What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Discussion of articles that appear in the magazine.

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Dontaskme
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by Dontaskme »

Harbal wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 4:44 pm
Dontaskme wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 4:40 pm Seriously, you really need to lose your face.
That would depend on what I had to replace it with.
Why would you replace what you already are? don't you like yourself?
Have you ever seen your own face?
Harbal wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 4:44 pmYes, all too often.
Where is it then? show it to yourself, not to me, but show it to yourself and see if you can see it, if you can see it, then show me the evidence for it?

.
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Hobbes' Choice
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by Hobbes' Choice »

Dontaskme wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:07 pm
Harbal wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 4:44 pm
Dontaskme wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 4:40 pm Seriously, you really need to lose your face.
That would depend on what I had to replace it with.
Why would you replace what you already are? don't you like yourself?
Have you ever seen your own face?
Harbal wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 4:44 pmYes, all too often.
Where is it then? show it to yourself, not to me, but show it to yourself and see if you can see it, if you can see it, then show me the evidence for it?

.
Harbal is a faceless individual.
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Immanuel Can
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by Immanuel Can »

Hobbes' Choice wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 4:58 pm Bias is your opinion, without it you have no opinion at all.
Not true.

Bias means "prejudice" in a particular direction, i.e. "judging without adequate evidence, before the matter can be known." It is not the case that all opinions are mere prejudice. To imagine that would be to imply there's no difference between warranted judgments and unwarranted ones. There may be those whose "opinion" is never more than "bias"; but if so, these are disingenuous people, not reasonable people.
...there is such a thing as a perfectly balanced view...
Nobody who knows anything about epistemology thinks that "perfectly" is attainable outside of a closed system like maths. But it does not follow that if a thing cannot be done "perfectly" it cannot be done "adequately," "fairly," "justly," or "well." One must weigh the "opinion" based on the warrant offered for it.

Meanwhile "balanced" is not a virtue, unless we already know that the issue in question is resolved accurately by balance, not by judgment in favour of one side or another. So we need a balanced" view of how much medicine to give a sick person...proper dosage already being known to be a matter of "balance." But we don't need a "balanced" view of whether or not to smoke while pumping petrol. That's an all-or-nothing question. So the middle is not always the right place.

In short, "bias" is not a necessary feature of belief, nor a reason to disbelieve in any possibility of fair judgments; and the absence of "balance" tells us nothing in some questions.
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Harbal
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by Harbal »

Hobbes' Choice wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:14 pm
Harbal is a faceless individual.
That's rich coming from a silhouette.
surreptitious57
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by surreptitious57 »

One can be unbiased with regard to facts because they are objectively true so not dependent on subjective interpretation
One can also be unbiased just by not having an opinion about something so it is possible for human beings not to be biased
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Hobbes' Choice
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by Hobbes' Choice »

Immanuel Can wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:16 pm
Hobbes' Choice wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 4:58 pm Bias is your opinion, without it you have no opinion at all.
Not true.

Bias means "prejudice" in a particular direction, i.e. "judging without adequate evidence, before the matter can be known." It is not the case that all opinions are mere prejudice. To imagine that would be to imply there's no difference between warranted judgments and unwarranted ones. There may be those whose "opinion" is never more than "bias"; but if so, these are disingenuous people, not reasonable people.
...there is such a thing as a perfectly balanced view...
Nobody who knows anything about epistemology thinks that "perfectly" is attainable outside of a closed system like maths. But it does not follow that if a thing cannot be done "perfectly" it cannot be done "adequately," "fairly," "justly," or "well." One must weigh the "opinion" based on the warrant offered for it.

Meanwhile "balanced" is not a virtue, unless we already know that the issue in question is resolved accurately by balance, not by judgment in favour of one side or another. So we need a balanced" view of how much medicine to give a sick person...proper dosage already being known to be a matter of "balance." But we don't need a "balanced" view of whether or not to smoke while pumping petrol. That's an all-or-nothing question. So the middle is not always the right place.

In short, "bias" is not a necessary feature of belief, nor a reason to disbelieve in any possibility of fair judgments; and the absence of "balance" tells us nothing in some questions.
Immy Can is exactly the sort of idiot who thinks his opinion is perfectly balanced when I said "the 'balanced view' tends to be simply the bias of the observer who declares the other person as extreme or offering an unbalanced view."
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Hobbes' Choice
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by Hobbes' Choice »

surreptitious57 wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:21 pm One can be unbiased with regard to facts because they are objectively true so not dependent on subjective interpretation
One can also be unbiased just by not having an opinion about something so it is possible for human beings not to be biased
In the rare cases in which opinion is of no interest where we are talking about simple matter of fact the notion of bias does not even enter the discussion.
But for the most part - and just about every thing here we talk about one's bias is just your opinion and there is rarely any discussion that can be boiled down to a simple fact.
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by Eodnhoj7 »

Hobbes' Choice wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:45 pm
surreptitious57 wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:21 pm One can be unbiased with regard to facts because they are objectively true so not dependent on subjective interpretation
One can also be unbiased just by not having an opinion about something so it is possible for human beings not to be biased
In the rare cases in which opinion is of no interest where we are talking about simple matter of fact the notion of bias does not even enter the discussion.
But for the most part - and just about every thing here we talk about one's bias is just your opinion and there is rarely any discussion that can be boiled down to a simple fact.
If, according to you, all opinion is bias then by default everything you state is bias. If that is the case, and being bias is bad, then why should anyone listen to you?
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Dontaskme
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by Dontaskme »

Harbal wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:20 pm
Hobbes' Choice wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:14 pm
Harbal is a faceless individual.
That's rich coming from a silhouette.
Harbal, don't forget, I asked you to show yourself where your face is, and then show us once you find it...where is your face that you say you have seen often, where is it?

