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Am I the only person here to think about these questions?

When we ask why something exists, we point to its causal antecedents. For instance, we exist because of our parents. But why does the universe exist at all? Couldn't it have been nothing at all that existed? If it's possible that nothing should exist, how come there's a universe? Religious...

I can't stand CNN, but David Clarke wasn't winning any credibility points with that Don Lemon conversation

Hey Martin! What did you used to read?

Does anyone here read any philosophy?

Pun-friendly name that one.

I think divisive language like this contributes to the problem. Criticize BLM if you want. I have, extensively. But terrorists? That's exactly the over the top rhetoric that contributes to the divisiveness. Instead, look at them as misguided people trying to solve a legitimate problem...

You'd be surprised how much I'm on board with your position. Unfortunately, it won't get any traction in the halls of power.

Congratulations

That video made me cry a little. It's real. And it's heartbreaking. Who is she

This isn't particular to religion, but oh well. The thought experiment was developed by philosopher Frank Jackson, and subsequently made a serious impact on contemporary analytical philosophy of mind: "Mary is a brilliant scientist who is, for whatever reason, forced to investigate the world...

The goal of the framers is not as unrealistic as "someone buys a handgun and suddenly they can defend the state." Rather, it's a different goal: That a citizenry that is suitably armed, across the board, will not be bullied by the state. It's still problematic in the way that you describe...

Recently, someone live-tweeting local reports of a terror attack in Bangladesh. It was yet another tragedy, one of many. It has no doubt raised the usual questions: about ISIS, extremism, and the role of Islam. The role of Islam is difficult to talk about for at least two reasons: 1) Many...

What, like there is a situation in our world, where we are not prohibited from torturing a child for fun?

Have people made Pjanic at the disco puns about him or is that old hat now?

I'm not 100% clear on what you mean here. When you say normativity is circumstance-tied, finite, hardly duplicated, etc, what do you mean to say? Do you mean to say it's optional? Do you mean to say a deflationist account, or a fictionalist account is correct?

That's a very interesting thought. And there's data to support it (Frans de Waal's work on primates). But ultimately I think there are some weaknesses to this hypothesis. The first, major problem is the loss of normativity. That is, when we talk about morality, we don't just talk about things...

I find that frightening. To think that all out moral judgements are just the product of our feelings... how can we morally condemn ISIS? Why think of them as morally wrong when we can just say they are just emotionally maladaptive? Shouldn't we give them medical treatment instead of bombing...

The Righteous Mind: Why People Are Divided by Politics and Religious Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist at NYU. His book (here), based on copious and interesting research, examines the bases of our political and religious sensibilities. His conclusions are provocative. His central thesis...

Grayyyyy. You're the only one with your name! What's up?