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"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32
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Author:  Gerald V. Todd
Bio: Gerald V. Todd
Date:  January 11, 2012
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Topic category:  Government/Politics

A Moral Compass -The 9 Points of “Beautiful Correctness” The First 3: Beauty, Ethics and Logic

The Founders got it right in setting the moral, spiritual and philosophical basis of the Constitution in the Declaration of Independence. This includes what they called “pretended legislation” which could be defined in my opinion as any law over 100 pages in length. 3,000 page tomes by definition have to be full of special privileges and poison pills that create expensive, unconstitutional and costly bureaucratic license. It’s taken me over thirty-five years to begin to understand some elements of how society functions – good or bad. “Nine Points of Beautiful Correctness” is a moral compass designed to help a politician, lobbyist, bureaucrat or voter to better analyze, write, enforce or live under legislation and laws. Maybe we can accomplish positive goals and ward off impending disasters such as “Obamacare” and draconian edicts by the EPA.

Duty, Honor, Country; Do Not Lie, Cheat or Steal, Nor Tolerate Those Who Do! Liberty Cannot Be Preserved Without General Knowledge Among The People.
John Adams

The moral, spiritual and philosophical tenets that define the Constitution were not created in a vacuum. We may sniff at this notion, but we all share the same nation and presumably want the best for our children. Is anything more important than that? To create a vacuum assures its filling with the proven failures of human lusting for power. “No new sins, just new spins.” Let us take a fresh look at how we might progress through life in the greatest and most generous nation on earth. The Nine Points consist of three sets of three priorities that can be identified in applying the philosophical, political and religious priorities of a people and those who rule them. It breaks down to how we think, act and operate.

1.How do we think?

Beauty, Ethics and Logic (The equally important normative sciences of Philosophy applied in this order idealize a world view that has succeeded in our Constitutional Republic.)

2.How do we act?

Subsidiarity, Solidarity and Chaos (Personal responsibility, e pluribus unum and often unexpected opportunity and challenges of chaos)

3.How do we operate?

High-Touch, High-Tech and High-Finance (Intuition, Reason and Enablement)

No one Point is more important than the others. For example, Logic, Solidarity and High Finance would seem to be more important than say Beauty or Subsidiarity or High Touch. Each Point or element is equally important. They are meant to build on one another - for good or evil. The key is their priority of application in human discourse. Think it through!

The “progressive” power agenda is exactly a polar opposite, along with the cancer of Political Correctness. The dangerous and backward Politically Correct order is: 1) High Finance (manipulation of financial instruments); 2) High Tech – (Tools for efficient control); 3) High Touch – (Unembellished design); 4) Chaos – (Riots and disruption); 5) Solidarity- (Us vs. Them); 6) Subsidiarity - (Entitlement); 7) Logic – (Drawn from single inferences); 8) Ethics – (Prohibition, fines and harassment) and 9) Beauty – (Soviet or Bauhaus).

Here it is obvious High Finance rules and Beauty never survives in the works of mankind. All nine elements are in place, but pointing to destruction, even if unintentional. With that understood, let’s explore the first three Points – Beauty, Ethics and Logic. We could spend a lifetime on these three, just as a monk who decided to interpret the Lord’s Prayer. He spent his lifetime on “Our Father…” The other six will be discussed in subsequent articles.

Beauty, Ethics and Logic - From the works of America’s greatest philosopher, Charles Sanders Peirce – 1839-1914, I learned the prioritization of the normative sciences of philosophy – Aesthetics (Beauty), Ethics and Logic is the ideal order of these equally important norms. By seeking Beauty first, an Ethic to define its range and limits that can be protected by sound Logic.

A challenging mental exercise explores the six possible combinations of LOGIC, ETHICS and BEAUTY (AESTHETICS) that unconsciously give direction to the thought processes and goals of individuals in a given environment. These orders also reveal national moods, reflecting the consensus of those in control. L = Logic; E = Ethics; and B = Beauty (Aesthetics) in the following hierarchies with some suggested examples. They are not exclusive to one individual over his daily activity or lifespan, but may vary under an infinite variety of stresses, temptations and opportunities. (We all sin and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23) What is your priority? How often do you check your compass?