Don't say you've seen it without showing the evidence for it, where is the concrete evidence?

.
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Harbal
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by Harbal »

Dontaskme wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:10 pm
Harbal, don't forget, I asked you to show yourself where your face is,
When I was young I didn't appreciate my face, I didn't even like it very much. But now, I would give my right arm to have that face back, although before long I would probably feel the same way about my right arm. The truth is I can no longer face my face, I have let it down badly and now it is taking its revenge. It taunts me from the mirror when I comb my hair -so does my hair, for that matter- and I am filled with remorse. So no, I won't show myself where my face is, we have become estranged.
where is your face that you say you have seen often, where is it?
It persists in occupying the most visible part of my body, damn it.
Don't say you've seen it without showing the evidence for it, where is the concrete evidence?
Why would I want to provide evidence? Proving its existence is the last thing I want to do.
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vegetariantaxidermy
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by vegetariantaxidermy »

Hobbes' Choice wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:45 pm
surreptitious57 wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:21 pm One can be unbiased with regard to facts because they are objectively true so not dependent on subjective interpretation
One can also be unbiased just by not having an opinion about something so it is possible for human beings not to be biased
In the rare cases in which opinion is of no interest where we are talking about simple matter of fact the notion of bias does not even enter the discussion.
But for the most part - and just about every thing here we talk about one's bias is just your opinion and there is rarely any discussion that can be boiled down to a simple fact.
But there are levels of bias. Not all 'bias' is created equal. Is it 'biased' to require facts and evidence?
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Hobbes' Choice
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by Hobbes' Choice »

Eodnhoj7 wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:03 pm
Hobbes' Choice wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:45 pm
surreptitious57 wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:21 pm One can be unbiased with regard to facts because they are objectively true so not dependent on subjective interpretation
One can also be unbiased just by not having an opinion about something so it is possible for human beings not to be biased
In the rare cases in which opinion is of no interest where we are talking about simple matter of fact the notion of bias does not even enter the discussion.
But for the most part - and just about every thing here we talk about one's bias is just your opinion and there is rarely any discussion that can be boiled down to a simple fact.
If, according to you, all opinion is bias then by default everything you state is bias. If that is the case, and being bias is bad, then why should anyone listen to you?
Who said bias is bad?
You can listen to me since some of what I say is factual and my bias is based on my life experience. You might think the two things together sometimes represent a valuable contribution to the discussion.
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Hobbes' Choice
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by Hobbes' Choice »

vegetariantaxidermy wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 8:43 pm
Hobbes' Choice wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:45 pm
surreptitious57 wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:21 pm One can be unbiased with regard to facts because they are objectively true so not dependent on subjective interpretation
One can also be unbiased just by not having an opinion about something so it is possible for human beings not to be biased
In the rare cases in which opinion is of no interest where we are talking about simple matter of fact the notion of bias does not even enter the discussion.
But for the most part - and just about every thing here we talk about one's bias is just your opinion and there is rarely any discussion that can be boiled down to a simple fact.
But there are levels of bias. Not all 'bias' is created equal. Is it 'biased' to require facts and evidence?
No but as I said matters of fact are not the same as bias and opinion.
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SpheresOfBalance
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by SpheresOfBalance »

Immanuel Can wrote: Mon Sep 25, 2017 3:11 pm
SpheresOfBalance wrote: Mon Sep 25, 2017 10:23 am
if we're Atheists? Nobody's ever been able to give me a reason. Maybe you can.
You're not paying attention, the answer is "reciprocity."
Non-answer. You forgot the follow-up question.
No I didn't, you're just unable to see how it applies.


Why is any Atheist morally obligated to reciprocate anything?
moral [mawr-uh l, mor-]
adjective
1. of, relating to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical: moral attitudes.
2. expressing or conveying truths or counsel as to right conduct, as a speaker or a literary work.
3. founded on the fundamental principles of right conduct rather than on legalities, enactment, or custom: moral obligations.
4. capable of conforming to the rules of right conduct: a moral being.
5. conforming to the rules of right conduct (opposed to immoral): a moral man.
6. virtuous in sexual matters; chaste.
7. of, relating to, or acting on the mind, feelings, will, or character: moral support.
8. resting upon convincing grounds of probability; virtual: a moral certainty.
noun
9. the moral teaching or practical lesson contained in a fable, tale, experience, etc.
10. the embodiment or type of something.
11. morals, principles or habits with respect to right or wrong conduct.


The answer is Reciprocity!

Tell me, where do you think morals/principles/rules have come from? I mean to ask what's at their root?

As an example:

Q: Why was it written that, "thou shalt not kill" or "thou shalt not steal?"

A: Because 'no one' want's either their stuff stolen or themselves killed.

One can only expect to get what they give. RECIPROCITY! The (GR)


We're not talking of enforcement here, as no set of rules/morals/principles can 'ensure' they're certainly followed. They're only set in place as a just social axiom.

Tell me, is it that you're ignorant of the human race and it's history, or you're just a liar? I guess you could be stupid, but as to that, I've been giving you the benefit of doubt, do you deserve it?
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Dontaskme
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Re: What Is The Meaning Of Life?

Post by Dontaskme »

Harbal wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 8:12 pm It persists in occupying the most visible part of my body, damn it.


Why would I want to provide evidence? Proving its existence is the last thing I want to do.
But can you see that visible part of your body?...if yes, then tell me how you see it?

Not what you see, but how you see it....how Harbal how?..

Why don't you want to prove the existence of your face?....is because you can't?.....do tell?


Did you lie to me when you said you see your face often eh? ...did you? ...you know I don't like lies..

Prove your not lying by telling me how you see your face....

.
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