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Search found 136 matches

by Occam
June 30th, 2012, 9:45 pm
Forum: Social Club
Topic: Big bang theory (on TV that is)
Replies: 30
Views: 10815

Re: Big bang theory (on TV that is)

I love that show, and I recommended it to my daughter. She watched it and disliked it. She said she didn't like the negative idea of people putting down those with Asburger's (sp?) syndrome which she felt Sheldon's character had. She also sent me a subscription to Netflix with a whole series of pres...
by Occam
September 28th, 2009, 12:38 am
Forum: Social Club
Topic: The Pedant
Replies: 222
Views: 39179

Re: The Pedant

Quoting Hundovir: "All of the above, plus my mother and brother telling their dogs to "lay down". Lay what down, I always wonder." Possibly they were suggesting that their dogs pad their beds with the feathers of immature ducks and geese. :smile: One word misuse that annoys me is podium for lectern....
by Occam
August 22nd, 2009, 11:46 pm
Forum: Comedy Club
Topic: Just a Joke
Replies: 802
Views: 177520

Re: Just a Joke

Gee, I expected the spoiler to be, "A younger boy."

Occam
by Occam
August 9th, 2008, 1:30 am
Forum: Social Club
Topic: Room 101
Replies: 118
Views: 32985

Re: Room 101

The so-called "reality" shows are worse than game shows. I especially hate them, because even tuning past them for a few seconds they are almost invariably working out completely unethical, devious ways of competing with and harming each other. And this is encouraged by the structure of the shows. I...
by Occam
August 5th, 2008, 10:05 pm
Forum: Religion
Topic: Evidence that Moses didn't exist?
Replies: 12
Views: 3472

Re: Evidence that Moses didn't exist?

In reference to "You can't prove a negative", Alan was correct. It is the responsibility of the person stating a claim to prove it. For example, "Of course, there's a god. Prove to me that there isn't" is an incorrect request. In some cases, one can disprove someone else's statement, and that may be...
by Occam
August 2nd, 2008, 11:47 pm
Forum: Sciences and pseudo-science
Topic: Will Time Travel Ever Be Possible?
Replies: 31
Views: 5054

Re: Will Time Travel Ever Be Possible?

Just mentally conceptualize the universe in the three physical dimensions then consider the universe from the beginning, up to the present and all the way into the future, and add that to the three physical dimensions. That should have been easy, right? If it wasn't, try it again after a few pints. ...
by Occam
August 2nd, 2008, 1:43 am
Forum: Sciences and pseudo-science
Topic: Will Time Travel Ever Be Possible?
Replies: 31
Views: 5054

Re: Will Time Travel Ever Be Possible?

I believe it has already been done with sub-atomic particles, and for only micro-seconds. However, present technology indicates that it's not possible for macro-particles. But then, every scientific advance was impossible until a way to do it was discovered. I would say, extremely unlikely within ou...
by Occam
August 2nd, 2008, 1:35 am
Forum: Humanist Ethics & Morality
Topic: Abortion
Replies: 62
Views: 10720

Re: Abortion

Lilac raises an interesting point. It seems that her motivation is to really assist mothers, however, it's apparent that the real motivation of the groups she describes are mainly to push their Christian beliefs and only as a distant second is their motivation to help the mothers and infants. Rather...
by Occam
August 2nd, 2008, 1:30 am
Forum: Sciences and pseudo-science
Topic: Should parents have the right to refuse vaccinations...
Replies: 310
Views: 89065

Re: Should parents have the right to refuse...

While I believe in immunizations, have had them myself, and had my daughter given immunizing shots, I think it should be the parents' choice. Either those a) who believe in them are correct or b) those against them are correct. The consequences are that if a) is the case, some of the non-immunized c...
by Occam
August 1st, 2008, 1:23 am
Forum: Religion
Topic: Religious symbols in schools etc.
Replies: 65
Views: 9370

Re: Religious symbols in schools etc.

