I reckon that Putin has thrown down a challenge to philosophers.

Fernapple comments on Apr 8, 2022:

Philosophy long ago proved that there are no absolutes. And there are many types of trees, some cast a heavy shade and some tend to let the light through. The terms democracy and tyranny are measures of light and shade, not a typology of trees.

Fernapple replies on Apr 12, 2022:

@Matias No but McFlewster asked for philosophical proof, or in other words, whatever comes nearest to counting as proof within philosophy. He has therefore already defined a standard of proof which suits philosophy, even if that is not proof by any other terms.

Russia's fallen soldiers left behind as death toll mounts, families grieve - The Washington Post

Ryo1 comments on Apr 9, 2022:

I wish the media stopped saying Russian invasion of Ukraine or war between Russia and Ukraine. It is Putin's invasion of Ukraine. It's the madman's war. There are indigenous Russians who are against the invasion of Ukraine; many Ukrainians have friends and families in Russian and vice versa - they ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 10, 2022:

@Paul4747 Yes but they are not soldiers, most of them are half trained kids, and they are told, that they are not engaged in a war, but a policing action to hunt down fascists and NATO agents in the Ukraine. And when they don't find any, because there are not hardly any, and those very few that there may have been, would have gone to ground at the first sign of the Russians, and the kids would not know how to tell the difference anyway, they still have to fill their quota, to prove to those in charge that they have killed or captured the expected numbers of fascists. So to make up the numbers, they just grab anybody, shoot them and then say. "That's a fascist/NATO agent/spy."

Serious Warning! first of all this account is fake ( pics belong to a Lebanese journalist: Jad...

Robecology comments on Apr 9, 2022:

So I have to ask...why would anyone bother doing this?

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2022:

@Diaco Could be semi-automated.

If we are created in the likeness of "gawd", how come I'm not invisible?

Fernapple comments on Apr 9, 2022:

You put on too many pounds.

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2022:

@PondartIncbendog Oh, its quite easy there's a whole Atlantic between us.

Serious Warning! first of all this account is fake ( pics belong to a Lebanese journalist: Jad...

Robecology comments on Apr 9, 2022:

So I have to ask...why would anyone bother doing this?

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2022:

Unless it is a robot, doing it automatically, and it is set up to do it on platforms like FB where people would not spot a duplicate like the smaller community here would. In which case it may well be something to be very wary of, certainly don't follow any links.

A couple of days ago, I ended up in the village of Harlaxton, where there are drystone walls ...

Robecology comments on Apr 9, 2022:

Had to look up "Drystone"...exceptionally beautiful. I recall seeing them in my youth in upstate N.Y. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_stone

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2022:

Yes, it is world wide but only in certain places, usually where the native rock comes in plain strata, which lends itself to construction without mortar.

Makes you reflect

LucyLoohoo comments on Apr 9, 2022:

I wish international travel could be mandated as part of an education. Interacting with other cultures is far more ''educating'' than never leaving home.

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2022:

@LucyLoohoo Of course. I am English, sarcastic is my second language. But then again, in every barrel of over ripe irony, there is a pearl of wisdom.

Makes you reflect

Fernapple comments on Apr 9, 2022:

No, I think the only real value of money in that sense, is that, you can buy education, other than that it affect nothing. Though it is not that easy to buy good education, or that popular.

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2022:

@Apunzelle True, but I would include travel and experiences as, "education". Perhaps the best sort. In fact, in many ways, thinking of education as being only, 'schooling' is part of the limited vision which it is highly desirable to avoid, and schooling in many ways exists only to supress education.

Makes you reflect

LucyLoohoo comments on Apr 9, 2022:

I wish international travel could be mandated as part of an education. Interacting with other cultures is far more ''educating'' than never leaving home.

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2022:

Especially for the USA, but that is not likely to happen. Because, of course, all good Americans know that everywhere abroard, is peopled by America hating, communist, devil worshipers, who want to teach their children how to be gay prostitutes, and get them reading books. (Especially the reading books bit.) Well they get some things right over there. ( That is called irony, incidentally. Which of course is another foreign thing, that you simply must not let your children, wives or servants, come into contact with. ) (Not including, 'husbands' in that list, is more irony. )

Serious Warning! first of all this account is fake ( pics belong to a Lebanese journalist: Jad...

Fernapple comments on Apr 9, 2022:

Yes that happened to me too, one of my posts was immediately reposted, as if it was someone else's. I don't see the point of that, unless it is a robot, doing it automatically, and it is set up to do it on platforms like FB where people would not spot a duplicate like the smaller community here ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2022:

@Marionville He may be innocent, but I have just seen another duplicate post.

Just a very short one about something which almost defies all cataloging.

racocn8 comments on Apr 8, 2022:

(So, what is the third partner?)

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2022:

There are two fungi. It was easy to miss that in the short video its true.

Hey Everyone, I am now fewer than 1,000 points away from Level 8! Please forgive my shameless ...

bebe12 comments on Apr 8, 2022:

The closer one gets to lev 8 means the closer they are getting to wasting to much of one’s life on this site .My self included .

Fernapple replies on Apr 8, 2022:

Yes, but some ways of wasting time are more fun than others. I would say this is not as good as eating chocolate, but slightly better than sex.

I reckon that Putin has thrown down a challenge to philosophers.

Fernapple comments on Apr 8, 2022:

Philosophy long ago proved that there are no absolutes. And there are many types of trees, some cast a heavy shade and some tend to let the light through. The terms democracy and tyranny are measures of light and shade, not a typology of trees.

