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elphidium55

['Member']Joined: June 17, 2020 at 20:31Last active: June 27, 2020 at 01:53None discussions8 comments
Location: Champaign, Illinois, USA

Bio

I am a retired geologist / computer programmer / religious educator. I was a practicing Roman Catholic until my sixties. I am now an atheist. I am especially interested in micro-paleontology, counter-apologetics and ancient near eastern texts.

Favourite Philosopher

Graham Oppy

Comments

So why not say the universe is the cause of the dynamite stick explosion, indeed? Assume we have the following causal chain: 1. big bang occurred-> 2....
June 19, 2020 at 17:26
This is not the whole story. Natural selection is properly understood as acting on populations. All other things being equal, the portion of a populat...
June 18, 2020 at 21:40
Here's an example of the difference between reality and psychedelic experiences. As a geologist, I mapped some of the rock units in a particular quadr...
June 18, 2020 at 03:17
As far as I know, all animals have an instinct for self-preservation. This instinct has been safely lodged in our genetics since time immemorial. It i...
June 17, 2020 at 23:59
Monism, the belief that there is only one metaphysical reality, is widely held by contemporary philosophers. This was not always the case. Up until th...
June 17, 2020 at 23:05
@LidaRose states: If absolutely nothing ... occurs then time ... does flow (exist). I would think that absolute nothingness would lack everything, inc...
June 17, 2020 at 22:36
In fairness, the American education system has some advantages compared to other countries. In the English speaking West Indies, the primary schools a...
June 17, 2020 at 22:26
@KenoshaKid states: What then is the analogy? Perhaps you could spell it out because I'm not seeing it. Are you saying that karma is analogous to huma...
June 17, 2020 at 22:13