Barry Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 "everybody believes in something and everybody, by the virtue of the fact that they believe in something, use that something to support their own existence" - Frank Zappa <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Is he making reference to Descartes? Cogito Ergo Sum anyone? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> it appears so. i posted it to highlight more of the supreme deity-esque aspect though. i like quotes. i just like it 'cos i know lots of militant atheists and i can totally understand why people do believe or do not believe in a 'god'/'gods'. i don't necessarily mean a bible or koran (qur'an) style god. i just mean some sort of creator. it is very reassuring to have a belief in some sort of supreme deity and it helps one make more sense of ourselves and the world around us. it is reassuring to think that one has a purpose. it is rather sad to think that we could be living a life bereft of meaning. it is also disconcerting to thing that both physically and mentally we are a 'fluke'. i personally would love to believe in a god but i 'can't'. the thought really does appeal to me but i can't knowingly 'lie' to myself so i sadly believe that we are a 'fluke' (The Blind Watchmaker style). i don't think that one can be 'certain' (and i am never 'certain') that a god(s) doesn't exist or certain that god does exist. . . . i don't claim to be more clever than someone else 'cos i don't believe in a god and i wouldn't claim to be more intelligent or whatever if i did. it annoys me when people do that or when they really have a go at other beliefs in a nasty and often simple-minded manner. . . . in fact, what is 'intellgence'?? anyways . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 Play this little game.http://www.philosophersnet.com/games/god.htmYou'll realise that there are many inconsistencies in your beliefs.Very few people passed that game.I failed.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>cool . . . i bit one bullet but had no direct hits. interesting.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Do you survive in the end?<{POST_SNAPBACK}>i survived. i suffered no direct hits. the only bullet i 'bit' was the question about the rapist, Peter Sutcliffe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worshipper pa Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 Play this little game.http://www.philosophersnet.com/games/god.htmYou'll realise that there are many inconsistencies in your beliefs.Very few people passed that game.I failed.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Battleground AnalysisCongratulations!You have been awarded the TPM medal of distinction! This is our second highest award for outstanding service on the intellectual battleground.The fact that you progressed through this activity without being hit and biting only one bullet suggests that your beliefs about God are internally consistent and well thought out.A direct hit would have occurred had you answered in a way that implied a logical contradiction. The bitten bullet occurred because you responded in a way that required that you held a view that most people would have found strange, incredible or unpalatable. However, because you bit only one bullet and avoided direct hits completely you still qualify for our second highest award. A good achievement!How did you do compared to other people?286073 people have completed this activity to date.You suffered zero direct hits and bit 1 bullet.This compares with the average player of this activity to date who takes 1.39 hits and bites 1.11 bullets.45.81% of the people who have completed this activity, like you, took very little damage and were awarded the TPM Medal of Distinction.7.63% of the people who have completed this activity emerged unscathed with the TPM Medal of Honour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 Play this little game.http://www.philosophersnet.com/games/god.htmYou'll realise that there are many inconsistencies in your beliefs.Very few people passed that game.I failed.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Battleground AnalysisCongratulations!You have been awarded the TPM medal of distinction! This is our second highest award for outstanding service on the intellectual battleground.The fact that you progressed through this activity without being hit and biting only one bullet suggests that your beliefs about God are internally consistent and well thought out.A direct hit would have occurred had you answered in a way that implied a logical contradiction. The bitten bullet occurred because you responded in a way that required that you held a view that most people would have found strange, incredible or unpalatable. However, because you bit only one bullet and avoided direct hits completely you still qualify for our second highest award. A good achievement!How did you do compared to other people?286073 people have completed this activity to date.You suffered zero direct hits and bit 1 bullet.This compares with the average player of this activity to date who takes 1.39 hits and bites 1.11 bullets.45.81% of the people who have completed this activity, like you, took very little damage and were awarded the TPM Medal of Distinction.7.63% of the people who have completed this activity emerged unscathed with the TPM Medal of Honour.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>i too got the award thing.the phrasing of some of the questions is crap though. still interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_ed Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 The wording of some of those questions was awful, but I guess it is a bunch of philosophers...not many of them write very well <_< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_ed Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 "everybody believes in something and everybody, by the virtue of the fact that they believe in something, use that something to support their own existence" - Frank Zappa <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Is he making reference to Descartes? Cogito Ergo Sum anyone? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Damn you Barry for quoting my post I don't believe I read the quote carefully enough. Mr. Zappa might well be referring to religion rather than Descartes. I believe if he were referring to Descartes, the quote should have look more like this: everybody believes in something and everybody, by the virtue of the fact that they believe in something, use that belief to support their own existence Descartes posits that one can know one's existence through the use of thought. Hence, it is an internal process (also in accordance with his meditations and sceptical doubt method) Zappa refers to that "something", which I interpreted as most likely being something external to the self. