The Philosophy of Diver Training

[Thalassamania]

... and create the best divers I can working under the limitations I find myself under.

That's where we part company, I do not find myself under any such limitations, that a choice, a choice that you (or anyone else) can make, it just maybe a bit more challenging.

 

[Scott L]

Are you referring to the Rec 1 course book?

Yes...

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

For example, a philanderer can denounce another man for having short sexual relations with many women and not be a hypocrite unless he also claims to not partake in such behaviour.

I believe that's called "envy" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Kingpatzer]

I can't help myself.

Hypocrisy is the act of claiming to have more admirable principles, beliefs, or feelings than one truly does. Thus, you have to be a liar to be a hypocrite. People nowadays believe that criticizing someone for fallen principles, beliefs, or feelings is hypocritical if you share those same failings - such is not the case. For example, a philanderer can denounce another man for having short sexual relations with many women and not be a hypocrite unless he also claims to not partake in such behaviour.

BS. Hypocrisy is directly tied to action.

The etymology of "belief" comes from the meaning of "to live as if." Belief without corresponding action, is meaningless. Belief with contradictory action is hypocrisy.

I love Neil Scovell's quote on the term: "Hypocrisy is for people who hold beliefs and can betray them."

As an aside, all people are either hypocrites or hold no ideal. If you don't have a moral belief you fail to live up to at least now and again, you hold no belief of value.

 

[Kingpatzer]

That's where we part company, I do not find myself under any such limitations, that a choice, a choice that you (or anyone else) can make, it just maybe a bit more challenging.

I've comment a bit to Walter in a PM about what obstacles I see in my way. I can choose not to teach or to accept the limitations inherent in my current situation. The ability (or perhaps the knowledge of how) to over come those obstacles is not something in my current reality.

 

[Thalassamania]

With all due respect, dictionaries are the arbiters of the meaning of words and I find no support for your view of the meaning of "hypocrisy."

 

[DCBC]

Plenty of other agencies whose instructors are continually belittling PADI are in the same boat.

be·lit·tle
tr.v. be·lit·tled, be·lit·tling, be·lit·tles

To represent or speak of as contemptibly small or unimportant.

King, I don't think anyone is belittling PADI. They are the biggest diving certification agency in the world; only a fool would try to make less of their accomplishments.

We can acknowledge PADI and WalMart without agreeing with their business practices. Being the largest doesn't mean they take the moral high-ground, or provide the best product.

 

[JeffG]

My observation would be that the majority of people who quit diving within a year of certification do so for one of two reasons ...

1. They found out how expensive it is ... or ...
2. They learned just enough to scare the crap outta themselves

Better dive instruction would have little to no effect on the cost of scuba diving, but it can and does reduce the dropout rate in the second category.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

or it was one of "the 50 things I need to do before I die"...and now that its done. I'm not diving anymore.

 

[Crush]

BS. Hypocrisy is directly tied to action.

You share a commonly-held misconception. Look it up in a dictionary.

As for etymology, Greek hupokrisis "acting of a theatrical part," specifically hupokrisis "acting a part" and hupokrinesthai "act a part" and krinein "to separate." It was introduced into English ca. 12th century, via Old French ypocrisie.

Your attempt to arrive at a definition of hypocrisy via the definition for belief and deductive reasoning is to be commended for its originality, however.

 

[Kingpatzer]

With all due respect, dictionaries are the arbiters of the meaning of words and I find no support for your view of the meaning of "hypocrisy."

Lexicographers would disagree with you. Cataloging common usage is not about arbitrating meaning, and that is even less so when talking about specialty subjects.

As proof consider that lexicographers include 'improper' and 'slang' usages in dictionaries. What used to be deemed to not be words, back when dictionaries operated under the auspices of royal decree rather than scholarly methods, are now regularly included.

The Oxford American Dictionary had "teabagger" as finalist for "word of the decade." Yet, I'm pretty sure that term doesn't appear in their dictionary, or any dictionary for that matter save perhaps the urban dictionary.

In the context of this discussion, I believe we are using the concept as applied in the arena of the philosophy of morality. The major moral philosophers from every age clearly accept the definition I presented.