Tom Storm

It's a relief to know that nothing exists and it's just all a case of words being naughty. But we are back to chess again. Can it be that the man who ...

I've never been able to take chess seriously because it is essentially meaningless. :razz:

My own view is people often hold beliefs with minimal commitment to them. Sometimes beliefs are held lightly so a person can feel a sense of belonging...

I often find that when you get stuck on an idea in life it is surprising how often, if you check, the opposite may also be true. (And I am not aiming ...

I wasn't intending to be negative; just asking the question. As you can see I think you can argue that the opposite is as true as your initial questio...

Is this really a question worth asking? Is human nature inherently creative or not? You can find evidence for any question you care to pose. The answe...

You haven't seen my cat.

:up:

Psychiatry is a very broad area I have worked closely with quite a number of shrinks. Like any profession there is good and bad. I see no reason for f...

I agree. But we have the science of medicine based on the equally vague idea of 'promoting health' a subject that obviously looks different for everyo...

I agree. But for me all humans can do is set goals. The fact that goals can be hijacked is always a risk.

duplicate post

I can't speak for 180 Proof but many models of morality start with a supposition - e.g., that human flourishing should be the goal. This is not object...

I'm a bat in a vat.

That's true - it is not necessarily the case, but I believe it to be mostly true. It's certainly true for me. That's pretty loose. When people are doi...

It's equally possible to hold a rigorous philosophy based on a false premise. The conceptual space is highly speculative and contested and academic ph...

I'm not trying to be a dick but I am confused by what you say. You say "I think" so this is just your opinion? Who are the people looking for pappa in...

Are you answering me or someone else? My questions was how you calculate problems and what counts as nihilism. Incidentally lack of meaning is not qui...

How did you do that calculation? What do you count as nihilism?

Goodness. Where is this coming from?

Feel free to start a new thread on this if it interests you.

That's such an important starting point on this topic and so often forgotten. The literalist interpretations of The Bible (particularly the OT) are th...

I wasn't thinking of a Republican's 1950's wet dream so much as Carl Jung's notion of Puer aeternus or puella aeterna - those who avoid emotional matu...

No idea if that is true Mr Martin. I don't have qualifications in the anthropology of ancient civilizations. I was simply making the point that in my ...

Occam's razor applies to candidate explanations. It actually says: More things should not be used than are necessary. This means if there are several ...

Doesn't matter if they hate each other. That's often par for the course (even within parties). BJ's a larger than life, larrikin original (even if he ...

Inevitable and I am surprised it took this long. Barnaby and Scotty are going to be a part of our lives for the next few years, I'm afraid.

:lol: I hope people realise that was a joke...

We are are all socialised to see things certain ways. We hold views, we inherit views that are a product of family and culture. How do we recognise wh...

Leonardo da Vinci said that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. A really talented God would have created a less complex, convoluted, intricate ...

I think you are referring to socialisation rather than brainwashing (which has a bit of a judgy tone). Presumably if you are brought up to believe in ...

:up:

This is a good idea for a new thread. This particular issue has preoccupied me for years. It relates also to some Christian/Islamic apologists (via Ka...

I would have thought that was the hallmark of our era.

The data is there - Steven Pinker, for example, has certainly used it in his writings. Based on census data and surveys, no doubt. But for me the poin...

Yep. I am convinced that many people who have a secular orientation in a secular world do not actually have the capacity to defend their worldview and...

OK. Sounds like you're one of millions of people who are dissatisfied and are searching. That's fine. This can either lead you to philosophy or to mov...

You seem to be swerving all over the place with your ideas. Are you ok? If you are looking for certainty you'll readily find it if you can accept fund...

That is a question that assumes there's one answer when you must realise that people do things for many reasons. Conversion stories seem to have a hol...

The death penalty is irrelevant, converting to a religions happens regardless. By the way the numbers of Muslims who convert to atheism is significant...

I don't need to see this I already assumed it was converts. Just as there are Christians who convert to Buddhism following an 'experience'. And Christ...

I am sitting with a philosopher in the garden; he says again and again "I know that that's a tree," pointing to a tree that is near us. Someone else a...

Well to be fair, many, many people claim to have been abducted by aliens too. Muslims and Jesus? You sure? Islam describes Jesus as a profit who was n...

That tells us a little about why you think others believe things, but not really about your views on God. I guess your response leaves a couple of pos...

You ask a lot of questions which is fine, especially if they are genuine - but how about giving us something to actually chew on? In relation to the s...

I'm sure the Buddha would appreciate it.

Let's hope so for all our sakes. II was expecting this.

I suggest you read about secular humanism, this is the worldview you seem to have in mind. Your other ideas might make a good new thread for those wan...

:up: American Atheists definition of atheism: Atheism is one thing: A lack of belief in gods. It is simply a rejection of the assertion that there are...

Goodness. You are providing your definition of atheism which includes an epistemology and it sounds like you can see that. Your definition is more of ...