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_ed Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 i just like it 'cos i know lots of militant atheists and i can totally understand why people do believe or do not believe in a 'god'/'gods'. i don't necessarily mean a bible or koran (qur'an) style god. i just mean some sort of creator. it is very reassuring to have a belief in some sort of supreme deity and it helps one make more sense of ourselves and the world around us. it is reassuring to think that one has a purpose. it is rather sad to think that we could be living a life bereft of meaning. it is also disconcerting to thing that both physically and mentally we are a 'fluke'. i personally would love to believe in a god but i 'can't'. the thought really does appeal to me but i can't knowingly 'lie' to myself so i sadly believe that we are a 'fluke' (The Blind Watchmaker style). i don't think that one can be 'certain' (and i am never 'certain') that a god(s) doesn't exist or certain that god does exist. . . . i don't claim to be more clever than someone else 'cos i don't believe in a god and i wouldn't claim to be more intelligent or whatever if i did. it annoys me when people do that or when they really have a go at other beliefs in a nasty and often simple-minded manner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_dub Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 My GF score was 67. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesca Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 I read the first few questions and then decided they were all false.I got 85 I wouldn't believe all those "explanations" though <_< <{POST_SNAPBACK}> high five. me too. allll falsseeee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 i just like it 'cos i know lots of militant atheists and i can totally understand why people do believe or do not believe in a 'god'/'gods'. i don't necessarily mean a bible or koran (qur'an) style god. i just mean some sort of creator. it is very reassuring to have a belief in some sort of supreme deity and it helps one make more sense of ourselves and the world around us. it is reassuring to think that one has a purpose. it is rather sad to think that we could be living a life bereft of meaning. it is also disconcerting to thing that both physically and mentally we are a 'fluke'. i personally would love to believe in a god but i 'can't'. the thought really does appeal to me but i can't knowingly 'lie' to myself so i sadly believe that we are a 'fluke' (The Blind Watchmaker style). i don't think that one can be 'certain' (and i am never 'certain') that a god(s) doesn't exist or certain that god does exist. . . . i don't claim to be more clever than someone else 'cos i don't believe in a god and i wouldn't claim to be more intelligent or whatever if i did. it annoys me when people do that or when they really have a go at other beliefs in a nasty and often simple-minded manner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_ed Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 I've read bits and pieces of the Blind Watchmaker, isn't it cool what he does with his computer? How he starts with a dot and simulating evolution, he makes all those weird shapes? I that part! I'm easily impressed I've heard about the Selfish Gene as well. That's the book where he thinks the gene is the (insert word here I have no idea) and humans/organisms are the "vehicles" for the transmission (? sorry I just woke up and there aren't any words running through my head) right? If that's the book I'm thinking about, my opinion is that Dawkins is weird. The concpet seems easy to argue though, but from what I understand of it, it doesn't account for some things like non-genetic transmission e.g. learning. I'm reading Dennett now, but it's about intentional psychology, not biology <_< Dennett is really really smart but writes way too much on nearly everything... Sorry to lecture you about evolution by the way, I'm sure you are probably more well-informed than I am on the topic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 I've read bits and pieces of the Blind Watchmaker, isn't it cool what he does with his computer? How he starts with a dot and simulating evolution, he makes all those weird shapes? I that part! I'm easily impressed I've heard about the Selfish Gene as well. That's the book where he thinks the gene is the (insert word here I have no idea) and humans/organisms are the "vehicles" for the transmission (? sorry I just woke up and there aren't any words running through my head) right? If that's the book I'm thinking about, my opinion is that Dawkins is weird. The concpet seems easy to argue though, but from what I understand of it, it doesn't account for some things like non-genetic transmission e.g. learning. I'm reading Dennett now, but it's about intentional psychology, not biology <_< Dennett is really really smart but writes way too much on nearly everything... Sorry to lecture you about evolution by the way, I'm sure you are probably more well-informed than I am on the topic <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Dawkins is way cool. . . . i too love that simulation. when i said that evolution was at times random i meant that it is like that 'cos of the chance mutations and random starting materials and events which have moulded our ancestors. he talks about learning and things in terms of 'memes', i.e. skills and characteristics such as the arts etc which themselves pass down generations and evolve themselves which is a pretty cool idea. effectively beneficial memes aid you and your chances of spreading your seed . . . Dennett is interesting but has such a boring writing style in comparison. i made it 3/4 through his book and gave up 'cos i found a cooler book. btw, read 'The Selfish Gene'!! it's pretty cool and is quite easy to get through . . . no worries . . . you didn't really lecture me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_ed Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 oh yes memes <_< Such an ugly concept. Personally, I think it's a rather stupid idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazy01001 Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 76... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurupt Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 I Got a 46.....but...i took a couple of just false... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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