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JEROME DA GNOME
BANNED
2418 Posts |
 Posted - 07/01/2007 : 21:23:38
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Answers or comments.
http://tinyurl.com/2wkzyy
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What a man believes upon grossly insufficient evidence is an index into his desires -- desires of which he himself is often unconscious. If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way. - Bertrand Russell |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13481 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2007 : 07:27:50 [Permalink]
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On the video people gave their personal philosophies that they try to live by. I didn't hear anyone able to articulate a personal meaning of life.
So a better question might be “what is it that gives your life meaning to you.”
But I will tackle the meaning of life question as it was asked.
My view is that life has no meaning beyond helping to guarantee, at least for a little while longer, the survival of the species I was born to, which I have already done. (It could be argued that what I did was counter productive to our survival given the problems with over population. But even so, we do have to get to another generation and someone has to do it, so why not me?)
What Keeps Mankind Alive?
(Wiell and Brecht 1928)
You gentlemen who think you have a mission
To purge us of the seven deadly sins
Should first sort out the basic food position
Then start your preaching, thats where it begins
You lot, who preach restraint and watch your waist as well
Should learn for all time how the world is run
However much you twist, whatever lies you tell
Food is the first thing, morals follow on
So first make sure that those, who now are starving
Get proper helpings, when we all start carving
What keeps mankind alive, the fact that millions
Are daily tortured, stifled, punished, silenced, oppressed
Mankind can keep alive, thanks to its brilliance
At keeping its humanity repressed
For once, you must not try to shirk the facts:
Mankind is kept alive by bestial acts.
You say the girls may strip with your permission (whoa!)
You draw the line dividing art from sin
So first sort out the basic food position
Then start your preaching, thats where it begins
You lot, who bank on your desires and our disgust
Should learn for all time how the world is run
Whatever lies you tell, however much you twist
Food is the first thing, morals follow on
So first make sure that those, who now are starving
Get proper helpings, when we all start carving
What keeps mankind alive, the fact that millions
Are daily tortured, stifled, punished, silenced, oppressed
Mankind can keep alive, thanks to its brilliance
At keeping its humanity repressed
For once, you must not try to shirk the facts
Mankind is kept alive by bestial acts |
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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JEROME DA GNOME
BANNED
2418 Posts |
 Posted - 07/03/2007 : 21:12:08 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Kil
On the video people gave their personal philosophies that they try to live by. I didn't hear anyone able to articulate a personal meaning of life.
So a better question might be “what is it that gives your life meaning to you.”
But I will tackle the meaning of life question as it was asked.
My view is that life has no meaning beyond helping to guarantee, at least for a little while longer, the survival of the species I was born to, which I have already done. (It could be argued that what I did was counter productive to our survival given the problems with over population. But even so, we do have to get to another generation and someone has to do it, so why not me?)
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To answer your question: To serve God (this, in my case, implies not serving man)
Thanks for the poem. What does the poem mean to you?
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What a man believes upon grossly insufficient evidence is an index into his desires -- desires of which he himself is often unconscious. If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way. - Bertrand Russell |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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JEROME DA GNOME
BANNED
2418 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2007 : 22:07:25 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Ricky
Thanks for the poem. What does the poem mean to you? |
I feel like I should be on a couch laying down.
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 , funny response!
What are your thoughts on the video or your answer to the question?
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What a man believes upon grossly insufficient evidence is an index into his desires -- desires of which he himself is often unconscious. If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way. - Bertrand Russell |
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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2007 : 09:46:29 [Permalink]
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| The meaning of life, to me, is 42. |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 07/04/2007 : 10:26:48 [Permalink]
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"Faster horses, older whiskey, younger women, more money...."
Life means whatever you want it to mean; anything or nothing.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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JEROME DA GNOME
BANNED
2418 Posts |
 Posted - 07/04/2007 : 10:37:05 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Siberia
The meaning of life, to me, is 42.
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Good answer!