Fernapple replies on Apr 8, 2022:

@Matias Technically no, but it depends on what you mean by proof.

It was statements like this, by Joseph Campbell, that inspired me to begin a project, years ago, ...

Fernapple comments on Apr 6, 2022:

The new Mythos is growing and hopefully will continue to do so, as long as the old ones do not crush it, which sadly they yet could, since they still have a lot of vital power left. But I always feel that whenever the tide began to turn it was inexorable, history does not ever go backwards. Every ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 8, 2022:

@Julie808The Sacred Deapths Of Nature, is probably the seminal work on the subject of Religious Naturalism. I read it with great pleasure many years ago, and it is a very light and easy read.

It was statements like this, by Joseph Campbell, that inspired me to begin a project, years ago, ...

Fernapple comments on Apr 6, 2022:

The new Mythos is growing and hopefully will continue to do so, as long as the old ones do not crush it, which sadly they yet could, since they still have a lot of vital power left. But I always feel that whenever the tide began to turn it was inexorable, history does not ever go backwards. Every ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 8, 2022:

@Julie808 It just occured to me. Have you ever read Ursula Goodenough ?

I'm presently driving around France and England.

Fernapple comments on Apr 4, 2022:

Only if you can get the fuel. LOL

Fernapple replies on Apr 6, 2022:

@Petter They say that if the distance is more than two hundred and fifty miles, you actualy use less fuel flying.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

Mb_Man comments on Apr 5, 2022:

This is a big reason why I decided to start answering the god question with "I don't know", and moved on. It was a combination of boredom with the topic, and a/the continued realization that atheism meant simultaneously "an answer to a single question, and nothing more!" AND the only possible ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 5, 2022:

Yes that is very true and very close to my attitudes. Although mainly, the apologist at the start was only there as a hypothetical starting point, and not really intended as a serious protagonist, I too am little interested in debating with them.

Christopher Hitchens was asked, "If you don't believe there's a god, why do you do spend your entire...

skado comments on Apr 4, 2022:

I don’t know why the “new atheists” thought that those religious fanatics were who defined religion. They are a loud and dangerous tiny minority, who need to be fought as urgently as Hitch fought 80% of his own species. But they do not represent the 80%.

Fernapple replies on Apr 5, 2022:

The new atheists did not always think that the religious fanatics defined religion. R. Dawkins, for one example, regularly praised the moderate majority. ( I think too much.) It is doing the same thing, defining the new atheists by one statement from their most immoderate member.

“A hypocrite is the kind of politician who would cut down a redwood tree, then stand on the stump ...

Fernapple comments on Mar 14, 2022:

There is another kind of politician ?

Fernapple replies on Apr 5, 2022:

@FrayedBear Quite.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

Heraclitus comments on Apr 5, 2022:

I don't think it is simply a matter of replacing old broken and corrupt beliefs with better ones. Agnostics/atheists are saying that don't believe in religious belief systems, which the other things you mention are not. It is a rejection of theistic-based belief systems.

Fernapple replies on Apr 5, 2022:

Yes that is what I meant, I am equating, "old broken and corrupt", with "theistic" because given that this is and atheist /agnostic site, I am assuming that everyone else will do the same.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

AnneWimsey comments on Apr 3, 2022:

Mmmmmmmm, lots of thinking material above, but can you define "happy world" for Me?

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2022:

@AnneWimsey Quite.

“The excessive use of force creates legitimacy problems, and force without legitimacy leads to ...

EricJones comments on Apr 4, 2022:

Just ask George Floyd as the most recent example.

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2022:

@Marionville The two are not that different. If you think that people who don't want to be like you, or are not like you by nature, may be mistreated however you wish, then that is the same.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

Julie808 comments on Apr 4, 2022:

I believe in things that matter. It does not matter to me whether there is or isn't a god. Nothing to prove either way for my purposes in living a good life. I do believe in goodness, kindness, fairness, natural consequences, courtesy, respect, compassion, empathy and a whole lot of things ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2022:

Very good, I could quote every word, my possition exactly. Though I do think that, while I agree with, "I don't fault people for turning to the ready made religion", I do think that there is perhaps, a moral obligation to always, whenever possible, point out that there are perhaps better ways. You may like Rossy92's reply at the bottom of this post too.

Atheist quotes…lovely!

Robecology comments on Apr 3, 2022:

Copied the Ricky G. one. He's on my page....or I'm on his....

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2022:

My favourite too.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

barjoe comments on Apr 3, 2022:

I plead guilty to believing in nothing.

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2022:

@Alienbeing It is good to hear it, and I hope things will turn arround and they will grow less loud. Though my reply to Barjoe was a bit of a joke, since I alway assume that a lot of what you hear about the dire things happening in the world, are overstated.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

Aaron70 comments on Apr 3, 2022:

That’s a mouthful…..🤨

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2022:

@Buck Thank you. I am always fishing for compliments.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

AnneWimsey comments on Apr 3, 2022:

Mmmmmmmm, lots of thinking material above, but can you define "happy world" for Me?

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2022:

You may define "happy world" however you wish, my own definition is not in any way special. Rossy92 down at the bottom here, gives a really good one. My only point is that you need only create the smallest prerequisite, as a starting point for the rest to follow, in order to address the agument that without god you can have no morallity because god is the only prerequisite for morallity available.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

David1955 comments on Apr 3, 2022:

Strictly speaking atheism is a non belief in gods and that is that. Atheists come in all shapes and sizes in terms of their social, political and other values. But in my opinion atheism should, and often does, encompass a bigger secular value system, like science and reason, so for me the hope for ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2022:

Yes perfect.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

Reignmond comments on Apr 3, 2022:

We Atheists believe all kinds of things, but more often our beliefs are couched in some sort of proof even if that proof is not entirely "scientific". For example, I have a belief that my kitties love me. Now I have not tortured them with tests to prove their affections. Instead, I observe the way ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2022:

Very true.

