Comment

Comment by Roger Tholen on June 30, 2009 at 5:29pm

On what basis do you think free will is "totally essential" to the human condition. I would go this far with you. Belief in free will is essential to explain the unfortunate human condition such as it is. What a world might be possible if we gave up free will and got serious about using whatever works to make some really helpful changes in our culture not dependent on the fairy tale of free will.

Comment by Roger Tholen on June 30, 2009 at 4:57pm

Most people would think it odd to use the word evolution in terms of everyday behavior. But, its one more way various behaviors come into being, or drop out. It follows natural evolution as it applies to animals and plants and to our world in general. If one thinks about it, it would be very consistent to have human behavior follow in the foot steps of nature’s evolution. In many ways our world likes consistency.
As a way of picturing behavioral evolution I like to think of various screens. Like they use when mining for gold. You do one behavior and it gets reinforced and makes it through the screen. You do another behavior and it does not get reinforce, or maybe punished and it does not make it through the screen, It gets screened out.
Well, mostly it’s other people that do the screening. You do or say something and it gets ignored, punished or reinforced.. Depending on which it gets determines if it continues to be a behavior of yours or not. To make it a little more complicated, sometimes a behavior will both get reinforced sometimes and punished at other times. If there is much of this, one can get some very freaky behavior. If one can see this system operating over a number of years, you can see how behavior can be very unsystematically developed. I can explain much of the unusual behavior we see around us.

Comment by Roger Tholen on May 24, 2009 at 1:49pm

Loving science and being a atheist and not believing in free will all go together.

Comment by Roger Tholen on May 24, 2009 at 1:27pm

Most often I get a total put down when talking even the possibility of there being no free will. So I appreciate even a gentle comment.

Comment by Nelson on May 23, 2009 at 9:40pm

@Roger Tholen: i'm only familiar with him from Dawkins referring to his work in TGD. he's on my reading list though.

Comment by Roger Tholen on May 23, 2009 at 8:23pm

I don't hold much hope for change unless more and more people get onto the fact that behavior is determined. I know saying there is no free will is like saying there is no god. But, both statements are true.

Comment by Bob on April 27, 2009 at 10:29pm

Personally, I miss Bill Nye the Science Guy.
I am an Atheist OF SCIENCE!!!
Douglas Adams is a close second

Comment by MikeTheInfidel on February 9, 2009 at 7:58pm

I get giddy when I talk science. I LOVE it.

Comment by Greg on January 4, 2009 at 4:18pm

Hooray! Science is, as we scientists say in technical terms, "the DANK." Word.

Comment by Trunx on December 19, 2008 at 2:08pm

"Being an Atheist and loving science goes hand in hand if you ask me."

Negatron Gerard!!! How 'bout just loving good ol' common sense.

"Don't you miss Carl Sagan? I do."

I do too, but I miss Douglas Adams even more. South Louisiana... I'll pray for you Gary. =)

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 29
• 30
• 31
• 32
• Next ›
• Page