Believers should not get away with putting their beliefs or their faith
outside the limits of rational attack by arguing that each person has freedom to believe what they want (or with any other tactic, for that matter). They don't want to question their beliefs and don't want
any one else to bring up things that are uncomfortable to them and raise
doubts. Attacking such beliefs on rational grounds is not a personal insult unless one uses invective.
Faith is one of those things. The meme called "Christianity" has this
teaching -- that God gives you faith. It is really clever. If you
don't believe, then God has overlooked you, so you believe and attribute
it to God while in reality it is a cop-out for believing what you have
been indoctrinated with and want to believe.
I've seen the testimonials of people who have "come back" and their
testimony of the joy and relief they felt. Breaking with indoctrination
is hard -- one feels guilt and fear -- and giving in and going back to
the indoctrination gives you relief from that plus a good dose of
serotonin to boot. Thus most of those who have been indoctrinated into
rigid beliefs in childhood either stubbornly stick with them in spite of
reason, or they become hostile (sometimes extremely so) to those who
"did that to me" and hate their prior religion. Neither is
healthy. Rational skepticism in the absence of "belief" or faith --
with just reasoned opinions -- is the best.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Belief mockery
That others mock us doesn't mean we need
to mock them, and, in fact, we are better off if we don't -- both from a
karmic viewpoint and from how the world sees us. (Karmic viewpoint = how our behavior affects or changes us.)
Mockery, though, is much in the eye of the beholder. Usually the one handing it out doesn't see it as such, and is insensitive -- or the opposite may be the case and the person who thinks they are being mocked is too eager to assume it.
Criticism is not mockery. Nor is humor. Not even both of them together is mockery. I would make my feeble effort to define mockery as requiring a malicious element in it.
Mockery, though, is much in the eye of the beholder. Usually the one handing it out doesn't see it as such, and is insensitive -- or the opposite may be the case and the person who thinks they are being mocked is too eager to assume it.
Criticism is not mockery. Nor is humor. Not even both of them together is mockery. I would make my feeble effort to define mockery as requiring a malicious element in it.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Death by meditation
One of the stories of the Buddha's death is that he did something
similar to what the Thai monk reportedly was trying to do. He called his followers together and went into progressively
deeper and deeper states of meditation and effectively committed
suicide. That some believers would want to emulate that is
understandable. The problem is one can't really do it -- it's a
story. The actual death is under some question but most commonly
thought to have been brought about by food poisoning.
There is in my opinion way too much stuff attached to meditating. It is not some magic practice where one works wonders and sees the future and all that. It is a great way to compose oneself and gain personal insights and organize ideas in one's head, but really, it is not a paranormal thing at all.
There is in my opinion way too much stuff attached to meditating. It is not some magic practice where one works wonders and sees the future and all that. It is a great way to compose oneself and gain personal insights and organize ideas in one's head, but really, it is not a paranormal thing at all.
One world one government
Who knows what the future holds. I personally think a benign autocracy
without political parties would be close to ideal, but it has such a
danger attached to it that most, probably rightly, would never allow it
to happen. How does one be sure the autocrat will stay benign?
A single global government, though, is needed, and we pretty much have one. Not the United Nations -- it is getting better but still is pretty much a joke, but the network of international treaty organizations, especially the WTO, combined with all sorts of conventions dealing with specific problems, such as global warming, freedom of the seas, human trafficking, endangered species, money laundering, human rights, and so on.
As nations learn more and more how to act together to pull errant nations into line using embargoes and sometimes force, and as economies and political systems move more and more toward each other (i.e., socialists become more capitalist and capitalists become more socialist), and as the overall level of health and education and living standards improves and evens out, a single world seems inevitable.
A single global government, though, is needed, and we pretty much have one. Not the United Nations -- it is getting better but still is pretty much a joke, but the network of international treaty organizations, especially the WTO, combined with all sorts of conventions dealing with specific problems, such as global warming, freedom of the seas, human trafficking, endangered species, money laundering, human rights, and so on.
As nations learn more and more how to act together to pull errant nations into line using embargoes and sometimes force, and as economies and political systems move more and more toward each other (i.e., socialists become more capitalist and capitalists become more socialist), and as the overall level of health and education and living standards improves and evens out, a single world seems inevitable.
Some rules of English grammar that should be dropped.
1. Eliminate the insistence on "complete sentences." Sometimes sentence fragments are just fine and in fact effective.
2. Stop fussing about correct use of pronoun case. "Me want a cookie!" is wonderful. Of course in that case humor is intended, but a sentence like, "She gave pencils to Mary and I" has the benefit of avoiding the alliteration and is not usually misunderstood, sounds natural, and even if it is a case of being "over-correct," so what.
3. In that vein, the language should eliminate "whom" except as object of a preposition (where "who" still is distractive).
4. Ban "shall" from legal documents.
5. In fact, only allow "shall" in the polite request, "shall we" to keep the distinction between it and the question "will we?"