Well this was fun

barjoe comments on Apr 3, 2022:

I hope you're okay. Did you go to the hospital?

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2022:

@Dyl1983 Sadly it is almost impossible to remove all sharp, hard, and sticking out objects from the environment we live in.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

Rossy92 comments on Apr 3, 2022:

In reply to the accusation of believing in "nothing", I'd respond that I try to believe in as many true things and as little false things as possible. And in response to both what I actually DO believe in, and where I derive my morality/ethics, I would respond that I'm concerned with that which ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2022:

That is another very good prerequisite for morals too. Probably better than my examples, so I shall note it down , although I deliberately picked short ones like, “I would prefer to live in a happy world.” because I knew the post would be long winded, and I was trying to keep it as short as possible. Though of course, as always, I failed.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

mischl comments on Apr 3, 2022:

I took the decision about 60 years ago in a Philosophy class that Belief is a dirty word. I set about removing it from my vocabulary, replacing it with other "more appropriate" words in my opinion. For example, I ACCEPT the notion of gravity, even though I cannot explain it. And I THINK electric ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2022:

Yes you could swap "belief" in my post for, accept, and it would still work just as well. But I was being critical of religious apologetics, and that is the word they like to use.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

FvckY0u comments on Apr 3, 2022:

Great post. I prefer to use the word "faith" as it applies to religion. I used to think belief was a dirty word but as you point out it can be used in several different ways outside of religion.

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2022:

Yes you can swap words arround, the main thing is to be honest about what you mean.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

barjoe comments on Apr 3, 2022:

I plead guilty to believing in nothing.

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2022:

And you are more than welcome, its a free world, well bits of it are, even the USA was until the theists took over . OH no! Not yet of course, that is the bit I wrote and saved for next year.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

Aaron70 comments on Apr 3, 2022:

That’s a mouthful…..🤨

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2022:

Yes I can be long winded, I did think of making two posts out of it, but then I thought. Nah, the people either have good concentration spans, or they wont understand it anyway. Of course, if I was smart, then I could probably shorten it to just a couple of lines, but its just dull old me, sorry.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

Betty comments on Apr 3, 2022:

Belief is truth as you know it. You believe in the stability of your relationships, family, friends, co-workers, community etc. What does religion, god, or any make believe entity have to do with truth? To believe is to accept that there is evidence of truth. Morals, values, and code of conduct ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2022:

Brilliant.

I have often heard atheists and agnostics accused of believing in nothing, especially by apologists.

xenoview comments on Apr 3, 2022:

Atheism is a lack of belief in any gods. Agnosticism is not having the knowledge any gods exist. Either one is not a belief system. Theism is based on faith, because it lacks objective evidence that any god exist.

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2022:

Yes that was my point exactly, though I simply wanted to add that, just because we do not believe in gods, it does not mean we ( always) believe in nothing. And I deliberately included some contradictory ideals like capitalisnm and socialism in the list, to make that point.

Nothing except just the sound. [youtube.com]

Julie808 comments on Apr 3, 2022:

A motorcycle in a cage... seems to like the attention though.

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2022:

Yes sad about the cage in many ways, but at least there is social interaction.

Looking for friends

Fernapple comments on Feb 11, 2022:

Hello and welcome. Enjoy the site. You will certain find pen-friends here at the very least, and if you like that idea, then the site will be a great source of joy. Unfortunately though we are a bit spread out, and so actual physical contact is rare, though quite a few have managed to get withing ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2022:

@robertvc Very well thank you, if you engage with it, it can be great. (And is probably one of the best time wasters on the web. LOL)

How self aware is your best friend, as aware as an elephant perhaps, maybe not, but certainly more ...

Reignmond comments on Apr 3, 2022:

Dogs seem to run the gamet. I have had some (when I was married, my wife rescued and fostered a lot of dogs) that were dumb, and others that were sharp as a tack. My own Jessie, a Terrier / Chihuahua mix, knew names of people, all of her toys, rooms in the house, places we would go, and I am ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2022:

Yes dogs do vary a lot, and sadly I think that a lot of breeders only value appearance when sellecting dogs to breed from and sell to would be owners.

My sentiments exactly... 5 Reasons to Avoid Ad Hominem Arguments [fee.org] .

Fernapple comments on Apr 2, 2022:

Yep, I can live with those five. Seven reasons to always keep ad hominen in mind. 1. While you should not attack facts by ad hom, it can sometimes be useful in judging opinions. 2. If you know someone is dishonest and untruthful, it is best to leave and ignore on the grounds of ad hom, but ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2022:

@JeffMurray I just up dated it and added another.

The Evolution of Belief [agnostic.com] .

Toonman comments on Mar 31, 2022:

FINALLY you post something that isn't completely and utterly useless.

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2022:

@racocn8 I love it, you hit nearly every nail perfectly. Though you perhaps would be amused to know when quoting Skado's "..psychological traits that formed in the context of pre-human and human hunter/gatherer societies over more than two million years on the African savannas are not likely to be radically altered in a span of only a few thousand years." That Skado has claimed elsewhere, to be a big fan of co-evolution, in other words that cultural evolution has an impact on genetic evolution. Another example of his having it both ways.

