Janus

I think it is clear that there can be empirical evidence for many things that will satisfy any unbiased observer. When we move beyond that context, th...

Yes, intelligent minds are divided, and even more intelligent minds are undecided.

Ha ha look, a circle-jerk seems to be emerging!

There is evidence that the mind and it's states and faculties are biologically dependent, but there can be no evidence that the mind is merely biologi...

It seems more than circumstantial to me, it also seems probable given the size of the universe, and also if we are right that the same general kinds a...

Don't you see that where you feel the absence of evidence supports the conclusion that there is no soul. others feel the opposite. I don't believe in ...

There is, strictly speaking, no scientific evidence for or against the existence of a soul in either animals or humans.

Can you even begin to imagine a scenario within life that could give evidence for another realm existing beyond life and that part of us, which is com...

And yet there could never be such evidence for obvious reasons.

What you say just seems wrong for the simple reason that the truth of statements that are not provable cannot be ruled out; we don't know if they are ...

if every person only produces one person in their life, and provided the person produced doesn't die, which would reduce the population, then the popu...

No, if all people are coupled and every couple only produce two offspring who live long enough to in turn produce two offspring, there will be no sust...

The fact that you label anyone who has reservations about receiving an inadequately tested vaccine as a paranoid anti-vaxxer shows that you are not ca...

Interesting, thanks.

Sure, based on an intuition or personal feeling, but not usually about things I consider there to be no reliable evidence or that I know every little ...

:cool:

Fair enough, but there seems to be an inconsistency between thinking it unlikely and stating that "we have, as yet, no reliable or scientific way of a...

We can communicate far more definitely and comprehensively with words than we can with other mediums. In any case, nothing I said entailed ruling out ...

I think that words, at least nouns, do refer, denote, signify real or imagined things. So 'tree' refers to the conceived kind tree and 'dragon' refers...

I think saying that it is people, not names, that refer is again, not a contradiction, but just a different way of speaking. People refer to things, t...

Upon the basis of what information would you consider it unlikely, rather than likely? Note: I think it neither likely nor unlikely, on account of wha...

I'm not sure I'd even see it as a paradox, but just as different ways of thinking. I'm not that sure what you mean here. Do you mean that we often spe...

Sure, but we know that it was John who received the blow to the head, so we still think, and speak, of him as being himself in that sense. In another ...

Yes, philosophy, just like the other arts and sciences must be of its time; it cannot be of its time if it ignores the current knowledge, the current ...

Is the same not true of literature, music, poetry, dance, science and the arts and crafts in general; in fact is it not true of any and all human acti...

Identity seems to rely on differentiation. How do we differentiate one thing from another? Take the example you used: John is a human being; how is Jo...

Some turds float and others sink: it's just the way of things.

Sure, but keep in mind that the vaccines you refer to have been tested, tried and have (mostly) proven safe and effective. If that is the case, then i...

Lead the way then, tell us just what you think the philosophical considerations that have not been addressed are, and then show us how they can be add...

Actually my earlier statement regarding mandatory vaccination was ill-informed it seems: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-mandatory-vaccinations...

You're wasting space, time and energy repeating yourself—why don't you attempt to address the ethics instead?

Any ethical choice in this must take into account the calculus of risks on either side. Of course there is also the general ethical question regarding...

It's far from being an uncontroversial ethical issue, except maybe in the minds of those who think over-simplistically.

:lol:

When you put it that way, it actually begins to sound very sensible! And it probably would work, for enough people to at least get to the 70% said to ...

That's a great line!

:up: Its a good idea in principle, and I have no doubt it would work with many people, but it would likely be very costly in practice. If you started ...

Risk is so hard to quantify for individual cases, though. That's why I can't see it as anything but a personal task for each individual to undertake o...

:up: What you say seems fair to me!

Do you mean on these forums or in the public forum. If the latter, I agree that there is no open and rigorous public debate about this, or about anyth...

This is in accordance with my views. I have yet to here any convincing arguments against such views.

But you do have the freedom not to go along if not the freedom not to be expected to go along. And of course not everyone will expect you to go along....

I'll just respond to your list of points in favour of the idea that individuals are morally obligated to accept the vaccines. Here are some counterarg...

Yes, it's unfortunate that valid conjectures and concerns were debunked in the minds of many simply because Trump touted them.

Sure, but being skeptical or cautious about the safety of the Covid vaccines (which have not undergone the usual mandatory 10-15 years of testing that...

Question is, given that Covid may or may not have been transmitted to us by animal vectors, will the "big one" be transmitted by animals or will it es...

Sure, rules are not true or false, but insofar as they are presented as propositions they are, as far as I can tell. Also I understand rules as being ...

This is just a repeated assertion of your position without any accompanying argument for that position. Are you claiming that the assertions in the qu...

This topic seems to excite some interest, so I will start another thread to deal with it, as it is really off-topic here.

The consequences of all decisions go beyond the individual,and yet we all make decisions which could have dire negative consequences in the future. Do...