What would make an idea "dangerous"?

This question was put forth in a philosophy textbook I'm reading. This post is my answer to that question.

Teeth or claws would certainly make an idea dangerous. But because ideas don't operate on the world, but on minds of men, dangerous ideas are those that make men commit dangerous acts.

According to this definition, "I hate that guy!" could really be a dangerous idea IF that person intended to act upon the idea with a gun in his hand. Incorporating the contingency that the person must act on an idea in order to make it dangerous, the question then becomes "how does the idea make someone act on it?"

To make this clear, not acting because of the influence of an idea is still acting on the idea.

Put another way, "What are the teeth and claws of an idea?".

One weapon is the affectation of a person's will-power. The most terminal kind of idea is one that suggests a person can not do something. Alternatively, another kind of terminal idea is something someone believes he can do but can't actually do.

Another is the intensity of the emotions evoked. If an idea makes someone think that nothing is worth pursuing, THAT is a dangerous idea. Another way is to make everything look equally interesting.

Another is the way a person views an idea. To put this into perspective, if a person discovered that there was no "god-given" purpose to life, he could view it as the call to creating his own purpose or he could go binge drinking until he dies. Both adequate responses, but the response itself is what makes the idea dangerous or not.

Another is the influence of the idea on other ideas a person already has. Whereas the last point dealt with the impact the current ideas held has on the new idea, this one is the influence of the new ideas on the old.

One last way an idea can be dangerous is the lasting impact it has on the life of others. People, in themselves, can become dangerous ideas if the reason behind why they acted is dangerous and known to other people.

In short, the danger contained in an idea is its impact on the other ideas a person holds.

originally posted by: zackli

In short, the danger contained in an idea is its impact on the other ideas a person holds.

In short, when it starts hurting people.
No idea is dangerous until people start getting hurt.

a reply to: zackli

Ideas aren't dangerous, actions are.

The only time an idea would be considered dangerous is if you acted then blamed the action on it at a later date. Ultimately it is your own free will of action that is the danger not the abstract existence of an idea.

originally posted by: OrphanApology
a reply to: zackli

Ideas aren't dangerous, actions are.

The only time an idea would be considered dangerous is if you acted then blamed the action on it at a later date. Ultimately it is your own free will of action that is the danger not the abstract existence of an idea.

Ideas can be dangerous. Like Muslim apostasy.
Like 72 virgins. Like Marxism. Like Nazism. Like profit before people.

All ideas, and all very dangerous.

a reply to: zackli
For some people, the truth is a very dangerous idea. History is rife with those who have done everything in their power to hide it.

a reply to: OrphanApology

That is perhaps the most dangerous idea of all.

a reply to: OneManArmy

No one acts independently of thought. Some just think more about it.

a reply to: OrphanApology

Ideas aren't dangerous, actions are.

Except in mobs.

And the military.

And when drugs or alcohol are involved.
Then theres pride, love triangles, revenge, religious racist media hyped extremism and excuses empires use to justify invading other nations, etc.

No wonder we don't know the difference between ideas and actions anymore, we have such shining examples.

originally posted by: zackli
a reply to: OneManArmy

No one acts independently of thought. Some just think more about it.

Exactly, some people think.
While some people let others do the thinking for them.

1) War is -going- to happen. Whether you like it or not. It's never NOT happened since the beginning of everything. Until the Lord shows up, there will be wars. Time to get over it and face the facts.

ATS Member: TarzanBeta
Date: Sep, 1 2013 @ 03:07 PM

This is the most dangerous Idea I have seen on these boards. I don't know what it is, but this is it. Looking at it again a year and a half later, perhaps what makes it a dangerous idea is the conflation of church and state.

/shrug
Mike Grouchy

a reply to: mikegrouchy

More likely the conflation between his god's will and war.

If you make something sound broad enough, you can generate "agreement" on anything, and that includes the definition of a god. What is disturbing is the fact that he doesn't take this into consideration and consider his individual fascination with war as separate from the will of the god which he thinks exists for all of mankind.

a reply to: OneManArmy

That's not what I said. There is NO action independent of thought, even if the "framework" was laid down by someone else. If you don't take personal responsibility for the thoughts you think, you're still responsible for the consequences of those thoughts.

You have to pull the trigger while aiming at an enemy soldier, and that involves thinking about where the gun is aiming and what the consequences of pulling the trigger will be, regardless of whether or not you think those consequences are important.

What would make an idea "dangerous"?

Easy - when its misused

a reply to: zackli

I have put together a proposal for a new bill which I call "The Super Awesome Ideas for Kids Act" to make sure that our kids have super awesome ideas.

If you oppose me, I will threaten your livelihood with my regulatory hammer ( & ☭).

No, you cannot read the bill.

If it is positive,

Starts gaining momentum.....

That is what we need......

What they, are afraid of.......

originally posted by: zackli
a reply to: OneManArmy

There is NO action independent of thought

Of course there is.

Farting, sneezing, hiccups, seizures, muscle spasms, blinking, breathing.
Somethings are inherent(the heart pumping and the organs doing their jobs), other things are instinctual(eating, sleeping, mating) and others are programmed( free market economy and globalism, religion, philosophy, politics).

a reply to: zackli

All ideas are dangerous once loosed upon the world. Ideas are like children. We pour ourselves into them, cultivate them, shape them, then we hope that the life they take on is a worthy one. We can't control them once we let them loose. We can only hope they don't fall under the influence of unsavory elements.

S&F, surprised it hasn't been yet as it's an interesting question.

originally posted by: OneManArmy

originally posted by: OrphanApology
a reply to: zackli

Ideas aren't dangerous, actions are.

The only time an idea would be considered dangerous is if you acted then blamed the action on it at a later date. Ultimately it is your own free will of action that is the danger not the abstract existence of an idea.

Ideas can be dangerous. Like Muslim apostasy.
Like 72 virgins. Like Marxism. Like Nazism. Like profit before people.

All ideas, and all very dangerous.

But only when people act on them in ways which harm others.
Ideas are no more dangerous than the paper they are written on, or the air though which they're communicated.

Ideas in and of themselves can do nothing without physical manifestation, and for that to happen Humans must make a conscious choice to act on those ideas and create physical movement.

It all comes back once again to the free will of the person hearing or reading those ideas. Until that person acts based on those ideas, the idea itself is completely inert.

To say this thread has a "thought police" vibe going on would be an understatement.

A dangerous idea? Well, the idea that any idea is inherently dangerous is about as dangerous as anything else you could think of.