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@The Grey Man I'm not arguing that conscious beings exist because we exist. Rather, I'm pointing out that, as conscious beings, we must be in a universe that allows for consciousness to exist. This is a statement about the necessary conditions for our existence, not a proof of our existence...

Why would it be impossible for life to come from non-life? What aspect of reality makes that impossible? To me it just seems like a case of emergent properties. You could just as easily claim that chemistry can't arise from atomic theory.

Occam's Razor is about axioms/concepts, not things/objects. A simple theory that results in multiple universes is more parsimonious than a complex theory that results in one universe. Just thought I would throw that out there as many seem to mistake the point of Occam's Razor.

I know my views are not the norm. Even when I can explain them in a rational/logical way I still face resistance. But that is okay as well. It's all part of vulontarism. Who am I (or anyone) to tell others what is best? How can a group of people gives rights they do not themselves posses...

Doesn't free-will rely on humans having a-causal properties? Unless you wish to play compatibilist word games and re-define free will.

@Cognisant This isn't some beleif of the masses only. It is a respected philosophical question that many atheists claim is one of the hardest issues to contend with.

@The Grey Man I don't think you get the point that myself and dr froyd are making. Can there exist consciousness in a universe that doesn't allow for consciousness to exist? Obviously not. Therefore we (a conscious entity) must by definition be in a universe that DOES allow for consciousness...

I just don't get it. Why is it considered such a compelling argument/question? Am I missing some profound insight into reality that philosophers are privy to? As it stands it seems like such a shallow issue. The Weak Anthropic Principle would seem to make any inquiry into the issue...

As I have gotten older I've adopted a more 'voluntarist' approach to life. Which leaves me in a tight spot when it comes to questions of governance. If only I was willing to abandon my principles for necessity's sake. Instead, I just live life feeling constantly trapped in a cage I was born in.

I actually think that time is the most fundamental of 'things'. Without change all is static and indistinguishable from nothing.

My google-fu is failing me. Has there ever been a case of an adult failing to pass the mirror test? I don't see how they could function in society but people are able to function without an inner voice or a minds eye so what do I know?

If humanity manages to colonise other worlds I don't believe it will ever become extinct. Though wait long enough and the descendants won't be human (though I'm not sure that counts). If humanity remains stuck on Earth then I think it would require a truly global cataclsym of some sort to...

Photons are dimensionless. Many measurements of dimesionless particles are zero. Yet they exist.

Would it be fair to state that computation is substrate independent? If such is the case would it be possible for a group of humans to pretend to be circuit components and thus 'simulate' a computational system that could run programs. Taking this further, could a computational/programming...

I have always had this tendency and recently I began to wonder if other INTPs also deal with a similar thing. If you tell me to do something (even if it is for my benefit) I won't. If you tell me not to do something I will. I used to think I was just being contrary, but it goes deeper than...

I've spent the last hour or so looking for any info regarding humans with mutations that have resulted in extra joints (elbows, knees, fingers joints, etc) and have been unable to find anything. Does anyone here have any knowledge regarding such mutations?

I used to hate all metal with a passion. Especially the vocals. To me it seemed to lack any skill or creative merit. But I was wrong. Then I discovered some prog-rock and prog-metal that I quite liked and began a journey that hasn't ended yet. I still dislike the vast majority of metal...

So, to be clear, wanting anything more than the bare necessities required to survive (that which we NEED) makes a person greedy? If that is your definition then you are correct and we are all greedy.

Greedy compared to what? If greed is the lack or negation of generosity then we are less greedy than any other species of animal. So I am not sure what yard stick you are using to measure our greed. Are you assuming that everyone else views the world as you do? I don't want to seem rude...

The question assumes that there exists an imperative to do something with our lives. I'm not sure that such is the case. Just another example of people trying to derive an aught from an is.

For those who don't know ditto means 'the same thing again' and is used to agree with something said without having to repeat it. Recently I got into an argument with an ex and she called me a cunt. My immediate response was 'ditto'. Apparently that makes me a misogynistic arse-hole, despite...

I have to deal with the opposite. 183cm tall and 80kg. Lanky bean-pole. But I'm not complaining. All the studies done on lab animals have shown about a 15% increase in life-span for those which are kept at the brink of malnourishment. Consequently I have no desire to put any weight on...

Most songs are about love and other boring topics. Consequently I have a preference for either instrumental music or foreign language songs. Recently I discovered a japanese musical unit called 'Nowisee' (pronounced 'noise') and something about their sound makes me start to tear up. Which is...

@Cognisant I'm not sure how common bilateral symmetry will be amongst alien life. Sure, most life on earth is bilaterally symmetrical but from my understanding that is only due to a mass extinction event and luck of the draw. The optimal solution for aero/hydro-dynamics may be very different...

I have a desire to question the narrative presented by any country and its media. When people claim the US is the best country in the world I argue that it isn't and when people claim that it is the worst country in the world I also argue that it isn't. I am just fed up with people with a...

@Hadoblado You are right about the differences in statistical collection methods between countries. Just as an example, I only found out yesterday that the US counts suicides amongst gun crimes/violence. Considering that they account for anywhere between 50-65% of the rates, the US would be...

