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Stupid people: they are the bane of human existence. However, I'm profoundly uncomfortable saying whose life is worth living, and whose isn't. So I find myself in a bit of an ethical dilemma when some idiot looks over at me and says: “Here, hold my beer!”

Benthoven 8 Feb 7
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Many people deemed to be stupid are actually very smart in their own way. Remember that every person alive is the culmination of a long line of survivors.

Is, "...in their own way." a scientific specification?
"...every person alive is the culmination of a long line of survivors." What has that got to do with "stupidity", A.K.A., intelligence. Two intelligent parents can produce an unintelligent child, and often do. Also, every offspring of a given set of parents have different intelligence levels. Or, were your comments intended as social interaction rather than a scientific assessment...I am Asperger's, so I will not necessarily detect your real meaning.

@dahermit It has recently been ascertained that a child inherits it's intelligence from it's mother. When I used to frequent public houses a lot I met some very stupid men and I felt sorry for any children they had but of course the little woman (her indoors) was at home nurturing her offspring.

@Moravian "It has recently been ascertained that a child inherits it's intelligence from it's mother." Ascertained by whom? My mother was not a relatively intelligent person (about 100 I.Q), but she produced four boys, two of which had 140 I.Q.s and the other two still more intelligent than she was. If we boys had inherited our intelligence from her, we would not have likely been any more intelligent than she was.

@dahermit

Of course not every person born is a superior specimen in every way, slated for success and reproduction. That doesn’t matter though. Everyone’s existence is a marvelous miracle and each person has strengths and capabilities that are not measured by IQ tests.

Of course I am not making scientific claims—I am only expressing respect and admiration for my fellow humans. BTW “stupid” is not a scientifically precise term either. 🙂

@WilliamFleming "Everyone’s existence is a marvelous miracle..." More so than a stray cat's?

@dahermit [independent.co.uk]

All to do with the X chromosomes apparently

@dahermit Ha, Good Point. Nature as a whole is a marvelous miracle, and stray cats fit in there somewhere. Since I am currently using a human body to write this, I am biased toward humans I suppose. I lean toward thinking that the universe itself is what has consciousness and that “we” are that, all one thing.

I saw where a frozen cat was dug out of a snow bank in Minneapolis and it survived.

@WilliamFleming "I lean toward thinking that the universe itself is what has consciousness and that “we” are that, all one thing." But, with no evidence to support that, what is the difference between what you think and those who think God exists? One wonders why you are a member of an Agnostic/Atheist site.

@dahermit I do not label myself as an atheist or agnostic. I enjoy this site because there are many courageous and intelligent people here who have thrown off attachment to religious dogma and they provide for me intellectual and spiritual stimulation. Nobody has told me I have to leave...yet.

Of course there is evidence for universal consciousness! It might not be the kind of evidence that is persuasive for YOU, however some of the most astute physicists and other intellectuals have embraced the idea.

Universal Consciousness:

[scientificamerican.com]

[google.com]

[jcer.com]

[m.huffpost.com]

[google.com]

“God” is just a label or symbol for ultimate reality, and we can not detect or understand ultimate reality with our human model of space, time and matter. It doesn’t matter what you call it IMO.

@WilliamFleming Having reviewed your links, I found, theories, theories, theories, or as I like to call those links (and the belief in a "God" ), "wistful thinking".
"... some of the most astute physicists and other intellectuals have embraced the idea." Is but an appeal to authority.

@dahermit I do appeal to authority and without shame or apprehension. There is not one thing illogical about pointing to the fact that many prominent physicists have advocated for universal consciousness, and in fact, that information is pertinent for anyone with an open mind.

Yes, Universal Consciousness is theory and it is currently metaphysics. That is why I said that I “lean” toward the idea. There is much evidence, but so far that evidence has not been conclusively tested by scientific methods. Perhaps someday the concept will be considered mainline scientific knowledge, who knows? Until then it is an apt subject for discussion. Do you object to discussion?

@WilliamFleming "Appeal to authority"...a logical fallacy. Metaphysics- "An abstract theory with no basis in reality."
I do not oppose logical discussions, but I generally avoid discussions that amount to "how many angles can dance on the head of a pin". Therefore, I am out of here.

5

Ignorance is bliss...for the ignorant.

For the rest of us, it's a real pain in the ass...

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If it helps, a laissez-faire approach leaves you free of guilt. If you don't encourage stupid behavior, you are merely allowing natural selection to clean up the gene pool. As a bonus, there's a good chance you'll get free beer.

JimG Level 8 Feb 7, 2019
1

I’m a stupid person, so please accept my apology.

But are you "dangerously" stupid? 😉

@Benthoven Yes. Lots of people hurt or worse.

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