tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196547498235237605.post5459152510780675185..comments2023-08-22T09:13:46.308-04:00Comments on Computing Ignorance: A Clarifying Note on Philosophy, Empricism, and EmotionMozglubovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04803674886685831282noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196547498235237605.post-52814542609519938572009-07-23T18:34:14.103-04:002009-07-23T18:34:14.103-04:00Here is a link to that paper I mentioned. I loade...<a href="http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AfJxDVbXcmkcZGhmM25wcW5fM2cybnY4NXY1&hl=en" rel="nofollow">Here is a link to that paper I mentioned</a>. I loaded it as a google doc. It has information about the contemporary history of federally funded abstinence only education in the US, and some stats on how many kids are having sex. There are a number of references in the paper that you can look up also.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04103446055814911491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196547498235237605.post-64263765924039629302009-07-23T12:25:02.504-04:002009-07-23T12:25:02.504-04:00A muddled comment is understandable, since I think...A muddled comment is understandable, since I think this post itself was muddled. I actually debated whether or not to publish it, or wait until I had more time to work on it, because it just doesn't quite feel like it says what I really wanted it to... as you can see, I eventually opted to just go ahead and put it up and then hope my readers could help me work out the kinks. Probably not the best habit to get into, but my brain feels like it's been running itself in circles for the last couple days and I'm feeling rather tired (if that's an excuse).<br /><br />Thanks for the input, I shall have a gander at your post when I finish eating dinner.Mozglubovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04803674886685831282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196547498235237605.post-36314303513621028642009-07-23T12:16:47.467-04:002009-07-23T12:16:47.467-04:00I think in some cases you might be getting dangero...I think in some cases you might be getting dangerously close to deriving an ought from an is. On the subject of abstinence only education, you are mostly correct. Taking the virginity pledges does seem to delay sex in around 60% of teens by a year or year and a half, but when they do get around to doing it, that are some huge number less likely to use protection or practice any sort of birth control. And abstinence only sex ed really only is useful in the sexual lives of those that refrain from sex until marriage. and, depending on what study you believe, between 88 to 94 percent of Americans do have sex before marriage. So, abstinence only education is not effective in preventing people from having sex before marriage, and does not increase safe sex practices (which, it is not really designed to do).<br /><br />I wrote a paper on this topic a few years ago. I will go back and see if I can dig it up, and maybe find a way to post it online. This will happen after I get off work.<br /><br />But just because comprehensive sex ed is the most effective at preventing STD's and such does not mean we ought to teach it. We need more support than that to establish the program. While that bit of information is helpful in establishing the claim that we should teach comprehensive sex ed, I do not think it is either necessary or sufficient to the claim. Instead, our reasons for teaching sex ed should rest on the fact that everyone has agency, rationality, and the ability to make decisions for themselves. And we ought to be providing them with the tools and abilities to become the most free, and most self-actualized person they can be. And we do this by helping them understand and allowing them access to the accurate information about the world they live in.<br /><br />I will admit that I struggle with this idea also. In part, because it is fairly easy to make claims that we ought to be doing something because we are doing it currently. It is comfortable. Also, though, once things get into the abstract realm in which realities of the world do not have any definitive say, then you get dangerously close to a world of moral relativism, which I think is undesirable. <br /><br />In relation to your last post on this talk, I think my <a href="http://importantandsmart.blogspot.com/2009/05/skepticism-argument-from-authority-and.html" rel="nofollow">post and comment discussion on the post</a> hits on what you are talking about.<br /><br />I feel like my comments on the matter have been really muddled. Perhaps you can glean something intelligent from this.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04103446055814911491noreply@blogger.com