Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2001 14:52:18 +1000
Subject: Re: Ethics as a Figure of Nihilism


Steve.

Perhaps the time will come when you consider the community, the little band
of brothers, the living French philosophers whose names fill these pages, as
inoperative.

I don't consider Virilio part of that community. He's an elder person with
some new
viewpoints.

best regards,
Hugh

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


> Hugh,
>
> Yes...
>
> regards
>
> steve
>
> hbone wrote:
>
> >Steve/All,
> >
> >Did Lyotard or any of the others you name say "all communities are
inoperative"?
> >
> >regards,
> >
> >Hugh
> >
> >````````````````````````````````
> >
> >  Steve wrote,
> >
> >
> >
> >  Hugh
> >
> >  I am interested in the Lyotard paragraph because it is a nice summation
of precisely the point of struggle I have around this issue. It is not clear
that the ethical positions referred to. which I understand as referring to
Lyotard, Levinas and so on - are relevant to the notion of significant
others. This is because all communities are inoperative - it is not clear
how ethics can help inform us how to get beyond our subordination to social
and political divisions and techno-scienctific domination.
> >
> >  (Most of the time I'd probably say that the utilitarian ethics of peter
singer are more usefully political than Levinas...)
> >
> >  Ethics as used in political and religious circles - are of course used
simply to justify positions...
> >
> >  regards
> >
> >  steve
> >
> >  hbone wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >      All,
> >
> >      Up to this point I've been unable to find anything of interest in
this discussion,
> >      have nothing to offer, yet wonder why.
> >
> >      Ethics as national policy seems an oxymoron.  Sacrificial death is
not merely  the motif of suicide bombers, and the origin of Christianity, it
is central to the concept of nation-statehood.
> >
> >      When Lyotard and others speak of justice and the social bond, they
presuppose a continuity of personal relationships and institutional support
for those relationships
> >      as they affect significant others, parents and children, extended
families, tribes, communities.  Ethics are relevant.
> >
> >      The concept of the nation-state presupposes personal relationships
are subordinate to the nations's interests.  Citizens are, from time to
time,obliged to fight and die for the state to preserve its interests.
> >
> >      A state's relation to other states is fFrom - Sun Nov 11 12:40:02
2001
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(EST)
> >Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 23:45:16 -0500 (EST)
> >Message-Id: <200111100445.XAA26183-AT-promed.harvard.edu>
> >From: promed-digest-Owner-AT-promed.isid.harvard.edu (ProMED Digest)
> >To: promed-digest-AT-promedmail.org
> >Subject: PRO> ProMED Digest V2001 #282
> >Sender: owner-promed-AT-promed.isid.harvard.edu
> >Reply-To: promed-AT-promed.isid.harvard.edu
> >Precedence: bulk
> >
> >
> >ProMED Digest        Friday, November 9 2001        Volume 2001 : Number
282
> >
> >
> >
> >In this issue:
> >
> >        PRO> Calendar 2001 (27)
> >        PRO/AH> Obituary: Margaretha Isaacson
> >        PRO/PL> Announcements (2001) (32)
> >        PRO/AH> Calendar 2001 (28)
> >        PRO/EDR> Unexplained dialysis deaths - multicountry (03)
> >        PRO/PL> Tomato spotted wilt disease, tomato - Kenya
> >        PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax, human - USA (30)
> >
> >See the end of the digest for information on how to retrieve back issues.
> >
> >----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2001 23:03:10 -0500 (EST)
> >From: ProMED-mail <promed-AT-promed.isid.harvard.edu>
> >Subject: PRO> Calendar 2001 (27)
> >
> >CALENDAR 2001 (27)
> >*********************
> >A ProMED-mail post
> ><http://www.promedmail.org>
> >ProMED-mail is a program of the
> >International Society for Infectious Diseases
> ><http://www.isid.org>
> >
> >Date: 8 Nov 2001
> >From: Ildefonso Fernandez-Salas <ifernand-AT-ccr.dsi.uanl.mx>
> >
> >
> >Subject: 2nd Annual Meeting of the Mexican Society of Tropical Medicine
> >Dates of course: 29-31 May, 2002
> >Location: Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Mexico
> >Venue: Radisson Ancira Hotel
> >
> >For further information: <http://ruiz.biomedicas.unam.mx/smmt.html> and
> >poster: <http://www.uanl.mx/eventos/smmt/>
> >
> >We look forward to seeing you in Monterrey, the City of Mountains in
> >Northeast Mexico.
