Search found 4548 matches

by Terrapin Station
Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:37 pm
Forum: Metaphysics
Topic: compatibilism
Replies: 4174
Views: 615542

Re: compatibilism

From my frame of mind, if the human brain is entirely in sync with the laws of matter, then there was never any possibility of this friend not choosing the abortion. So, for one, although it's frustrating that this aspect of the discussion never goes anywhere (I don't know if it simply doesn't regi...
by Terrapin Station
Thu Jan 27, 2022 3:20 pm
Forum: Metaphysics
Topic: compatibilism
Replies: 4174
Views: 615542

Re: compatibilism

From my frame of mind, if the human brain is entirely in sync with the laws of matter, then there was never any possibility of this friend not choosing the abortion. So, for one, although it's frustrating that this aspect of the discussion never goes anywhere (I don't know if it simply doesn't regi...
by Terrapin Station
Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:59 pm
Forum: Ethical Theory
Topic: Is morality objective or subjective?
Replies: 9041
Views: 719077

Re: Is morality objective or subjective?

There are too many different things to address in your post, so I'm just going to start with this first part, because it's kind of related to a lot of the other stuff to address We can observe and describe the electrochemical processes going on in the brain of someone seeing, talking or thinking abo...
by Terrapin Station
Wed Jan 26, 2022 10:58 pm
Forum: Ethical Theory
Topic: Is morality objective or subjective?
Replies: 9041
Views: 719077

Re: Is morality objective or subjective?

No. I'm saying that talk about the physical existence of a meaning - or any other so-called abstract thing - anywhere, inside or outside a brain - is conceptually incoherent. Just as is talk about the existence of mathematical objects. Do you think a mathematical object exists as a brain state? I d...
by Terrapin Station
Wed Jan 26, 2022 11:31 am
Forum: Ethical Theory
Topic: Is morality objective or subjective?
Replies: 9041
Views: 719077

Re: Is morality objective or subjective?

Your views are in a mess because you are grounding your claims based on an assumption of Philosophical Realism, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophical_realism which is grounded on a psychological impulse driven by an existential crisis. 'Exist' or existence is not a predicate. "Exist"...
by Terrapin Station
Tue Jan 25, 2022 9:26 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Real or Unreal as in actually existing as a Fact
Replies: 3
Views: 598

Re: Real or Unreal as in actually existing as a Fact

Dontaskme wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 2:57 pm . . . as an image already within that which can NEVER be seen or known, namely, the SEER . . .
Huh? I can't figure out what the heck that's saying.
by Terrapin Station
Tue Jan 25, 2022 8:53 pm
Forum: Ethical Theory
Topic: Is morality objective or subjective?
Replies: 9041
Views: 719077

Re: Is morality objective or subjective?

No, we've done all this many times already. A description of a real thing is a truth-claim, and a description is always contextual. But, as you say, existence is not a predicate; a thing either does or doesn't exist. So the existence of a thing is not 'conditioned' or dependent on a descriptive con...
by Terrapin Station
Tue Jan 25, 2022 5:26 pm
Forum: Ethical Theory
Topic: Is morality objective or subjective?
Replies: 9041
Views: 719077

Re: Is morality objective or subjective?

Do you understand equivocation? Using a word in two or more different ways? If you do, you can see why your question is incoherent, as I explained with the example of mathematical objects. The premise 'if there are mathematical objects, then mathematical objects exist' is a conceptual mess, given a...
by Terrapin Station
Tue Jan 25, 2022 12:45 am
Forum: Metaphysics
Topic: compatibilism
Replies: 4174
Views: 615542

Re: compatibilism

"even though he is not forced by some circumstances outside of him to act as he does" --Then determinism isn't the case and we don't have compatibilism after all. Of course, we'd need to explain on this view why decisions are "determined" by internal states but internal states ar...
by Terrapin Station
Mon Jan 24, 2022 6:01 pm
Forum: Ethical Theory
Topic: Is morality objective or subjective?
Replies: 9041
Views: 719077

Re: Is morality objective or subjective?

Peter Holmes, Consciousness doesn't 'create in the outer world' so it doesn't create 'objective reality'. Unless, of course, you have evidence for this claim. Features of reality (facts) just exist. And we (conscious beings) can know them and say true things about them. And that's what what we call...
by Terrapin Station
Mon Jan 24, 2022 4:58 pm
Forum: Ethical Theory
Topic: Is morality objective or subjective?
Replies: 9041
Views: 719077

Re: Is morality objective or subjective?

Do you think mathematical objects, such as numbers, exist? Are you a Platonist? Mathematical language exists, of course. But what and where is the number one? Claim: 'we say that things such as sentences can have meanings; therefore meanings exist.' Okay. Does the meaning of a sentence exist in the...
by Terrapin Station
Mon Jan 24, 2022 3:27 pm
Forum: Ethical Theory
Topic: Is morality objective or subjective?
Replies: 9041
Views: 719077

Re: Is morality objective or subjective?

I thought I'd posted a reply to this, but I can't find it. So sorry if this is repetition. As a physicalist, I believe that only physical things exist, and that to say non-physical things exist is to equivocate. If you think things such as truth, knowledge, meaning, intention, identity, justice, an...
by Terrapin Station
Sun Jan 23, 2022 3:46 pm
Forum: Philosophy of Religion
Topic: Agnostic Again
Replies: 49
Views: 3960

Re: Agnostic Again

Agnostic Again What do you mean "Agnostic Again" - EVERYONE is agnostic, unless they know for certain that God exists or for certain that God does not exist. So right now I assume you are agnostic atheist. Hence I'm an atheist. Not the slightest doubt here. I'm as prone to thinking that t...
by Terrapin Station
Sat Jan 22, 2022 10:23 pm
Forum: Ethical Theory
Topic: Is morality objective or subjective?
Replies: 9041
Views: 719077

Re: Is morality objective or subjective?

I'm obviously not saying that at all. Think about it. What evidence is there for the existence of an abstract thing that is a meaning? For example, what and where is a meaning? Saying it's a mental phenomenon explains precisely nothing. if there are meanings, if there is knowledge, etc. then those ...
by Terrapin Station
Sat Jan 22, 2022 2:19 pm
Forum: Ethical Theory
Topic: Is morality objective or subjective?
Replies: 9041
Views: 719077

Re: Is morality objective or subjective?

What I'm saying is that, pending evidence for the existence of so-called abstract things - such as meaning, truth, knowledge, and so on - if you wind up arguing that words, symbols, etc. do not have meanings, that there is no knowledge, etc., then you should realize you've royally f---ed up somewhe...