The Evolution of Belief [agnostic.com] .

Earthling50 comments on Mar 31, 2022:

How do you interpret this?

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2022:

@Betty You are welcome.

The Evolution of Belief [agnostic.com] .

Earthling50 comments on Mar 31, 2022:

How do you interpret this?

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2022:

@Betty I quite agree. I tend to use as my personal definition of religion, that religion is the same thing as the fallacy of, proof by authority. In other words it is, any institution which gives justification to ideas without any presenting evidence, but only by unsupported authority, whether that authority comes from the supernatural, tradition, respect for an old book, just because its old, or group think, (We think that, not the others.) To understand therefore why it has such a deep natural connection to the anti social and criminal. You only have to ask yourself. Who would want authority without any wanting to offer justification ?

The Evolution of Belief [agnostic.com] .

Earthling50 comments on Mar 31, 2022:

How do you interpret this?

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2022:

@skado 1. Yes 2. Yes 3. No, the development of complex culture was itself the greatest mismatch. 4. No there are many traits which generate a capacity for complex culture. 6. Shortly only in evolutionary time scales, not in cultural and historic. 7. Only religion in the broardest sense, religions are so diverse that there is hardly a single common component to them all, beyond saying that some sort of religion would happen, that justifies almost nothing within them any of them. 8. Complete rubbish. Religion is probably the least successful of all human institutions at addressing the mismatch and has probably always been a burden and a drag on those other institutions which did attempt to address it. And even if it did once serve to address the mismatch to some degree in the past, that is no reason to suppose, that it is a good tool for that now, let alone the best. And your final. No, all opinion is not equal, and although the 'ad hom' is a fallacy when addressing fact, it is very relevant when evaluating opinion.

The Evolution of Belief [agnostic.com] .

Earthling50 comments on Mar 31, 2022:

How do you interpret this?

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2022:

@Betty The point is that he could not, no one could, he is asking for the impossible as a bullying method.

The Evolution of Belief [agnostic.com] .

Earthling50 comments on Mar 31, 2022:

How do you interpret this?

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2022:

@Betty See also my above, I know its a long read.

Drinking tea and coffee will help staving off dementia.

Fernapple comments on Apr 2, 2022:

Good news. Since I like tea and fruit and veg, more than anything, that is not a hard ask.

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2022:

@Jolanta That too.

"Cognitive-dissonance is just one of many biases that work in our everyday lives.

Matias comments on Apr 2, 2022:

But "cognitive dissonance" and "confirmation bias" are not the same ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2022:

Skado long ago stopped caring what words actually mean, even if he ever did.

The Evolution of Belief [agnostic.com] .

Earthling50 comments on Mar 31, 2022:

How do you interpret this?

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2022:

@skado No religion is NOT the "only institution that has tried to offer a counterbalance to that mismatch." in saying that you are doing exactly what you are blaming Betty for, which is making statements about the past based on nothing more than unsupported value judgments. And in this case even worse, an absolutist value judgment. All human institutions have to offer control of anti-social behaviour, simply because institutions are social constructs, and can only exist by doing that, and for the most part, mainly only exist to do that. In fact institutions like politics, from a clan level through tribal and on to the nation state and eventually internationalism, have a much greater interest in forwarding good social instincts, ( As did trade networks to a lesser extent in early times. ) because without supernatural claims, the only justification they can offer for their existence, is the demonstration of their abilities to succeed in doing so. While religion was always probably from the beginning, been to a degree on the negative side, as a promoter of personal narcissism, since it profited by that, and by countering the social order, with appeals to individualism, and individual claims to the favour of divine authority. Which it could do, because it alone could gain authority without demonstrating any benefits to larger society. (Royalty may sit on the border between religion and politics, and has elements of both.) And yes science does have, "a better track record at discovering the facts than does the sincerest empathy. " Which is why it deals only in hard facts and not the speculative value judgements, more within the realm of history, which you claim to base on it. And that is why doing such things are truly horrible, exactly, because they throw out the truly valuable and wonderful gift that science can offer. If not because of the sickening double values, expossed by blaming value judgments for some things, while using them to support others. And yes, crime is "innate in human nature", but it does not have to happen. Over balancing and falling on the floor is also innate in human nature, though it does not have to happen, because our balancing mechanisms are of limited capacity. Which means that I am much more likely to fall down, if I go skiing, than if I go for a walk. Because there is a mismatch between my balance mechanisms, designed for running on the flat plains, and sliding down mountains on culturally and technically developed skids. So if I want to avoid falling over at all cost, it is best not to go skiing or join a ski club. Just as if I want to avoid being anti-social or criminal, it is best to avoid human institutions which favour and enable criminality and anti-social activities. Human cultural institutions can modify human ...

The Evolution of Belief [agnostic.com] .

Earthling50 comments on Mar 31, 2022:

How do you interpret this?

Fernapple replies on Apr 1, 2022:

@skado It may be that Betty made an unsubstantiated statement, with which as it happens I do not agree either. But that does not excuse, firstly, asking for something that can never be. Because as Betty rightly pointed out, her comments related to things which fall only within the sphere of history, and are not or ever likely to be within the realms of science, and asking for things which are impossibilities is simply morally reprehensible bullying of the worst sort. And secondly it is also morally disgusting to tell someone that their opinion is valueless.

So who uses a computer at home, and only makes calls on their phone.

