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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

In: Karma, Axiom Of Causality & Reincarnation  — view comment
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
In: Why does the brain destroy itself and its body?  — view comment
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
In: 'Spiritual' molecule, DMT, discovered in mammalian brains for the first time.  — view comment
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
In: Why does the brain destroy itself and its body?  — view comment
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
In: Why are materialism and total determinism so popular today?  — view comment
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
In: What time is for me  — view comment
@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: The Flaws of the Education System  — view comment
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
In: Karma, Axiom Of Causality & Reincarnation  — view comment
@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
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