• Self professed insanity: a thought experiment.
    4.9k

    If you do a thought experiment about thinking, is it a real experiment?     — unenlightened

    Only if you take notes, make measurements and write it all up afterwards.
  • God Almost Certainly Exists
    Sure. No different than say, quantum mechanics, double-slits, and other observed phenomena... . — 3017amen

    Not really, there is a lot of data available for quantum weirdness....
  • God Almost Certainly Exists
    ↪A Seagull Do you have any opposing theories to anthropomorphic... ? — 3017amen

    It is one of the great mysteries of life.
  • Self professed insanity: a thought experiment.
    If he agrees with the patients beliefs about the concept of insanity is the patient insane? — Benj96

    The doctor should say: Congratulations, you are on the first rung of the ladder to sanity.
  • God Almost Certainly Exists
    So if the assumption that cause and effect holds universally is correct, we have the result that there must be a first cause and that the first cause itself must be uncaused. Causality appears to be a feature of time - everything in time appears to have a cause - so for something to be uncaused, it seems it would have to be external to time. — Devans99

    So it follows that there must be something beyond our universe that 'caused' it to come into existence. But what that is is entirely unknown. To ascribe it to some story of an anthropomorphic god is really quite childish and naïve.
  • 0.999... = 1
    It's just that i think about extremely trivial things, which is not a common trait. But the important things are already over thought so why not? — Metaphysician Undercover

    I think your problem lies with the distinction between pure and applied maths rather than a distinction between 1 and 1/9. 1, 1/9, -1/9 , 0.9, 0.999i are all numbers in the realm of pure maths.

    Then when you start applying them to pies you enter the realm of applied maths which is a different realm. 1 pie and 1/9 of pie take on meaning but not so much -1/9 pie or 0,99i pies.
  • Property and Community.
    But David's point was that everything belonged to the community initially — Pfhorrest

    And that is the point that I am disagreeing with. It is only valid in a communist or fantasy world. Not one that I inhabit.
  • Property and Community.
    In principle, all property is a theft from the community. — David Mo

    Then it follows that community ownership is theft from the individual. — A Seagull
    "Stealing" something from someone who stole it from you first isn't theft, it's justice.     — Pfhorrest

    So if you steal something from the community that stole it from you in the first place it is 'justice'?

    Or are you referring to some fantasy world?
  • Property and Community.
    In principle, all property is a theft from the community. — David Mo

    Then it follows that community ownership is theft from the individual.
  • Can we calculate whether any gods exist?
    The assertion that started all this was: One cannot get to "there are no gods" "there is at least one" or the likelihood of either...via logic.

    Syllogisms ARE a part of logic...and YOU raised logic.

    Are you suggesting that logic should play no part in a philosophical discussion?     — Frank Apisa

    Certainly logic is important but it needs to be rigorous. Syllogisms are not, IMO, logically rigorous.

    See earlier thread : https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/414510
  • Can we calculate whether any gods exist?
    Aside from the fact that what you "believe"should not enter the picture at this point...

    ...I would ask you now to prove that installing an idea into man by a god (NOT God, but a god) requires magic.

    Or...anyone here can take a shortcut to showing that I am dead wrong on this issue by simply coming up with a syllogistic P1 and P2 that leads to any of the following C's:

    1) Therefore there are no gods.

    2) Therefore there is at least one god.

    3) Therefore it is more likely that there are no gods than that there is at least one.

    4) Therefore it is more likely that there is at least one god than that there are none.

    I acknowledge that anyone doing that...would essentially be completely destroying my assertion.     — Frank Apisa

    You are making the implicit assumptions that 1. Beliefs are not a part of philosophy and 2. that syllogisms are.

    I disagree with both.
  • Can we calculate whether any gods exist?
    It might help to look at the history. 'God' or more specifically the concept of god was invented by man. No question. Hence only the concept of god exists. End of story. — A Seagull
    Okay...now prove that the concept of god was invented by man...rather than instilled in man by a god of some sort.     — Frank Apisa

    OK good point. My best answer would be along the lines that I don't believe in magic. And by 'magic' I mean something that defies logic, analysis and understanding. Instilling an idea into man by God requires magic. Man inventing the idea of God does not require magic.
  • Can we calculate whether any gods exist?
    ↪TheMadFool
    Frank Apisa

     All that matters here is to realize that theism/atheism aren't blind guesses as the list of arguments I provided shows. Agreed that each and every one of them is not perfect; nevertheless, their existence bespeaks a wish/desire/hope for evidence.

    It might help to look at the history. 'God' or more specifically the concept of god was invented by man. No question. Hence only the concept of god exists. End of story.
  • What is your description, understanding or definition of "Time"?
    the rate of which at any local point in space can be determined on a thermal spectrum from a state of solid stasis (absolute zero) to pure potential/potency (speed of light). — Benj96

    That still does not point to 'time'.
  • What is your description, understanding or definition of "Time"?
    ↪aletheist


    One test I use for definitions is: Does the definition point unambiguously to the word being defined?