TomMcGiverin comments on Apr 1, 2022:

I do all my internet on my laptop. I do almost all my phone calls on my landline. Away from home, I have my tracphone, which costs only a $100 a year, for emergencies or if my car breaks down. My landline and internet at home cost me about $85 a month. I am content with my arrangements, and have no ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 1, 2022:

That's about my place too, and it now seems that a lot of younger people are cottoning on to the same idea.

"When I was younger, I used to run up and down mountains for fun.

Robecology comments on Apr 1, 2022:

I know the feeling. I still focus on fitness...but damn...it's just much easier to hurt oneself as we get older!.

Fernapple replies on Apr 1, 2022:

Yes, and you often don't notice the pain until its too late. You lok down, and there is a big wound, and you thinbk. "How did I do that." While you know that the young and sensitive you would have jumped up at the first prickle.

How offensive is the word "cunt"?

Charles1971 comments on Apr 1, 2022:

I don't know the answer to this question but I don't use either of those slurs so I don't really have to worry about their individual weight.

Fernapple replies on Apr 1, 2022:

@JeffMurray Clever hypothesis.

How offensive is the word "cunt"?

Fernapple comments on Apr 1, 2022:

I will vote for the last one. Because I am convinced by one well known, sadly now gone, feminists arguments. (Sorry about the quality of the video, but it is very old.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDJutaFuVD0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN0oGWNzNxo

Fernapple replies on Apr 1, 2022:

@p-nullifidian Yes I did not know that, it is not a very feminist word, perhaps a lot of females would not like the word half so much if they knew.

"When I was younger, I used to run up and down mountains for fun.

KateOahu comments on Apr 1, 2022:

So, it has come to that…

Fernapple replies on Apr 1, 2022:

Not yet, but will get there one day certainly.

The Evolution of Belief [agnostic.com] .

Earthling50 comments on Mar 31, 2022:

How do you interpret this?

Fernapple replies on Apr 1, 2022:

@skado, @Betty Dear Betty, please note (even if you don't want to read my above) that such measurements that you are asked for by Skado, are of course quite impossible and far from being within the remit of science. Also remember that asking for the impossible is a playgound bullying trick.

The Evolution of Belief [agnostic.com] .

Earthling50 comments on Mar 31, 2022:

How do you interpret this?

Fernapple replies on Apr 1, 2022:

@skado As for the claims that you need science not history. Firstly, you know full well that such things are not and never could be within the remit of science, and that those sort of quantity measurements are quite impossible, so that is just a cheap bullying tactic of demanding the impossible you are directing at Betty. And secondly, almost all your quotes and attempted justifications, come from anthropoligy, which is a branch of history, albeit with slight scientific pretentions. And you may treat this as an 'ad hom' if you wish and igrore it.

I'd be willing to lay carpet, it's been such a long time...

Fernapple comments on Mar 31, 2022:

You have to earn the carpets respect first. You can't lay it properly if you have already walked all over it, shown it no care, and made a disrespectful mess of it. And if you are not on the same level, you have got no chance.

Fernapple replies on Apr 1, 2022:

@Dyl1983 That's OK, you can always fake it.

The Evolution of Belief [agnostic.com] .

Earthling50 comments on Mar 31, 2022:

How do you interpret this?

Fernapple replies on Apr 1, 2022:

@skado Your religion did not, in your youth perhaps, "prescribe doing any of those horrible things." But that was a rare exception, it has prescribed a lot of them for much of the past, and what is more important, it will increasingly do so into the future, indeed it is plainly becoming just that prescription and little more. As for how you blame bad behaviour, on a philosophy that advises treating people with love and tolerance. Well that is not at all hard. Firstly, because Christianity hardly does give that advice, and I am not talking about just Old ver. New Testament, even in the New, the kind philosophies, are only quite a small part of the whole. And secondly, any belief systems potential to create kindness or cruelty, are not mainly based in its few statements of humanity, which you can find in almost all philosophies, but in its whole structure and all its ideals, in part because that is where you find its potential for unintended consequences. Marxism is mainly about humanity, but as we all know, that has done untold harm, and you may find humane ideals even in Mein Kampf. But the main idea in Christianity anyway, both its source and its traditions, is not humane kindness, but the idea of a personal god, with which you can have a personal selfish narcissistic relationship, (NT and the Catholic/Protestant tradition.) and extreme racist nationalism ( OT, and the Jewish tradition.) And while those remain in the back ground and base layers, the potential for the most extreme inhumane behaviour still remains. While even if you did succeed in creating a sanitized sub-cult based on the few humane statements in the sources and a metaphorical interpretation of the rest. Like leaving a machine gun and belts of ammunition out on the side-walk, but saying. "I only keep it in case an dog or cat injured in a road accident needs a humane death." the terrible potential would still be there. The potential for cruelty and inhumanity, always remains if built into the system. While the chances of getting a sanitized Christianity promoted anyway, are frankly, just a childish fantasy. Since religion, like any belief system or marketable product, needs to have something to offer if people are to take it up. And religion as a belief system has always thrived most by providing an alternative to the beliefs of the mainstreams and the state. In its greatest hours, like the Middle Ages, it thrived by asking for humanity when the state and secular thought was only organized thuggery. But now that situation is reversed, most states now (And this is why the USA centric view fails. ) accept welfare as their main duty, and human rights are a growing belief system. To oppose that, and gain popular support, religion can only move into the darkness and appeal to those ...

So who uses a computer at home, and only makes calls on their phone.

BitFlipper comments on Apr 1, 2022:

I use computers AND a smartphone. Each has its benefits.