6. Stop being so fussy about agreement between subject and verb. All kinds of subtleties would become possible if the rules weren't so rigid.
7. Change the punctuation rules at the end of the sentence to be logical by stopping the insistence that closing quotes must be outside the end-of-sentence mark.
8. Drop the fussing about comma splice and other uses of the comma and make its use optional depending on need for clarity and style.
9. Agree that a period is optional after common abbreviations such as "Mr".
10. Don't worry about dangling participles. So what if someone can read it in a ludicrous way -- they won't, and if they do that's their problem (or maybe gain in pleasure).
11. Allow use of a period rather than a question mark except for sentences intended to be questions but are not grammatical questions. "Are you happy." "You are happy?" Rhetorical questions should also not need a question mark. (Basically that would mean the question mark would indicate up-tone).
1. Eliminate the insistence on "complete sentences." Sometimes sentence fragments are just fine and in fact effective.
2. Stop fussing about correct use of pronoun case. "Me want a cookie!" is wonderful. Of course in that case humor is intended, but a sentence like, "She gave pencils to Mary and I" has the benefit of avoiding the alliteration and is not usually misunderstood, sounds natural, and even if it is a case of being "over-correct," so what.
3. In that vein, the language should eliminate "whom" except as object of a preposition (where "who" still is distractive).
4. Ban "shall" from legal documents.
5. In fact, only allow "shall" in the polite request, "shall we" to keep the distinction between it and the question "will we?"
6. Stop being so fussy about agreement between subject and verb. All kinds of subtleties would become possible if the rules weren't so rigid.
7. Change the punctuation rules at the end of the sentence to be logical by stopping the insistence that closing quotes must be outside the end-of-sentence mark.
8. Drop the fussing about comma splice and other uses of the comma and make its use optional depending on need for clarity and style.
9. Agree that a period is optional after common abbreviations such as "Mr".
10. Don't worry about dangling participles. So what if someone can read it in a ludicrous way -- they won't, and if they do that's their problem (or maybe gain in pleasure).
11. Allow use of a period rather than a question mark except for sentences intended to be questions but are not grammatical questions. "Are you happy." "You are happy?" Rhetorical questions should also not need a question mark. (Basically that would mean the question mark would indicate up-tone).
Pearly gates
I would much prefer there were pearly gates awaiting me than either
rebirth (which I think likely but does not preserve me, only my "life
spirit," whatever that might be) or extinction (a distinct possibility).
However I am too proud to let what my intellect tells me be overcome by what I would like.
However I am too proud to let what my intellect tells me be overcome by what I would like.
When there is no note and no sign (depressive behavior is not really a
sign -- unless they talk about killing themselves or the hopelessness of
life) then one wonders and hopes the police do their job.
I wish the world were wealthy enough that everyone could talk to a mental health specialist at least once a month. Absent that maybe they should put anti-depressives in the drinking water (of course that is absurd, but I do know people who are not depressive but still take anti-depressives and they are happier).
There are two things I would say to a suicides survivors: First, do not judge. They were depressed, and that is a disease condition -- one should not judge them any more than one would judge someone who dies of some other deadly disease. Second, do not feel guilty -- even if the suicide note blames you. Again, it is the disease talking. Sometimes we think, "If only I had done such and so." No -- we are not supermen and cannot read minds.
Well, at least that is what I've learned from my counselors (fortunately I have insurance that covers that stuff).
I wish the world were wealthy enough that everyone could talk to a mental health specialist at least once a month. Absent that maybe they should put anti-depressives in the drinking water (of course that is absurd, but I do know people who are not depressive but still take anti-depressives and they are happier).
There are two things I would say to a suicides survivors: First, do not judge. They were depressed, and that is a disease condition -- one should not judge them any more than one would judge someone who dies of some other deadly disease. Second, do not feel guilty -- even if the suicide note blames you. Again, it is the disease talking. Sometimes we think, "If only I had done such and so." No -- we are not supermen and cannot read minds.
Well, at least that is what I've learned from my counselors (fortunately I have insurance that covers that stuff).
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Scientific error
There have been a number of times respected scientists have trusted
their instruments and gotten their fingers burnt. The neutrinos
traveling faster than light comes to mind.
There have also been times when the scientist believes his numbers over the rest of the scientific world, and in the end put himself on the fringe. Room temperature superconducting comes to mind. Here the potential profits were so great and even getting study grants so important that the people involved just refused to admit error. They probably convinced themselves -- unless we are careful and humble it can happen to anyone.
The scientific edifice is not often in need of major demolition and repair. Most changes happen incrementally, so whenever one has results that imply need for a major change, one should be very sure of one's data and its interpretation. This is not something the untrained or amateur should even think of undertaking.
There have also been times when the scientist believes his numbers over the rest of the scientific world, and in the end put himself on the fringe. Room temperature superconducting comes to mind. Here the potential profits were so great and even getting study grants so important that the people involved just refused to admit error. They probably convinced themselves -- unless we are careful and humble it can happen to anyone.