    In your two definitions: "that diversity of existence whereby that which is existentially a subject is enabled to receive contrary determinations in existence" and "a certain general respect relative to different determinations of which states of things otherwise impossible may be realized." fail that test. I don't think that anyone presented with the definitions alone would think that they referred to 'time'.
  • Mental health under an illegitimate state
    I am referring to academic psychologists and clinical psychologists, both, of whom, cannot "do their work" without the state. I have already explained that they are selected because their beliefs conform to state policy. An illegitimate state will select for beliefs that help maintain an illegitimate state. — boethius

    You could say the same about academic philosophers.
  • What is your description, understanding or definition of "Time"?
    A Seagull attempts to set out an example and has this thrown back at him — Banno

    Dream on!
  • What is your description, understanding or definition of "Time"?
    Time is what a clock measures. — A Seagull
    Great. Now define clock and measurement without referring to time.

    I don't need to define 'clock' all I need to do is teach you how to make one.
    For 'measurement' read 'observe'.     — SophistiCat
  • Is this the meaning of life?
    the aim of the game is only to play the game, — wanderingmind

    Yes life is a game.
  • What is your description, understanding or definition of "Time"?
    ↪Benj96

    Time is what a clock measures.
  • Language is a game of two witnesses.
    ↪Benj96
    Words only have meaning in the context of communication.
  • Mental health under an illegitimate state
    We grow up given a mental structure, to toss it aside, or any foundational part of it, and build a new structure is the definition of a mental breakdown. — boethius

    I don't think that follows at all. Maybe it is a sign of sanity in a mad world.
  • Am I A Misanthrope or Something Else?
    It seems to be a matter of common decency and respect for others. Something that neither the laws of the land nor ethics has much to say about.

    It would seem that people just don't care or perhaps they just don't think. It is a problem of anonymity in a highly populated environment. I suspect in smaller communities where people knew each other this would be less of a problem.
  • Am I A Misanthrope or Something Else?
    ↪Aleric

    Have you seen the movie 'God Bless America'? If you haven't, I think you might like it.
    It offers a (somewhat unconventional) solution to the problem.
  • Information, Ghostly Apparitions And Dinosaurs
    ↪A Seagull Nope, Hawking fixed that with his eponymous radiation. — Pfhorrest

    The hawking radiation conjecture doesn't prove it.
  • The Blind-Spot of Empathy
    Therefore it's literally impossible to feel bad for a psychopath! — Wheatley

    I can feel bad for a psychopath. I think that they have a hard life.
  • Information, Ghostly Apparitions And Dinosaurs
    I recall reading that information can't be destroyed. — TheMadFool

    As I recall, information can be destroyed in a black hole.
  • Effect of Labels in the Media
    I do not live in USA and do not know what the guidelines are for the police in restraining a person. But in most civilised countries in the world it would be entirely unacceptable for a policeperson to kneel on a person's neck. If the person is in custody then the police have an obligation to care for the well being of that person. If a police person acts outside the police guidelines then they do so as an individual and are personally responsible for any damage they cause.
  • An Analysis of "On Certainty"
    Certainty is easy. The stupidest of people and the dumbest of animals can be certain of their beliefs.
    Doubt takes something more.
  • Why is public nudity such a taboo behavior, not only in the religious community but society as well?
    ↪wertwo

    I rather suspect that the machinations of democratic politics would be better effected if parliaments, congress etc were conducted in the nude.
    Would you agree?
  • What is Philosophy?
    ↪David Mo

    Fair enough. It is more of a philosophical synthesis from a mathematical foundation.
  • What is the difference between "doing" and "being"?
    ↪Benj96

    Doing is doing something; being is doing nothing.
  • What is Philosophy?
    ↪David Mo
    If you know of a book on philosophy written in this way I would like to know about it.
    Try 'The Pattern Paradigm'.
  • Philosophy trigger: Do I have a choice or was this always going to happen? Hehe.
    ↪Benj96

    Why would anyone care?
  • The Future of Philosophy Is Analytical Philosophy
    ↪Nuke


    And the conclusion is $=t? Time is money?
  • God given rights. Do you really have any?
    God — Gnostic Christian BishopWhat exactly for the purposes of your thinking, does that term mean, in such terms that another may know if their own understanding comports with yours, to the end of having a discussion that might mke some sense. — tim wood

    When people talk of god I tend to think of Father Christmas.

    Does this help?
  • What is certain in philosophy?
    It seems to be the general consensus is that what is certain in philosophy is only cogito ergo sum and some semblance of the existence of a real world.

    Does this mean that all the writings of Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Wittgenstein et al amount to nothing more than opinions and suggestions?
  • How to accept the unnaturalness of modern civilization?
    ↪A Seagull

    As a real world example, how do you think the apartheid would have played out with that mentality?     — JoeyB

    That is not a real world example. Apartheid had nothing to do with loathing.
  • Surreal Numbers. Eh?
    The finite number line is a fiction. It may be useful for some things, but to insist that it is somehow 'real' and try to make meaningful inferences from that is meaningless. — A Seagull
    I'll pass that on to my colleagues. What a bitter disappointment. :sad:     — jgill

    The truth doesn't have to be disappointing. For many it is exhilarating.
  • The Future of Philosophy Is Analytical Philosophy
    Well, as we all know, the analytical philosophy niche has been gaining more and more strength in the West, with its more rational, logical, and technical way of thinking, — Gus Lamarch

    I didn't know that.

    What does analytical philosophy analyse? Presumably it analyses normative values and beliefs that are just as likely to be 'false' as they are to be 'true'. So where does it go from there?
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