Fernapple replies on Apr 1, 2022:

Yes, I use a desk top for most internet things, a smart phone for mobile phones calls, and a tablet when on holiday. But I hardly use the phone for anything except phone calls, just occassionally but not often.

I've opened a restaurant called: "Peace And Quiet..." Kids meals: Only $150.

mischl comments on Mar 31, 2022:

Children shouldn't be allowed out of the house until they are 18yo. Except for boarding school.

Fernapple replies on Mar 31, 2022:

Make that forty years old.

Well the weather is a funny thing, is it not ?

MizJ comments on Mar 31, 2022:

Beautiful. Your garden must be lovely in the summer.

Fernapple replies on Mar 31, 2022:

@MizJ I just want a seven month summer and a three month winter, instead we get it the other way round. But having said that, wishful thinking is no route to happiness.

Well the weather is a funny thing, is it not ?

MizJ comments on Mar 31, 2022:

Beautiful. Your garden must be lovely in the summer.

Fernapple replies on Mar 31, 2022:

It is, but after more than sixty years on this planet, I still have not learned to love winter.

Well the weather is a funny thing, is it not ?

Robecology comments on Mar 31, 2022:

And weird to even see snow in G.B. I've heard?

Fernapple replies on Mar 31, 2022:

No that is not quite true, especially here in the east. but following such a mild spell this late in spring yes. I am just about on the south most edge of the north of England, so it is not as cold as the North, but I don't get the temperate climate that, say, London does.

"You know that little voice in your head, which tells you.

Killtheskyfairy comments on Mar 31, 2022:

I think that’s a definition of a psychopath.

Fernapple replies on Mar 31, 2022:

Or a hedonist.

Had you forgotten about the hole in the ozone layer ?

waitingforgodo comments on Mar 31, 2022:

No, I look into it from time to time.

Fernapple replies on Mar 31, 2022:

Well done, it is nice to know that someone cares.

"You know that little voice in your head, which tells you.

KateOahu comments on Mar 30, 2022:

I need that shirt. But it has nothing to do with food.

Fernapple replies on Mar 30, 2022:

Oh, now don't get an old man all excited. LOL

So who uses a computer at home, and only makes calls on their phone.

Julie808 comments on Mar 30, 2022:

Hmm... That makes sense. I use my computer for nearly everything and dislike even texting on my phone. I only use my phone if away from my computer for long periods of time and for photos or to play music or use the calculator function. I don't really use apps much at all - so it might behoove ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 30, 2022:

A nice big screen, and a proper keyboard, all human sized, why would anybody want a tiny gaget you can hardly see.

So who uses a computer at home, and only makes calls on their phone.

yvilletom comments on Mar 30, 2022:

I recently connected my cellphone to the wifi I use, cancelled my too-costly cell phone service, and use my landline phone. It’s doing what I want.

Fernapple replies on Mar 30, 2022:

That is what its all about.

Unbelievers. Are there any moral flaws in Jesus?

Fernapple comments on Mar 9, 2022:

The question does not seem to be very clearly put, since you list at least five Jesus persons: the biblical, the Roman, the Gnostic, the one who is identical to Yahweh and the possible original one behind the myth. Does the question in the first line refer to all of them, or only one ? As to ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 29, 2022:

@Greatest I was thinking more of his effects on the morality of others, but thank you for reminding me that the original post was about his personal morality, which was without a doubt appalling. Though it has to be said of course that Armageddon etc. is not part of the Jesus of the Gospels, but that only comes later in the theology of later Christians and the Apocryphal books.

Does the Cognitive Science of Religion legitimize the validity of religious behavior as a positive ...

Mb_Man comments on Mar 29, 2022:

**Does the Cognitive Science of Religion legitimize the validity of religious behavior as a positive contribution toward human reproductive fitness?** I feel like this is a rather loaded question to be asking of the area of study. Assuming the goal is exploring the various aspects of religiosity ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 29, 2022:

The reactionary opinions get most of the votes, perhaps because, the poll is off putting to those who would like to engage in legitimate debate on how genetic evolution affects our religions. And also perhaps because, many sense a hidden agenda behind the poll which induces negative responces.

Does the Cognitive Science of Religion legitimize the validity of religious behavior as a positive ...

Fernapple comments on Mar 29, 2022:

That seems like a very shambolic poll. Firstly. If you wish to ask questions about religion, you should start by defining "religion". since the answer will depend very much on the definition. As the answers below show, people have used several definitions. Secondly. Science does not deal in ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 29, 2022:

@AnneWimsey Thank you.

Pascal's Wager rebooted.

ASTRALMAX comments on Mar 29, 2022:

The comic genius of the late Dave Allen sums it up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVk8nttVb2I Voltaire: " God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh."

Fernapple replies on Mar 29, 2022:

Wonderful, just magical. I love they way he can get perhaps the biggest laugh of all, just with a long silent pause.

Pascal's Wager rebooted.

AnonySchmoose comments on Mar 29, 2022:

Aside from ***whether: *** 1) one can choose between many gods; 2) doing good or evil even matter to ‘god’ re: reward; 3) humans can have a personal relationship to ‘god’; 4) humans are more special to 'god' than other life forms ... shouldn't one be concerned about whether ‘god’ will ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 29, 2022:

Yes it always has been more full of holes than a strainer.

Irony of Ironies [agnostic.com]

racocn8 comments on Mar 28, 2022:

Except that the species does not have a consistent record of believing in a god. Polytheism, Eastern religions, and rank superstition have played large roles. The Abrahamic religions benefited from increased mobility and ruthless proselytizing.