The scientific edifice is not often in need of major demolition and repair. Most changes happen incrementally, so whenever one has results that imply need for a major change, one should be very sure of one's data and its interpretation. This is not something the untrained or amateur should even think of undertaking.
Pills for sleep, constipation
I'm a believer in not suffering if there is a pill available to
fix the problem, but I learned the hard way that this approach should be
avoided when it comes to sleep and to constipation.
Evil regimes
I think the world, or whatever part of it has the ability, has a moral
obligation to stop evil regimes in the bud. Not only do they tend to
fester and infect the rest of the planet, but human decency calls out to
help those they brutalize. The fact that evil regimes in the past have
been allowed to fester this way until they became calamities should
teach us a lesson.
Of course it doesn't always happen -- it takes a lot of leadership and usually it requires them to present an immediate danger -- which tells us sad things about humanity.
Of course it doesn't always happen -- it takes a lot of leadership and usually it requires them to present an immediate danger -- which tells us sad things about humanity.
Abuse takes many forms, and sometimes parents abuse their children and
don't know it. Ignoring the child when it wants attention, or insulting
it by telling it it is bad or stupid or some such thing, or teasing the
child and embarrassing it in front of others, or relentless tickling or
roughhousing when the child gives "enough" signals, or, of course,
punishments that involve denial of food and such. We can even abuse a
child by failing to hug it or tell it you love it and will care for it.
That abused children often (more often than we care to admit) do the same to their children is an ongoing disaster.
That abused children often (more often than we care to admit) do the same to their children is an ongoing disaster.
Sherlock Holmes had the maxim that whenever you have eliminated all the
reasonable possibilities, whatever remains, no matter how unlikely, has
to be the truth.
This is unscientific and illogical. If something is highly unlikely it needs lots of its own evidence to be believable. Just eliminating other possibilities is not enough. There is always the "unknown" possibility -- something no one thought of.
The rational response, then, to situations where one has nothing available but unlikely things, is to say, "I don't know."
I post this because I see an awful lot of use of this fallacy by people who want to believe essentially unbelievable tales.
This is unscientific and illogical. If something is highly unlikely it needs lots of its own evidence to be believable. Just eliminating other possibilities is not enough. There is always the "unknown" possibility -- something no one thought of.
The rational response, then, to situations where one has nothing available but unlikely things, is to say, "I don't know."
I post this because I see an awful lot of use of this fallacy by people who want to believe essentially unbelievable tales.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Insomnia
There are all sorts of books peddling all sorts of nostrums for insomnia, some of value others questionable.
The best sleep advice is to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, weekends and holidays included, have a dark and quiet and cool place to sleep, don't have a TV or reading lamp in the bedroom, and if you don't get to sleep just tell yourself you are getting rest anyway and that helps and stop worrying.
Nice clean sheets, a comfy quilt, a mattress you are comfortable on, and lots of pillows to wedge here and there (different sizes and shapes and fluffiness) too, but take care you don't end up just rearranging the blankets and sheets and pillows all night.
Finally, find out what foods and drinks contain stimulants and avoid them, and try some warm soup. Avoid pills and alcohol -- they seem to help but are traitors. (There are exceptions to this but it is a good general rule).
I understand that one should have a ritual before going to bed -- especially taking a warm shower or bath -- and avoid TV and computer and bright lights and even reading (although personally sometimes certain books put me to sleep). Sleep also goes better if the room is either pitch black or you wear eye shades; they take getting use to but I carry them with me all the time in case I want to take a nap somewhere.
If you have any sort of chronic pain or cough, get up and deal with it if you can. That can be a real bitch when you are awake and there are no distractions.
The best sleep advice is to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, weekends and holidays included, have a dark and quiet and cool place to sleep, don't have a TV or reading lamp in the bedroom, and if you don't get to sleep just tell yourself you are getting rest anyway and that helps and stop worrying.
Nice clean sheets, a comfy quilt, a mattress you are comfortable on, and lots of pillows to wedge here and there (different sizes and shapes and fluffiness) too, but take care you don't end up just rearranging the blankets and sheets and pillows all night.
Finally, find out what foods and drinks contain stimulants and avoid them, and try some warm soup. Avoid pills and alcohol -- they seem to help but are traitors. (There are exceptions to this but it is a good general rule).
I understand that one should have a ritual before going to bed -- especially taking a warm shower or bath -- and avoid TV and computer and bright lights and even reading (although personally sometimes certain books put me to sleep). Sleep also goes better if the room is either pitch black or you wear eye shades; they take getting use to but I carry them with me all the time in case I want to take a nap somewhere.
If you have any sort of chronic pain or cough, get up and deal with it if you can. That can be a real bitch when you are awake and there are no distractions.
Spirit visits
Certain pain medicines I take for sciatica lead to visits by angels and ghosts and other denizens of the spirit world; it's
interesting. Whenever my sciatica won't let me sleep and I resort to
them, I lie back and see what sort of tricks the spirits will try to
play to convince me they are real.
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