BEL - Beautifully Correct: The sought after ideal: Childlike awe; Appreciation of nature, humanity and creation; God seeker;; Seeker of Wisdom; Lover; Healer (“Unless you become as a little child, you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” Luke 18:17) High level of positive creativity; Shares discoveries and knowledge; True compassion for the less fortunate; The heart of a servant; (An ongoing trait only found in the unassuming – must be striven for daily)

BLE - Art Pretender: Defines beauty and art in even the most perverse e.g.: Crucifix in urine, whip in anus, fecal art, violence, etc.
No ethical foundation or propriety, yet drawn to beauty. Often drawn to live in only the most beautiful surroundings – coastlines, woods, etc. Given California’s spiritual and political craziness. Does it have too long a coastline?

ELB – Fundamentalist: Strict Legalism and Literalism; Scrupulous; Guilt bearer Accuser of others in spite of personal failings and errors; Justifies oneself while blaming others

EBL – Moralist: CONSERVATIVE –Time (history) binder; Strict sense of propriety; right and wrong; Traditionalist; Striver for Stability Strives to maintain moral standards in his community.

LBE - Selfish Collector: Criminal or Despot with palatial surroundings and often stolen art; Steals library books as others don't appreciate them enough; Collects people to use and discard Like the BLE, prefers to live in beautiful surroundings

LEB - Politically Correct “Progressive” - Seeker of Knowledge Cartesian single inference thought process; Totalitarian of left and right - Environmentalism; Feminism; Socialism; Victimism; ACLU, PAW, Radical Islam ("In the latter days, men will travel to and fro about the world, ever learning, but never coming to the knowledge of truth” 2 Timothy 3:6)

The Best Example of BEL Applied to the Real World

At the birth of the United States of America, a true miracle occurred in the dust of political infighting and profound hopes for a new nation to be formed under God. Totalitarians today strive to pass it off as an imperfect process that yielded a “Living Constitution,” subject to change as the citizenry became “sophisticated” (more left-brained) as the times changed. “Hey man, get with it – it’s the 21st Century!” The Founding Fathers knew much better and set out to protect the foundational philosophy of the United States. Little did they know the depths those who hate human freedom and individuality would go to circumvent this wonderful ideal so they could control the masses. “No new sins, just new spins.” We keep hoping technology would deliver us from moral responsibility. It never has and never will. Only despots can rule without moral responsibility. They never last long, but the suffering they bring on should be intolerable to all.

Using the ideal concept of the philosophical order of Beauty-Ethics-Logic of the equally important normative sciences of philosophy, the three founding documents of the United States of America are worthy of note and adherence: These are covered in more detail in “Weeds, Wheat and Wisdom.”

• The Declaration of Independence – Beauty (and its Author) • The Constitution - Ethics • The Bill of Rights – Logic (sometimes faulty)

Beautiful Correctness gives some definition and clarity to a kind of moral compass that polarizes in two distinct ways the world is and could be run. Call it a check list to make sure we are following pre-flight and in-flight procedures and remaining on course as we travel through life. I believe the “Nine Points of Beautiful Correctness” gives us a pretty clear outline of what Jesus meant when he taught us of the Kingdom of Heaven. God is a God of Order and Love. It is up to each of us and our communities and nations to flesh out the ways and means to live as our Creator would have us. Constant renewal and readiness is the price of freedom and liberty. Have we become so lax in our spiritual pursuits that we have allowed grave distortions to our precious system of Constitutional government that has served us so well? Beauty, Ethics and Logic helps guide our thinking process for optimum results.

The next article will explore the second set of three: Subsidiarity, Solidarity and Chaos.

Gerald V. Todd

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© 2012 Gerald V. Todd
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Biography - Gerald V. Todd

Jerry is a retired engineer with strong experience in environmental innovation which he still applies today with 2 clean water and energy saving technologies. His life avocation in writing and study of philosophical and biblical themes as they apply to the body politic's spiritual warfare. He survived stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2006; now in excellent health. A graduate of the University of Illinois (1958, Industrial Engineering), Jerry had post graduate studies at both the University of San Francisco and the University of Santa Clara in California between 1961 and 1963 (Logic, Marketing). As co Founder and seminar presenter he was awarded a Ph.D. in Philosophy at Valley Christian University operating under California private-post secondary statutes for mid career student, VCU was the pioneer external degree school for mid career students. Its course structures were picked up by several well known Christian colleges. Hosted local broadcast radio and TV shows, "Religion on the Line" and "The News Firm" (jointly with wife, Joanne), respectively. Jerry has published several books that are available at Amazon. Jerry is available to speak as a visiting lecturer at the high school, college or community organization level. Jerry is married 55 years to Joanne Dean Todd – 3 children, 8 grandchildren.


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