So I was originally under the impression that these posts were supposed to include ideas from the discussion. Obviously, that was wrong, but I’d I feel the need to make a few comments regardless.
One idea that came up was that intent, specifically that of Robert Moses, somehow matters. I’m in disagreement with this. Of course intent can matter on a personal level, i.e. when a friend gives you a gift that you may not like, you can still appreciate the efforts of your friend in thinking about you and getting you this gift. But what about intent on an impersonal basis, such as when policy is being determined? In this case it’s somewhat immature, if not irrational, to care about the intent of the supporters or detractors of a policy. It’s takes the discussion to a level where ad hominem becomes important, when it should be debated on the basis of the policy itself and the effects it will have.
So what were the effects of Robert Moses’s policies? At a certain point in the conversation, the consequences of the actions of Robert Moses on NYC came to question. There were some that argued that we could have done without him. That there was no need to displace tens of thousands (if not more) of mostly poor tenants to build parkways. Others claimed that while he was ruthless, he was a genius, and there would not have been another like him to accomplish what he did. Instead of taking a side, I’d like to suggest that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible to determine if we would have been better off had history played out differently. The first reason being, we don’t have an objective standard for “greater good.” It’s possible NYC is doing well financially as a result of Moses’s policies, but does that supercede the added despair and hardship of it’s victims? Also, it’s impossible to rule out the possibility of someone of similar “genius” rising up in place of Moses, and accomplishing similar feats. In fact, according to Kant’s Theory of Genius, which states that we have an innate disposition towards discovery, implies that if it hadn’t been Moses, it would almost certainly have been someone else. So, in conclusion, I think we must set an objective standard for “greater good..” Topic for our next discussion?