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What a man believes upon grossly insufficient evidence is an index into his desires -- desires of which he himself is often unconscious. If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way. - Bertrand Russell |
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JEROME DA GNOME
BANNED
2418 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2007 : 10:39:00 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by filthy
"Faster horses, older whiskey, younger women, more money...."
Life means whatever you want it to mean; anything or nothing.
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I like the quote.
Is this not a self centered life?
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What a man believes upon grossly insufficient evidence is an index into his desires -- desires of which he himself is often unconscious. If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way. - Bertrand Russell |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2007 : 12:11:35 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by JEROME DA GNOME
Originally posted by filthy
"Faster horses, older whiskey, younger women, more money...."
Life means whatever you want it to mean; anything or nothing.
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I like the quote.
Is this not a self centered life?
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In the final anyalsis, are not they all?
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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JEROME DA GNOME
BANNED
2418 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2007 : 12:26:09 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by filthy
Originally posted by JEROME DA GNOME
Originally posted by filthy
"Faster horses, older whiskey, younger women, more money...."
Life means whatever you want it to mean; anything or nothing.
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I like the quote.
Is this not a self centered life?
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In the final anyalsis, are not they all?
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I would argue no, they are not all self centered. Did MLK live for himself, Gandi? I do not think so. Their meaning of life seemed to be the service of others.
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What a man believes upon grossly insufficient evidence is an index into his desires -- desires of which he himself is often unconscious. If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way. - Bertrand Russell |
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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2007 : 14:09:24 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by JEROME DA GNOME
Originally posted by filthy
Originally posted by JEROME DA GNOME
Originally posted by filthy
"Faster horses, older whiskey, younger women, more money...."
Life means whatever you want it to mean; anything or nothing.
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I like the quote.
Is this not a self centered life?
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In the final anyalsis, are not they all?
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I would argue no, they are not all self centered. Did MLK live for himself, Gandi? I do not think so. Their meaning of life seemed to be the service of others.
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Maybe because it made them feel good. Maybe because they liked that feeling, that 'living for others', as you say, gave them. So, if it was such a thing, then it was only part of the selfish desire of feeling good with themselves... |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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JEROME DA GNOME
BANNED
2418 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2007 : 15:12:53 [Permalink]
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Siberia said :
| Maybe because it made them feel good. Maybe because they liked that feeling, that 'living for others', as you say, gave them. So, if it was such a thing, then it was only part of the selfish desire of feeling good with themselves... |
Do you have a reason to believe that the human condition in itself is selfish?
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What a man believes upon grossly insufficient evidence is an index into his desires -- desires of which he himself is often unconscious. If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way. - Bertrand Russell |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2007 : 15:35:26 [Permalink]
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The main purpose of being alive is to contribute to the gene pool of the species. All else is secondary.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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moakley
SFN Regular
USA
1888 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2007 : 18:19:06 [Permalink]
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In regard to the question to do good. I am approaching 100 times giving blood. I imagine/hope that these anonymous gifts may have saved a life or two.
Originally posted by JEROME DA GNOME
Siberia said :
| Maybe because it made them feel good. Maybe because they liked that feeling, that 'living for others', as you say, gave them. So, if it was such a thing, then it was only part of the selfish desire of feeling good with themselves... |
Do you have a reason to believe that the human condition in itself is selfish?
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In a previous post by you.
To answer your question: To serve God (this, in my case, implies not serving man)
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Do you have any reason for us to believe that you serve God without the hope or expectation of reward. Everlasting life. Isn't that rather selfish of you? To do good with the expectation of a much greater reward. |
Life is good
Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned. -Anonymous |
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JEROME DA GNOME
BANNED
2418 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2007 : 18:47:37 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by filthy
The main purpose of being alive is to contribute to the gene pool of the species. All else is secondary.
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Does that mean impregnating as many women as possible if you are a man?
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What a man believes upon grossly insufficient evidence is an index into his desires -- desires of which he himself is often unconscious. If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way. - Bertrand Russell |
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"What is your personal meaning of life?"
