Here is what bothers me. I am a medical professional, and my colleagues are medical professionals. It is amazing that my co-workers can exhibit the type of logic necessary to save and/or maintain the safety of human life, yet value the ideas of Trump daily. It's almost like when discussing politics they warp in time and lose all sense of reality.

Trump's presidency is proof that my fellow U.S. American citizens are very stupid. We elected a stupid racist, homophobic, sexist idiot.

As a baby boomer, I would suggest that our primary crime was that we knew better about many things, such as the environment, war, the bomb, consumerism — Jake

Interesting how racism never made that list.

A software engineer can provide millions of people whilst a nurse provides a handful. — I like sushi

You're kidding right? As a person that works in the emergency department this is false.

The privileged are blind to their own privilege. — Banno

"When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression."-Clay Shirky

What annoys me is my girlfriend of only three months broke up with me.

Her reason?

She states we argued a lot.

I counted three arguments in a span of three months. All petty and majority of it was due to the fact that I don't agree with her advice on the issues pertaining to my family problems. Another time was that she complained that there was no mirror in the hotel suite I was renting (talk about being somewhat self absorbed). She was 26 to my 36. As easy it was for her for me to have sexual intercourse, it was easy for her to lose feeling quick,....

This sums up my mood I guess

For the record I want to thank everyone for participating. I really enjoyed reading some of your replies. It is refreshing to see some enlightened minds here.

Indeed

Actually science is naturally agnostic

1. The pervailing idea that billionaires are rich because they know more or are smarter — Benkei

What about winning the lottery or are you specifically referring to moguls like Jeff Bezos?

So facial recognition is important in the way we interact...the inability to easily recognise someone, or get a gestalt from looking at them, I think can lead to people feeling alienated, and disconnected from society..it can lead to paranoia, fear, and then hatred..

This I think is one of the reasons for why racist behaviour arises in society; not the only reason, but an important one. — wax

But that is a weak argument concerning the existence of racism however, because as many scientist have stated, it's (racism) a social construct. Was James Watson correct when he premised the idea that different races of humans exist and that their inborn (genetic) qualities determine their intelligence and ability to create and sustain great civilizations? Watson stated that there are some dogs more intelligent than "negroes" was he right? That to me isn't neolithic tribal thinking, that to me is a learned idea founded by him living in a segregated society that had a certain mentality and a way of thinking not based on reality.

I apologize to everyone if I wasn't clearly definitive of the term

Sorry didn't realize people needed a definition of racism.

Well I know for one thing it sounds nightmarish regardless whether the person is tech savvy or not. The idea of being in a room with no windows or no external indicators that time is passing would be psychologically devastating. They do this now for enemy combatants.

I get that but to put it in context, can you demonstrate here that the expression of racism is a category error? Can you give me an example in context please?

Ok, so why is the expression of racism a category error?

What do you mean by category error

There are a few problems with this scenario.

You said:

Imagine that one day a person wakes up in an unknown room with no windows.

After a few days he is informed that he has been kidnapped and is being held infinitely. — wax

The problem is psychologically how can any individual can tell the passage of time knowing minutes to hours, to days when there are no indicators that can mentally help the individual?

You also said:

He is given access to the internet, and the access is routed through the internet in such a way as to make any contact with anyone in the outside world, non-traceable.

There are things that could be done to sidestep this routing process. He could contact someone in the outside world, and then download some software that could access the computers real ISP number and send it back through the internet to the outside contact, but this process has been thought of by the kidnapper, and the ability to download software will have been disabled. — wax

This is assuming that the person is tech savvy not to mention you'd have to understand the current panic of the individual. Imagine a non-tech savvy person given the internet and not knowing how to work it?

It's a good start in grabbing the person but it have to be formed a little bit more realistic. Not trying to burst your bubble but it's a good start.

The question is not for myself as I made this perfectly clear in the beginning.

Why wouldn't you say it's unethical?

Ok well that was a bit more than what I read then....

Well the title itself:

"Which type of model of god doesn't have the god having his/her own needs?"

Followed by

"If a conscious entity doesn't have any needs, then why would they do anything?"

So my thing is what makes the OP think consciousness necessitates a need (or lack thereof)? At what basis is the OP basing his/her claim given the title of the thread?

Studying the history of human development in various countries does give us insight into the evolution of traditions and practices, and yes a lot of so-called mythologies arise out of folklore from these traditions. However, I caution anyone to assume that traditions spiritual in nature are just merely an idea of the mind and are subsequently false, and that the safe bet would be to stand neutral. Regardless of your stance, if you were to look at these traditions all the way to the beginning "something" had to occur in order to give rise to these practices in the human mind.

What makes you think consciousness necessitates need?

I disagree. Although life (whatever that means 5 billion years later) will cease perhaps humanity will be well advanced enough to continue beyond our system. If and when we continue and move on to other planetary systems our history as a species will continue through others. You may think you yourself and your DNA are insignificant now and most certainly when compared to this galaxy you are (as an individual) are insignificant. But just imagine that your genetic lineage spins an interconnected web that leads to a generation of leaders and intergalactic pioneers. However this is speculation.

Is life meaningless?

No. Truly, if it was I'd commit suicide long ago. Somehow we exist and continue despite the stressors we endure in our society and we have yet to off ourselves because we find ourselves here, and now discussing this exact question on this forum.