Although it's more subtle, wearing any religious accoutrement is an advertisement, a bit of missionary work. I believe that anyone can wear whatever they want outside a learning environment (and possibly some others), but that these, any clothing that signifies a particular religion, crosses, stars ...
by Occam
July 29th, 2008, 6:12 pm
Forum: Culture Club
Topic: Films
Replies: 231
Views: 48136

Re: Films

If you are expecting any good films from the U.S., don't hold your breath. My wife and I try to go out to lunch and a movie twice a month. We can usually find at least one in the approximately forty theaters within easy driving range but not so recently. There's nothing but the stupid super-hero mov...
by Occam
July 26th, 2008, 11:26 pm
Forum: Humanist Ethics & Morality
Topic: The Golden Rule is bunk?
Replies: 15
Views: 3588

Re: The Golden Rule is bunk?

The one by (I believe) Rabbi Hillel was the second posted: Do unto other as they would have them do to you. Well, I screwed that up, didn't I. The correct version is: Do unto others as they would have you do unto them. Just goes to show that I should read what I wrote before posting. Either that or...
by Occam
July 26th, 2008, 11:20 pm
Forum: Humanist Ethics & Morality
Topic: Difference between ethics and morality?
Replies: 35
Views: 11674

Re: Difference between ethics and morality?

I see ethics as the principles that are absolute (in a relative way), and morals as the description of acceptable behavior. Unfortunately, many people (especially the religious) want to define morals for all others as well as themselves. I think this is what gives much of the morals topic a bad name...
by Occam
July 26th, 2008, 11:13 pm
Forum: Religion
Topic: Intelligent people 'less likely to believe in God'
Replies: 16
Views: 3681

Re: Intelligent people 'less likely to believe in God'

I think it's not that simple. Yes, the more intelligent one is, the easier it is to reason, and to recognize logical errors and unjustified beliefs. That accounts for the more intelligent being more likely to reason through the god concept and reject it. However, many years ago I took some psycholog...
by Occam
July 19th, 2008, 7:12 am
Forum: Comedy Club
Topic: Fundamental christian.
Replies: 1
Views: 1893

Re: Fundamental christian.

Very nice, and how true.

Occam
by Occam
July 19th, 2008, 3:11 am
Forum: Humanism, secularism, freethought...
Topic: Does Humanism = Left Wing?
Replies: 10
Views: 4102

Re: Does Humanism = Left Wing?

I very carefully avoided talking about political parties or even social organizations. And since I'm in the U.S., I quite definitely wouldn't be trying to match my description of the spectrum to the British parties. Yet, some of you attacked the description within that framework. Possibly, my use of...
by Occam
July 19th, 2008, 2:53 am
Forum: Comedy Club
Topic: Elves
Replies: 10
Views: 3806

Re: Elves

Horrors! How could I have made such an error? I assure you that it wasn't a sign of disrespect, but rather a simple slip of the keyboard. I happened, purely by coincidence, to have typed the eighteen characters that caused it to be posted in the comedy section rather than in the religion section Ple...
by Occam
July 17th, 2008, 4:40 am
Forum: Sciences and pseudo-science
Topic: Here Be Dragons - An Introduction To Critical Thinking
Replies: 6
Views: 4503

Re: Here Be Dragons - An Introduction To Critical Thinking

Interesting that they'd go toward yellow. The flypapers were a light brownish orange, but they worked. By the way,over the years I've put together a list of about seventy Critical Thinking Myths along with an example for each. It's probably too long to post here, but if anyone is interested I could ...
by Occam
July 17th, 2008, 4:29 am
Forum: Humanism, secularism, freethought...
Topic: Humanism and Theism
Replies: 8
Views: 1837

Re: Humanism and Theism

Maria, it's unfortunate that you couldn't have spent more time talking with the woman who was a Catholic and wanted to become a celebrant. It might have been worthwhile to let her go through the training. She may have been able to discard or at least minimize her Christian beliefs.

Occam
by Occam
July 17th, 2008, 4:23 am
Forum: Humanism, secularism, freethought...
Topic: Does Humanism = Left Wing?
Replies: 10
Views: 4102

Re: Does Humanism = Left Wing?

As I see it, those on the right are strongly in favor of self-reliance, economic survival of the fittest, competition, and keeping whatever one can acquire. Those on the left are in favor of cooperation, supporting the disabled, elderly, those in financial or other straits, all contributing to the g...