> >
> >- --
> >Ildefonso Fernandez-Salas
> >President, Mexican Society of Tropical Medicine
> ><ifernand-AT-ccr.dsi.uanl.mx>
> >....................................chc/pg/ds
> >
> >------------------------------
> >
> >Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 09:07:59 -0500 (EST)
> >From: ProMED-mail <promed-AT-promed.isid.harvard.edu>
> >Subject: PRO/AH> Obituary: Margaretha Isaacson
> >
> >OBITUARY: MARGARETHA ISAACSON
> >********************************
> >A ProMED-mail post
> ><http://www.promedmail.org>
> >ProMED-mail is a program of the
> >International Society for Infectious Diseases
> ><http://www.isid.org>
> >
> >Date: 8 Nov 2001
> >From: Steve Toovey <toovey-AT-travelclinic.co.za>
> >
> >
> >Margaretha Isaacson died recently in Johannesburg, after a relatively
short
> >illness. Emeritus professor in medicine at the University of the
> >Witwatersrand in South Africa, she was renowned internationally for her
> >contributions to medical science, which included work on possibly
Africa's
> >fiercest disease, Ebola.
> >
> >Africa's viral hemorrhagic fevers were in fact a source of fascination
for
> >Margaretha Isaacson, a fact attested to by her very last scientific
> >publication, which dealt with the risk of viral hemorrhagic fever in
> >travellers.
> >
> >In recent years the World Health Organization drew upon her expertise,
> >enlisting her as a consultant in the now highly topical field of
biological
> >warfare.
> >
> >I last saw Margaretha Isaacson personally a month or 2 ago in her study
at
> >home, a room packed full of material relating to infectious diseases;
these
> >included pictures of her experiences while handling both Ebola and
smallpox
> >outbreaks in remote parts of Africa. It was clear from just a cursory
> >viewing of her bookshelves that her knowledge of tropical and infectious
> >diseases encompassed a breadth and depth that few could match. Add to
this
> >her vast clinical experience and her extensive list of publications, and
it
> >is clear that Africa and the world's other continents are the poorer for
> >her passing.
> >
> >However, there was much more to Margaretha Isaacson than her scientific
and
> >medical accomplishments, impressive as these were. Few will know that she
> >suffered internment as a child during the Nazi occupation of the
> >Netherlands, her country of birth. Few will know either that she had to
> >overcome other personal tragedies, including the loss of a well-loved
> >husband in early adult life.
> >
> >Despite a personal history that would have crushed most, she rose to
become
> >an internationally renowned scientist, clinician, and teacher. She will
be
> >remembered by many as an outstanding teacher, equipped with devastating
> >intellect, sharp humor, and a healthy disregard for authority. I was
> >fortunate to have been her student.
> >
> >- --
> >Dr Stephen Toovey
> >SAA-Netcare Travel Clinics
> >American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene certified in
> >Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travellers' Health,
> >Aviation Medical Examiner
> >P O Box 786692
> >Sandton 2146
> >South Africa
> >Fax: +27-11-883-6152
> ><toovey-AT-travelclinic.co.za>
> ><http://www.travelclinic.co.za>
> ><http://www.malaria.co.za>
> >...................jw/pg/ds
> >
> >------------------------------
> >
> >Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 09:12:55 -0500 (EST)
> >From: ProMED-mail <promed-AT-promed.isid.harvard.edu>
> >Subject: PRO/PL> Announcements (2001) (32)
> >
> >ANNOUNCEMENTS 2001 (32)
> >**************************
> >A ProMED-mail post
> ><http://www.promedmail.org>
> >ProMED-mail is a program of the
> >International Society for Infectious Diseases
> ><http://www.isid.org>
> >
> >Date: 5 Nov 2001
> >From: Woodward D. Bailey, Ph.D. <Woodward.D.Bailey-AT-aphis.usda.gov>
> >Subject: North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) website
> >
> >
> >The website of the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO)
> >offers full pest alerts and brief news stories on plant pest emergences
of
> >interest to the combined phytosanitary community of Canada, the US, and
> >Mexico. Its scope encompasses arthropods, pathogens, nematodes, mollusks,
> >and weeds. NAPPO regularly scans ProMED notices for consideration, but
> >utilizes numerous other references and networks as well. The website is
> >anticipated to eventually expand as a NAPPO pest notification tool,
> >analogous to the EPPO reporting service. You are welcome to consider our
> >postings as another resource. A subscriber notification service is
available.
