[extropy-chat] Defenestration [sic] was (Defenestration)

[Keith Henson]

At 10:34 PM 3/18/2007 -0700, you wrote:
>Would someone please tell me what is going on with the
>subject line of this thread?  Perhaps I missed a crucial post.

It was the classical way to get rid of a dictator.

Keith

>Defenestration is the act of throwing someone or something out
>of a window, and the term provided no little mirth to my pals
>and me back in the 1960s.  A most peculiar word for a
>presumably most uncommon occurance!
>
>One encountes it in European history having to do with the
>30 years war 1618-1648.  The "Defenestration of Prague"
>was said, I've never understood exactly how seriously, as
>the cause of the war.  I think it was the French ambassador
>in Prague who was unceremoniously thrown out of a 3rd
>story window, and worse, landed in an immense pile of
>cow dung.  So if "defenestrate" means to throw something
>out of a window, then what word should we coin to mean
>shoving something up someone's nose?  Or the act of
>yelling into your cell phone while being chased by dogs?
>
>Anyway, one can read all about it on wikipedia, of course:
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defenestration
>
>Why did the previous thread use the same term?
>
>Lee
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Thomas" <Thomas at thomasoliver.net>
>To: "ExI chat list" <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
>Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2007 11:53 AM
>Subject: Re: [extropy-chat] Defenestration
>
>
> > Keith Henson wrote:
> >
> >>At 05:07 PM 3/17/2007 +0000, you wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>[...]
> >>>
> >>>You are relying on inbuilt hunter-gatherer instincts. But humans can
> >>>divert their instincts into better endeavours.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>I feel that the chances of them being able to do so are much improved if
> >>they understand their instincts.
> >>
> > In April and May of 1988 Analog published a two part essay by Michael
> > Flynn called "The State of Psychohistory." I found it very illuminating
> > on EP and it's had a powerful influence on my thinking ever since..  I
> > started a search in back issue collections for it and when I find it
> > I'll pass it on to you.  Flynn made EP very understandable.  -- Thomas
>
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