; in German impossible. Hence the need for new terminology.
Also so much of the discussion is inane.

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@aryehazan @kevinnbass In principle, I think you are correct. In practice we have history, language, and culture that make impossible. I would get into deep trouble if I spoke these words (Cofnas's). Which really leads me to think that tranlsated into Flemish it is just as bad and that is playing out.

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@aryehazan @kevinnbass This is no go here: Eine Rasse ist so etwas wie eine Großfamilie (wobei man wohl enttäuscht sein dürfte, wenn man erwartet, dass die eigenen Rassegenossen einen auch so behandeln), und es ist nur natürlich, sich um das Schicksal des eigenen Volkes zu sorgen.
Pure Nazi speak.

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@InsurgentMemory Here's an idea: let's return to this quiet style.

Obviously white old men. But it was quiet and civilized and intellectuals wanted to reassure and not be controversial. Today would be diverse. But the idea of the intellectual was not contrarianism.

https://t.co/aNgd7WewJR

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@InsurgentMemory Please list these topics that are controversial. I am tired of the constant contrarianism. Maybe they are not controversial at all. Just made so to stir up the base. For heavens sake, we need a quiet, reflective, analytic culture. Not constant culture wars.

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@BachAndRabelais True on the evaluation. I am suspect on the intention. All evidence points to non-existent supervision and he did not know what he was doing. Hard to believe, I know. But after 30 yrs I have seen these cases. That makes the LJMU exam and later investigation so egregious.

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

Cofnas Affair: I am reposting this letter because it gives a useful Ghent view to the situation. I do so without endorsing it. I am not a signatory.

[Gillian Mathys @MathysGill18843]

We have written a statement in support of Ghent Uni's decision to suspend Nathan Cofnas. We resist attempts to frame this as a punishment for "whistleblowing" or censorship of "controversial research". Please sign if you support our message.

https://t.co/oPj5FAm57I

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@aryehazan @kevinnbass Come to think of it. I just translated a passage of Cofnas into German. That is an absolute "no go". It would become grounds for investigation. I am starting to wonder if this is the case in Flemish.

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@aryehazan @kevinnbass I agree, everyday thinking can deal with it. Its when it becomes politicized and heated. In Germany we basically cannot use the term "Rasse", because its = N word. We sat "ethinische herkunft" and speaking of it in terms of "genetische ..." is also a no go. Makes sense here.

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@BachAndRabelais Yes, but we learn it. In the days of old in music, reusing others work, even unattributed was seen as esteem! So yes its seen as an antisocial practice. I am neutral. I enforce the rules strictly because I accept the practice for all kinds of reasons but have no strong commitment

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@aryehazan @kevinnbass I have a German mother, 89, still believes in German genes. No different from Brits, where I grew up, who are obsessed with class and think in terms of class genes. In Germany, luckily its taboo. Not sure if race and ethnicity works as its been toxified but left and right.

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@SwanDesister @Philosophi_Cat Of course. I was giving the standard def. I am not a hereditarian nor opposed. I distinguish between descriptive hereditarianism, which seems obvious to me, and normative hereditarianism which is the bundle of philsophical speculations about value and oughts related to genetics.

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@aryehazan @kevinnbass The "obscure" in this context was a complement given the toxicity if the issue. Your justification was crystal clear. Have you a term of "ancestral heredity" that is equally detoxified?

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@BachAndRabelais Plagiarism is a legal term of art defined in the examination regulations of my university. It's not a moral term. Insofar legal terms embed a social understanding then your description is correct. I cannot answer for "society", I can answer for German academic society.

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@aryehazan @kevinnbass And Enzo says, send him an email or dm

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@BachAndRabelais By all normal standards I know of and apply: unequivocal yes.
Is it punishable by all known standards I apply: unequivocal yes.
Should plagiarism be punished? Please bear with me: this is a question about grounding an obligation that I have not thought much about. I abstain.

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@epkaufm @spikedonline Wait. Suppose that a majority of the population harboured racist values as given by an opinion survey ( ah hypothetical). What would you say then?

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@aryehazan @kevinnbass Gentlemen, I am truly perplexed or just dumb. Why this fascination with this topic? Push this a bit further and we will indeed have blond aryanism running over my country again. It'll be discovered I'm only half goyim and then destined for expulsion from my civil service status.

[Matthew Braham @MatthewBraham1]

@ObhishekSaha John Locke in Letters on Toleration would beg to differ. Viewpoint diversity is theoretical. The moment it becomes a call to arms to overthrow the order, toleration has had its limit. But this does present a problem: Marxists also want to overthrow the status quo. Troubled times.