Fernapple replies on Mar 29, 2022:

Also animism and ancestor worship, as well as several others, certainly gods, come very late into religion, certainly not on an evolutionary time scale.

A Bouncy Castle in the Clouds but you don't get to play or even jump up and down, on your knees for ...

Fernapple comments on Mar 28, 2022:

Pascal's Wager rebooted. If there is a god, how do you know that it does not prefer atheists anyway ? After all: we do not waste the short lives it gave us in useless ritual, we do not set up the, at least, ten thousand other fake gods in its name, we do not tell it what we believe it should ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 29, 2022:

Like this, may post it.

The Great Irony ….

Fernapple comments on Mar 28, 2022:

Not at all true, I for one atheist, have no problem at all with CSR. And like, I suspect, most atheists, I accept that there is obviously an evolutionary basis for everything. Stop the strawmaning.

Fernapple replies on Mar 29, 2022:

@Triphid Religion and religious apologetic​s almost certainly have a destructive effect on the personalit​y. The constant requiremen​t that those two have for cognitive dissonance​, eventually​ trains the mind to dishonesty​ so well, that it becomes impossible​ to even understand​ the idea of honesty in any meaningful​ way, and any distortion​ of fact becomes acceptable​.

How self aware is your best friend, as aware as an elephant perhaps, maybe not, but certainly more ...

Julie808 comments on Mar 28, 2022:

Sounds about right, until you see a puppy chasing its own tail! Maybe it's after that silliness that they become self aware of their tails, anyway, haha.

Fernapple replies on Mar 28, 2022:

Well that is a puppy, not a dog, and don't you think that it is interesting that we instinctively recognize infancy even in other species ? And they in ours. And that we are deeply engaged as a species in breeding dogs which are increacingly infantile even as adults.

With Eye to China Investment, Taliban Now Preserve Buddhas

Garban comments on Mar 27, 2022:

How open minded and progressive. Soon they may stop honor killings.😡

Fernapple replies on Mar 28, 2022:

Depends how much spare cash you have got ?

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent ...

Fernapple comments on Mar 24, 2022:

Also a bad choice is better than no choice. The roads are carpeted with flat squirrels who could not make their minds up.

Fernapple replies on Mar 28, 2022:

@MsKathleen Thank you, that is very gracious.

Marriage, Relationships and Religion

Fernapple comments on Mar 27, 2022:

The main question you have to answer, is. Will the differences lessen or get deeper when once you are married ? Because if, as I suspect, reading what you write, they will grow, then however hard it may be, you have to make the break and walk away now. It is not a good idea to marry at all if you ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2022:

@MizJ Thank you. That is what I thought, but I also know that humans (Both sexes. LOL ) have an almost infinite capacity for misunderstanding. So you have to be careful.

There you have it - Facts about Christians in the UK Q: What are the most shocking facts about ...

skado comments on Mar 26, 2022:

This is not any kind of scandal. Plenty of priests understand that the point of religion is not belief, but practice. It doesn’t make them fake priests - it makes them authentic priests. (I’m sure the fakes exist too, but they probably lied on the survey.)

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2022:

@Betty Yes, plus perhaps, that people expect more of their governments, if there is not the religious community to fall back on, and also probably, because religion promotes toxic narcissism.

There you have it - Facts about Christians in the UK Q: What are the most shocking facts about ...

skado comments on Mar 26, 2022:

This is not any kind of scandal. Plenty of priests understand that the point of religion is not belief, but practice. It doesn’t make them fake priests - it makes them authentic priests. (I’m sure the fakes exist too, but they probably lied on the survey.)

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2022:

@Betty It is notable that the happiest countries, with the lowest levels of crime, and the best social welfare are also those with the lowest levels of religion.

The burden of proof is on the person making the assertion.

Fernapple comments on Mar 27, 2022:

Good to remember the basics sometimes though.

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2022:

@anglophone No sorry, I was refering to the god of the bible being internally illogical, did not make myself plain.

There you have it - Facts about Christians in the UK Q: What are the most shocking facts about ...

Jolanta comments on Mar 27, 2022:

Don’t say all that too loudly or the UK will be swarming with people from the US trying to save you all.

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2022:

We already get missionaries, but not so many now. The Mormons especially, found that they were losing too many who were going native.

The burden of proof is on the person making the assertion.

Fernapple comments on Mar 27, 2022:

Good to remember the basics sometimes though.

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2022:

@anglophone The principle of the need for internal logic. Which is perhaps the one exception to the rule of, not being able to prove a negative.

E. O. Wilson says science should embrace the humanities… [agnostic.com] .

Scott321 comments on Mar 26, 2022:

Wilson was known for such bombastic quotes as: “the time has come for ethics to be removed temporarily from the hands of the philosophers and biologicized” (*Sociobiology*). Similarly the “embrace” of the humanities can be seen more as a scientistic colonization of the humanities (a ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2022:

Plus science would also lose as well, since its greatest gift, is that of organized rigorous scepticism, which would need to be eroded away first. While the humanities greatest gift is unfettered imagination. It is good to have both in your cultural mix, but while you can have, and benefit from having both, you can not do both at the same time. Believing and attempting to do both at the same time, just leads back to a world of dogma, which is the name we generally give to ideas produced by not differentiating between those ideas assumed into existence by unbridled culture, and those passed through the filters used by science and philosophy. While the dream of one universal culture, is in reality a vision of horrifying dystopian repression. Which would probably, if you believe his theory of tribalism, break into two factions anyway, so he is logically inconsistent about that. And that single tribal split with no dilution of any other views would probably be the most vicious and nasty the human race has ever seen.

