We are a community, social networking, & news site focused on bringing free thinkers together, & Breaking the misconceptions about atheism.
Latest Activity
-
Simon Paynton replied to the topic Some thoughts on the p-zombie idea in the forum Science 13 minutes ago
I think it’s a lot easier to trace the broad-strokes of what has been, than to predict what will be. There’s probably a mathematical theorem that states it would take more resources than there are in the universe.
Reality is chaotic and contingent. So are we in some ways.
I can see the logic in determinism – that we are now a complete p…[Read more]
-
jakelafort replied to the topic Some thoughts on the p-zombie idea in the forum Science 2 hours, 45 minutes ago
I more or less agree with Unseen and Robert although i was distracted while listening to the Dennett video. I did listen carefully some time ago when he explained his version of compatibilism. I see why Harris and he parted on this issue.
-
_Robert_ replied to the topic Some thoughts on the p-zombie idea in the forum Science 2 hours, 57 minutes ago
Dennett redefines free will so that it no longer involves a truly free choice among alternatives and can thus be made compatible with the truths of science. So, he accepts determinism, but limits its scope so that it stops at the door of morality. He makes the reality of free will depend on our need for morality rather than the…
-
Unseen replied to the topic Some thoughts on the p-zombie idea in the forum Science 3 hours, 45 minutes ago
Dennett redefines free will so that it no longer involves a truly free choice among alternatives and can thus be made compatible with the truths of science. So, he accepts determinism, but limits its scope so that it stops at the door of morality.
He makes the reality of free will depend on our need for morality rather than the other way around.…[Read more]
-
TheEncogitationer replied to the topic Some thoughts on the p-zombie idea in the forum Science 3 hours, 58 minutes ago
Fellow Unbelievers,
Wouldn’t positively asserting that everyone but yourself is a mere meat shell without rational consciousness just put the burden of proof on Determinists all the more?
-
TheEncogitationer replied to the topic Sunday School May 5th 2024. in the forum Sunday School 4 hours, 2 minutes ago
Robert,
That is a very resourceful and ingenius way to test a sketchy gun! Glad to hear that your Enfield stands up after all those years and all that it was no doubt put through in World War II. In these “interesting times,” people may need more guns like that.
-
_Robert_ replied to the topic Some thoughts on the p-zombie idea in the forum Science 8 hours, 3 minutes ago
I agree with a chain of causes going back a big bang, but I do wonder sometimes. Given the current state of the universe is there is really only one path forward? Is there an element of randomness involved? Some chaos in our future experiences. You can trace causality backwards, but can you really predict it forwards? The arrow of time…[Read more]
-
Simon Paynton replied to the topic Some thoughts on the p-zombie idea in the forum Science 12 hours, 30 minutes ago
More true is that everything that happens on the level of human experience happens due to proximate causes, not due to The Big Bang.
It’s also shaped by evolution. Evolutionary psychology recognises two kinds of motivation: ultimate and proximate; or, evolutionary pressures and psychological pressures. Ancient humans said, “I n…[Read more]
-
Simon Paynton replied to the topic Some thoughts on the p-zombie idea in the forum Science 12 hours, 36 minutes ago
My cat can choose to eat the food I put out or, in her kitty cat way, tell me she wants something else. So, by the standard you are using, my cat must have free will and then be morally responsible for killing mice.
What about when your cat tries to decide whether to go out or not? They can spend ages trying to make their mind…[Read more]
-
Unseen replied to the topic Some thoughts on the p-zombie idea in the forum Science 23 hours, 33 minutes ago
Just a thought: Dennett rescues the notion of free will by diminishing it. I think that most people who value free will are going to find Dennett’s free will less than fully satisfying.
- Load More