[Avodah] general bewilderment

[David Riceman]

I've been puzzling over three recent threads, and I thought I'd stuff them 
all into one post.

1.  Someone suggested that the poskim of 100 years ago just knew that 
electricity was assur on Shabbos without knowing why.  I would have thought 
that this is contrary to the halachic process as described, e.g., by Rabbi 
Feinstein in the introduction to his responsa, where he says that it's the 
arguments, not the conclusions, which are of primary importance.

2.  Someone cited Rabbi Karelitz about the benefits of extremism.  This is, 
of course, a mahloketh between the Rambam and R. Haim Vital, but I'm 
surprised that no one observed that it requires a great deal more subtlety 
and wisdom to be a successful extremist than to be a successful moderate 
(except, of course, in extreme times).  What was the date of the letter, and 
to whom was it written?

3.  I've never read Rabbi Lamm's book defining Torah UMadda, but I had the 
impression that the fundamental question was whether science and humanities 
had more than instrumental value (IIRC many years ago Rabbi Clark cited 
Rabbi Lichtenstein on this list arguing the affirmative).  The discussants 
here seem to presume that the answer is no, and instead are arguing whether 
Torah has more than instrumental value.

David Riceman