The burden of proof is on the person making the assertion.

Fernapple comments on Mar 27, 2022:

Good to remember the basics sometimes though.

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2022:

@LovinLarge The basics of logic and epistomology. Even if you did learn it at school, going back as a reminder is always good.

Atheism is inconsistent with science....

nogod4me comments on Mar 26, 2022:

Atheism is not inconsistent with science because atheism is not a belief system, atheism is the absence of belief/faith. "If I declare that my god is real and that it's scriptures are infallible." Atheists do not make the assertion that a god does not exist because then they would have ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2022:

@nogod4me I know that, that Is why I started with. "That is all very true well, said. " Because I was just trying to make a small marginal ammendment.

Atheism is inconsistent with science....

nogod4me comments on Mar 26, 2022:

Atheism is not inconsistent with science because atheism is not a belief system, atheism is the absence of belief/faith. "If I declare that my god is real and that it's scriptures are infallible." Atheists do not make the assertion that a god does not exist because then they would have ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 26, 2022:

@nogod4me Yes but the actions indicate the underlying beliefs. There is all the difference in the world between beliefs based on the idea of, knowing or believing that, you do not know. And not knowing that you do not know and believing that you do.

Atheism is inconsistent with science....

nogod4me comments on Mar 26, 2022:

Atheism is not inconsistent with science because atheism is not a belief system, atheism is the absence of belief/faith. "If I declare that my god is real and that it's scriptures are infallible." Atheists do not make the assertion that a god does not exist because then they would have ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 26, 2022:

@nogod4me The belief affects the actions, since if they both hear a voice from god in their head telling them to pull the pin, then the admitted agnostic thinks. "Maybe I have a menntal condition, perhaps I should see a doctor. " Because he knows he is agnostic. Where the theist agnostic, thinks. "A voice from god." And pulls the pin. Both act on their beliefs, and the beliefs are quite different, resulting in different actions. There is all the difference in the world between admitting you don't know, and not admitting it.

Atheism is inconsistent with science....

nogod4me comments on Mar 26, 2022:

Atheism is not inconsistent with science because atheism is not a belief system, atheism is the absence of belief/faith. "If I declare that my god is real and that it's scriptures are infallible." Atheists do not make the assertion that a god does not exist because then they would have ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 26, 2022:

@nogod4me No it is not irrelivant. If he is holding a hand genade, then you had better hope that he does not believe the non existent god told him to pull the real pin out.

Atheism is inconsistent with science....

nogod4me comments on Mar 26, 2022:

Atheism is not inconsistent with science because atheism is not a belief system, atheism is the absence of belief/faith. "If I declare that my god is real and that it's scriptures are infallible." Atheists do not make the assertion that a god does not exist because then they would have ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 26, 2022:

That is all very true well, said. Although I would say that agnosticism is not quite irrelevant, because the agnosticism of someone who calls themselves agnostic, is admitted and honest. While the agnosticism of the theist is not admitted, and therefore still permits them to behave as if they did have evidence.

Mandatory voting! My understanding is that in Australia voting in federal elections is mandatory and...

David1955 comments on Mar 25, 2022:

Yes we have mandatory voting at Federal and State elections, but not local level. All eligible people must register to vote in the state/federal seats in which they live. Elections are held on a Saturday, with voting from the opening to the closing hours of that day. Electors can also ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 26, 2022:

Good and informative answer thank you.

Ah, that feels SO much better, have permanently BLOCKED @Twill now, peace and quiet shall once again...

Fernapple comments on Mar 22, 2022:

Interesting, it is funny how this site distributes the postings, I hardly know or have ever seen him, yet he is level seven.

Fernapple replies on Mar 26, 2022:

@Triphid Perhaps that explains it. If he wears one of those, my brain would go into auto-delete mode.

If God exists then why so many religions have bitten dust since organised praying took roots?

Matias comments on Mar 25, 2022:

Thousands of languages have disappeared, but about 6000 are still spoken. So why should it be strange that there are plus/minus 4000 religions/sects around? Neither biological nor cultural evolution are misers.

Fernapple replies on Mar 25, 2022:

@Matias No it does not, especially on an international site, where each person may be reading with a slightly different nuance, conditioned by their culture. But it ran as irony to me, though I may not be a perfect judge.

If God exists then why so many religions have bitten dust since organised praying took roots?

skado comments on Mar 25, 2022:

Hmmm, it’s almost as if religious behavior is evolutionarily adaptive or something. Weird!

Fernapple replies on Mar 25, 2022:

@skado If you prefer the scientific view, I would show more respect for it by not abussing and misquoting it. Oh, and yes, that is an ad hom, because I am not affraid of those.

If God exists then why so many religions have bitten dust since organised praying took roots?

Matias comments on Mar 25, 2022:

Thousands of languages have disappeared, but about 6000 are still spoken. So why should it be strange that there are plus/minus 4000 religions/sects around? Neither biological nor cultural evolution are misers.

Fernapple replies on Mar 25, 2022:

I think that he was being ironic.

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent ...

Fernapple comments on Mar 24, 2022:

Also a bad choice is better than no choice. The roads are carpeted with flat squirrels who could not make their minds up.

Fernapple replies on Mar 25, 2022:

@Diogenes OK I confess, I was very bored, so thinks. Drag out, dust off and reuse an old one just for the hell of it. Then thinks. No, some old one who never gets dusted off and/or reused any more could get jealous. But then. Nah ! Go for it ! (PS. How you been, don't seem to have seen you about for a bit. ?)