I don't think that the publicization of mass shootings in the US is greater than that of most countries. Maybe some shit-hole countries hide their figures but that is a different thing.

My google-fu skills must really suck. I have spent the last few hours trying to find a list of school shootings that is broken up by country that also shows how strict each country's gun laws are. My reason being that I find it hard to believe that the US has the slackest gun laws in the world...

Sorry to have taken a while to respond, but this whole situation is eating up more of my time than I would like. The range of suggestions has been great and has opened my eyes to a few new options. Still not sure how to play things out. I'm tempted to start communication with her sister as...

I can't believe I am going to ask a relationship question (ew) but this situation has me confused and worried. I am still in contact with my most recent ex (broke up nearly 2 years ago) and recently she has been complaining to me that her current partner is beating her (she thinks he broke her...

@Cognisant Nice 'thinking outside the box' there. @Rook I know this is me being pedantic, but I don't think you are right about the difference between shadows and darkness. The inside of a box is only dark because it is in the 'shadow' of its surface. Also, ambient light is a thing. @dr froyd...

Can shadows have holes? I can't come up with a satisfactory answer to the above question. The answer depends on the subtleties of our definitions of shadow and hole. In one sense shadows are holes (in the cast light) so the question becomes 'can holes have holes?'. In another sense...

This was the question asked of me by my friend's son who seems to be on the spectrum. We have spoken since then and it appears that he was mainly interested in the concepts of race and racism. He has been taught that race doesn't exist, so he is questioning how racism can exist. This is a...

I'm not exactly sure how to word this, but is it possible for an individual to hold prejudiced views regarding an object or class of objects that don't exist? An example would be something like unicorns or people with purple skin. Maybe a person could be considered prejudiced against those who...

I don't understand this insistence that people must work to be fulfilled and happy. At the most I will acknowledge that we feel the need for a sense of purpose in our lives. But that purpose does not need to come from work. Besides what does that mean for the unemployed? As far as I am aware...

The first one looks like an Orb Weaver of some type. I have fond memories of seeing a paddock full of webs on a foggy morning in Central Vic. The second one looks like a Wolf Spider. They are quite interesting to watch when they are hunting.

I have been wondering if it is possible to 'know' something that is false. Given that the most common definition of 'know' is justified true belief I would say that it isn't possible. Do all conditions need to be met for something to be known? Is a true belief that isn't justified considered...

The term phobia has come to mean both fear and hatred/aversion, with the deciding factor appearing to be whether the target is a group of people. Some examples, Arachnophobia - The fear (but not necessarily hatred) of spiders. Cynophobia - The fear (but not necessarily hatred) of dogs...

I've never been a big fan of sports (probably because I'm not good at any), but lately I've been searching for sports that allow unusual/atypical plays without everyone instantly accusing the player of a lack of sportsmanship. I want to see a sport where 'thinking out of the box' is rewarded...

Who has the BoP in regards to claiming some action is good for your health? My understanding is that it would be the one making the claim. Would an Appeal to Authority or an Appeal to Consensus constitute proof?

I was under the impression that the function of pain was to let us know when we were harming our bodies or compromising its integrity. If pain serves a valid purpose why aren't medical professionals more concerned about its occurrence? Blood tests cause me pain yet every doctor and lab...

Do they not realise that their very existence is contingent upon all past events involving their ancestors? A few examples (that aren't very controversial); - Citizens of colonial countries being against colonialism. - Australian's descended from convicts who claim it was wrong to send...

I think we should start with a clear definition of belief as it relates to this discussion. As with faith it means different things to different people. I don't want to make assumptions about which version of belief you are referring to.

Unless you are willing to factor out constants isn't this true for all units of measurement?

Is this specifically in regards to humans? I ask because I believe all living things share the same goal. Reproduction or replication. Everything else is just a means towards that end. Maybe it could be said that humans have extra goals but they aren't the goals of life.

I have heard many people excuse the behaviour of others by claiming that such behaviour is not their fault because they were indoctrinated. A few things about that have always struck me as wrong. - We see people who have escaped their indoctrination, so it can be done. Either they are...

@Hadoblado I can't remember ever having been called any kind of bigot. But it seems that if an accusation of bigotry is unfalsifiable that it could easily be weaponised and deployed against anyone, especially non-conformists (which INTP's tend to be to some extent). @washti You are correct...

Given that the public discourse of the last few years seems to focus in some part on rooting out certain forms of bigotry I feel that this may be more important than it may seem at first. Are claims of bigotry falsifiable? How would a person disprove a claim of bigotry laid against them?

After they have already bitten you? Isn't it just a response born of anger or irritation? Would such a response be appropriate for a dog bite or a cat scratch? I ask because I have heard numerous vegans claim it is wrong to needlessly kill animals yet they will happily kill all insects and...

I figure that this is probably the most linguistically diverse 'community' that I am a part of so this might be a good place to ask this question. Does anyone know of any language in which meaning is formally embedded in the speed at which a word is said? So, if a word takes 0.5 seconds to...