> >
> >- --
> >Woodward D. Bailey, Ph.D.
> >Entomologist
> >USDA-APHIS-PPQ
> >Center for Plant Health Science and Technology
> >Plant Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Laboratory
> >1017 Main Campus Drive Ste 2500
> >Raleigh, NC 27606-5202
> >(919) 513-1354
> >fax: (919) 513-1995
> ><Woodward.D.Bailey-AT-aphis.usda.gov>
> ><http://www.pestalert.org/>
> >.........................dh/pg/ds
> >
> >------------------------------
> >
> >Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 11:21:21 -0500 (EST)
> >From: ProMED-mail <promed-AT-promed.isid.harvard.edu>
> >Subject: PRO/AH> Calendar 2001 (28)
> >
> >CALENDAR 2001 (28)
> >*********************
> >A ProMED-mail post
> ><http://www.promedmail.org>
> >ProMED-mail is a program of the
> >International Society for Infectious Diseases
> ><http://www.isid.org>
> >
> >Date: 8 Nov 2001
> >From: Ashley Robinson <ashleyrobinson-AT-hotmail.com>
> >
> >
> >Electronic conference on veterinary public health and zoonoses control in
> >developing countries
> >- ---------------------------------------------------------------
> >Sponsored by Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome in collaboration
> >with the World Health Organization in Geneva and the World Organization
for
> >Animal Health in Paris
> >
> >This conference is designed to provide an open forum for developing and
> >reviving Veterinary Public Health (VPH) services in developing countries.
> >In part it arose following a meeting held in Italy in 1999, and convened
by
> >WHO of invited experts from both industrialized and developing countries
to
> >consider the contributions on a global basis that VPH programs could make
> >towards improving human health
> >
> >Essentially this conference provides a forum for the exchange of
> >information, ideas, or opinions in those areas where veterinary science
can
> >or should be making a greater contribution to human health and welfare in
> >developing countries.
> >
> >The conference website includes a background paper based on summary of
the
> >1999 WHO meeting together with a series of 20 discussion topics arising
> >from recommendations made at the meeting. Also, selected links to some
> >zoonoses are included.
> >
> >The conference is multidisciplinary. Contributions are therefore welcome
> >from all health professionals, policy makers, governmental and
> >non-governmental organizations, academics and researchers, and also the
> >general public.
> >
> >The conference is in English and commences on 12 Nov 2001.
> >
> >To view the conference website:
> ><http://www.fao.org/ag/aga/agah/VPHeconf/Home.htm>
> >
> >To subscribe to the conference:
> >Send an E-mail message to: <mailserv-AT-mailserv.fao.org> leaving the
subject
> >blank and entering the following one line message: subscribe VPH-L
> >
> >- --
> >Dr Ashley Robinson,B.V.Sc., M.P.H., Ph.D.
> >Associate Dean (Preclinical Programs)
> >College of Veterinary Medicine
> >Western University of Health Sciences
> >309 E. Second St/College Plaza,
> >Pomona, California. 91766-1854
> >U.S.A.
