Banno - "It would be a mistake to think that the fall of 'Merica is the fall of humanity."

That is a good point. And I apologize for singling out America as the sole culprit. This lack of consideration for others is happening around the globe. I am curious as to what the members here make of the senseless behaviour of our fellow peoples. Why do we seem to have progressed so far only to have a microscopic virus bring out our most base traits. It saddens me to know that all who revel with such abandon have mothers, fathers, grandparents and children that they apparently are willing to sacrifice for a night out.

TheMadFool - For one thing, what Steve Leard speaks of, require a great deal of passion. The trouble is that we are not passionate about the right things. Nothing new here. It's been a problem for a while (last 20,000 years).

I was watching a scene outside of a well known pub in Key West on a public cam. It was like a vision of a bacchanalian hell. Hordes of people moving in and out of the place bumping each other, ranting like crazed apes and behaving as if they had not a care in the world. Not a mask in sight. I swear I could hear Nero whistling. It was then I realized how much trouble we were in.

If everything is the result of a complex interplay of randomness, how can any decision be truly rational? Do we make rational decisions, or is everything just arbitrary?

I think that it the ultimate goal of all life is to continue. This being the case, any decision made with that goal in mind has to be viewed as being rational.

And all the possible combinations in between those two extremes would also see the light of day in their own world.

Just spit balling here and its off topic i know. If there is a multiverse there would have to be an original "verse", as it were. And if this is true, going a step further, what if changes in the original verse is also the only dimension that can generate spin offs because it is imbued with the magic sauce that is required for this to happen. And could that sauce be the existence of quantum mechanics.

Even if you think in words though, do you hear it as a voice in your head?

That is amazing. I have discovered over the years that I can communicate through writing but when i open my mouth to speak there is a disconnect. The words are there but my mind won't release them. I have always wondered if this is a physiological or psychological issue.

Better, you can highlight the specific text you want to respond to

Thank you again.

"i want to order things in a certain way but what is waiing for me to do thamineYes ​think your words describe my reaction at the time better than mine

You descibe the experience much better than i do. It was and is curious about how this aptitude arrives in your conciousness every time you use it.

Thank you. You are kind.

Thank you to all who responded to my question.and suggested material to further my understanding. I do appreciate it.

"T Clark;513833"]Better yet, highlight the text you want to quote. A little black "quote" tag should show up[/quote]

Thank you. I do appreciate the help. This can be overwhelming for dinosaurs like me.

Thanks for the advice. I have never participated in this sort of thing before and that is compounded by the fact that i am virtually computer illiterate. I appreciate the help.

Point taken. Don't think i would want to snuggle up to a grizzly bear for a nap. But if the question has been settled it would have been settled based on parameters humans determined as being relevant. IMO that would be a rigged game. Unless we can communicate directly with a creature how could we know if they possess morality, imagination, reasoning based on logic and all the ephemera that humans have that make us worthy of life. I think maybe this is an issue best put on hold for the forseeable future. We have a hard enough time evaluating the worth of our own species.

Thanks for that T Clark.. First chuckle today and its been a long day.

I obviously dont have the background necessary to wrap my head around the concept of the many worlds idea and all it implies. Applying a black and white overview doesnt work. My thought was that maybe the theory could, if true, explain the existence of that slippery concept of "soul". Maybe as an ephereal connection between dimensions in order to facilitate states of being or nonbeing as it were.

So a death in this plane of existence would be analogous to removing a grain of sand from a mountain of sand? Theoretically speaking of course.

You guys crack me up. I wouldn't give away my tim hortons card.

No but you can have my tim hortons card. We won't need it. Awesome!!!! Judge Judy is coming on. Gotta go. Nice talkin to ya. Stay on the sunny side of the grass.

Thank you and i just thought of my next quandry to ponder. There is a school down the road a ways. The building has a 6 foot retainer wall around the north side. The wall has sections of slits in pairs at 10 foot intervals. I am going to run full tilt and throw myself at one of those pair of slits. If quantum mechanics is correct tomorrow i will be two of me. If that happens will i have to get another drivers license?

Schooled. Thx. Think i see the flaw in my argument. Phew. You have no idea how long i have been obsessing over this problem. Problem is now i won't know what to do tomorrow.

Oops. My bad. Just looked at some of the other threads here and realized i wasnt on reddit any more. All my protons are two places at once. Thought i felt something weird going on.

Ok. Just trying to wrap my wee brain around this. If i had knowledge of how wrong my actions were while committing the crime then i would be guilty of said crime and should be judged accordingly. If my actions are a result of decisions i made, and those decisions were formulated within my mind, then i am guilty. Would an injustice be created by prosecuting me when my brain has been altered and is no longer a cause of deviant thoughts but is essentially a mind born anew and without any conciousness of guilt or responsibility. The body is not the brain/mind/soul....or what have.

Gonna make me google it aintcha. Fine

I'm sorry. What is "mens rea".

I think my view on this matter was too shallow. I assumed that such an individual would have to be judged as two seperate entities. If the killer could be judged on his deeds before his accident why could he not be judged on his deeds after the accident as well. In other words this is actually two men in one life if you like. Justice for his victims and personal responsibility on behalf of the individual in question, regardless of his present mindset and state of humanity, did not enter into my thought process.

Good points.

I see. Thank you. Would the mind and soul of the one before and the one after not be, in essence, two seperate and distinct indivuals. The mind being the seat of the soul, as it were.