> >Phone: (909)469-5528
> >Fax: (909)469-5357
> ><arobinson-AT-westernu.edu>
> >  ...................................ds
> >
> >------------------------------
> >
> >Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 22:29:50 -0500 (EST)
> >From: ProMED-mail <promed-AT-promed.isid.harvard.edu>
> >Subject: PRO/EDR> Unexplained dialysis deaths - multicountry (03)
> >
> >UNEXPLAINED DIALYSIS DEATHS - MULTICOUNTRY (03)
> >***************************************
> >A ProMED-mail post
> ><http://www.promedmail.org>
> >ProMED-mail is a program of the
> >International Society for Infectious Diseases
> ><http://www.isid.org>
> >
> >[see also:
> >Unexplained dialysis deaths - Croatia & Spain 20011015.2528
> >Unexplained dialysis deaths - Croatia & Spain (02) 20011016.2544
> >Unexplained dialysis deaths - Croatia, Spain, USA 20011025.2632
> >Unexplained dialysis deaths - multicountry 20011103.2727
> >Unexplained dialysis deaths - multicountry (02) 20011107.2757]
> >
> >Date: 7 Nov. 2001
> >From: ProMED-mail <promed-AT-promedmail.org>
> >Source: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) USA
> ><http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/recalls/dialyzers110701.html>
> >
> >
> >The FDA [U.S. Food & Drug Administration] is investigating reports of
over
> >50 patient deaths worldwide, including four in the United States, that
may
> >have been caused by certain dialyzers made by Baxter Healthcare
> >Corporation, Deerfield, Ill.
> >
> >Baxter voluntarily recalled the dialyzers in mid-October after reports of
> >deaths associated with its product in kidney dialysis patients in Spain,
> >Croatia, Italy, Germany, Taiwan, Colombia and the U.S. The U.S. deaths
> >occurred at dialysis facilities in Austin, Tex., and Kearney, Neb. Most
of
> >the dialysis patients who died experienced shortness of breath, chest
> >tightness, cardiac arrest or stroke symptoms within hours of being
dialyzed.
> >
> >FDA has worked closely with Baxter and with regulatory agencies abroad to
> >identify the problems quickly, and protect public health by recalling the
> >dialyzers.
> >
> >Preliminary tests have led Baxter to conclude that a
> >perfluorohydrocarbon-based performance fluid used in a manufacturing step
> >may have played a role in the deaths of these patients. Confirmatory
tests
> >are underway. Baxter reports that it has permanently ceased manufacturing
> >these dialyzers. No dialyzer shortage is anticipated as a result of
> >Baxter's decision.
> >
> >The following dialyzers--labeled either Althane or Baxter--were recalled:
> >- - Series A11, A15, A18 and A22
> >- - Series AF150, AF180 and AF220
> >- - Series AX1500 and AX2200
> >
> >The products were distributed from January 1998 to 15 Oct 2001 to
dialysis
> >facilities in more than 50 countries. The first reported deaths occurred
in
> >Spain in mid-August.
> >
> >In mid-October, Baxter notified all of its customers to stop using these
> >dialyzers immediately and return any inventory. FDA is continuing to work
> >with Baxter to ensure the recall is effective.
> >
> >If you would like to contact Baxter you can either call the Center For
One
> >Baxter at 1-800-422-9837 or 847-948-4770 (Monday through Friday, 8:00
a.m.
> >to 5:00 p.m. CST)
> >
> >- --
> >ProMED-mail
> ><promed-AT-promedmail.org>
> >
> >[This is the first official report of the investigation into these
> >unexplained dialysis related deaths. Prior reports were newswire articles

> >on the deaths with mention of the possibility of an association with a
> >perfluorohydrocarbon-based performance fluid used in the manufacturing
> >process. The FDA report mentions that these dialysis filters were
> >distributed from January 1998 through the date of recall 15 Oct 2001. If
> >these filters have been on the market and in use since January 1998, one
> >wonders what may have occurred to lead to a problem that is first
observed
> >in August 2001, approximately 42 months after distribution of the product
> >began. Further information on the findings of this investigation will be
> >appreciated. - Mod.MPP]
>
>.................................................................ds/mpp/ds
> >
> >------------------------------
> >
> >Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 23:34:54 -0500 (EST)
> >From: ProMED-mail <promed-AT-promed.isid.harvard.edu>
> >Subject: PRO/PL> Tomato spotted wilt disease, tomato - Kenya
> >
> >TOMATO SPOTTED WILT DISEASE, TOMATO - KENYA
> >***********************************************
> >A ProMED-mail post
> ><http://www.promedmail.org>
> >ProMED-mail is a program of the
> >International Society for Infectious Diseases
> ><http://www.isid.org>
> >
> >[see also:
> >Tomato viruses - Tunisia 20010926.2349
> >2000
> >- -----
> >Bud necrosis virus, peanuts - India (Andhra Pradesh) 20000926.1663
> >Tomato spotted wilt tospovirus, crops - USA (Georgia) 20000617.0989
> >Tomato spotted wilt tospovirus - Europe 20000302.0286
> >Tospovirus, zucchini, courgette & cucumber - Brazil 20000129.0145
> >Tospoviruses - Argentina 20000213.0197]
> >
> >Date: 7 Nov 2001
> >From: Dick Hamilton <rihamilto-AT-shaw.ca>
> >Source: American Phytopathological Society, PLANT DISEASE [edited]
> >
> >
> >Outbreak of Tomato spotted wilt virus in Tomato in Kenya
> >- ----------------------------------------------------------
> >A. W. Wangai, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Njoro, Kenya;
B.
> >Mandal and H. R. Pappu, Department of Plant Pathology, University of
> >Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton 31793; and S. Kilonzo,
> >Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Njoro, Kenya. Plant Dis.
> >85:1123, 2001; published on-line as D-2001-0823-01N, 2001. Accepted for
> >publication 3 Aug 2001.
> >
> >Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) of the genus Tospovirus, family
> >Bunyaviridae (1), causes an economically important virus disease in
tomato
> >in several parts of the world. The virus has a wide host range that
> >includes numerous crops and weeds and is transmitted by at least 7
species
> >of thrips.
> >
> >Tomato crops in the Subukia, Bahati, and Kabazi areas of the Nakuru
> >District in Kenya were affected by a disease suggestive of TSWV infection
> >during the November 1999 to March 2000 tomato-growing season. Farmers
> >reported up to 80% losses of their potential yields.
> >
> >Characteristic symptoms were noticed on fruits, especially when ...
green.
> >Distinct concentric rings on fruits, which later turned into brown, [and]
> >uneven ripening, were the most visible symptoms. Foliage did not develop
> >pronounced symptoms, but mild bronzing was observed in a few cultivars.
...
> >Foliage senesced prematurely, starting with older leaves. Foliar symptoms
> >were mistaken for blight infection, and as a result, excessive fungicides
> >were applied that failed to manage the disease.
> >
> >... Tomato leaf samples collected from the fields were tested initially
> >with a TSWV test kit (HortiTech, Horticulture Research International,
> >Wellesbourne, UK), and the results were confirmed by double-antibody
> >sandwich-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with antibodies from Agdia
Inc.
> >(Elkhart, IN).
> >
> >Further molecular characterization was done using ... RT-PCR. Total RNA
was
> >extracted from symptomatic leaves of tomato cv. Money Maker using the
> >RNeasy mini kit (Qiagen Inc., Valencia, CA). Using primers 5' TTAAGC
> >AAGTTCTGTGAG 3' and 5' ATGTCTAAGGTTAAGCTC 3' specific to the
nucleoprotein
> >(N) gene of TSWV, the N gene was amplified by RT-PCR (2).
> >
> >[The expected] 777-bp product ... was obtained from symptomatic plants,
> >whereas no amplification was obtained from noninfected tomato. The PCR
> >product was cloned into pGEM-T Easy Promega, Madison, WI) and sequenced.
A
> >search of GenBank revealed a sequence identity of 95 to 99% with the N
> >genes of known TSWV isolates.
> >
> >To our knowledge, this is the first report TSWV infection of tomato in
> >Kenya. Considering its wide host range, future surveys should be directed
> >toward estimating its incidence in tomato and other TSWV-susceptible
crops,
> >such as Irish potatoes, pepper, peanut (groundnut), beans, and a wide
> >variety of ornamental cut flowers in Kenya.
> >
> >References:
> >(1) J. W. Moyer. Tospoviruses (Bunyaviridae). Pages 1803-1807 in:
> >Encyclopedia of Virology. A. Granoff and R. G. Webster, eds. Academic
> >Press, San Diego, CA, 1999.
> >(2) Jain
> >
>
>