"But why limit your definition of empathy to one negative emotion, fear? Have you never felt joy or goosebumps when you identify with someone else having positive feelings? Or when you have, what would you call it, other than empathy?"
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Unseen
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An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist
Started this discussion. Last reply by Pope Beanie 2 hours ago. 79 Replies 1 Like
When it comes to value theory (ethics and aesthetics) one has a binary choice. Either such value judgments as "This is good/bad" or "That is beautiful/not beautiful" are true or they are not. But…Continue
Tags: morals, ethics, relativism, absolutism
Why is America so special?
Started this discussion. Last reply by Unseen 6 hours ago. 41 Replies 2 Likes
As dismal as the picture promoted by the GOP seems, actually the United States' recovery is head and shoulders above other countries and economies in the world, though don't expect President Obama's…Continue
New theory of cosmic origin implies no Big Bang
Started this discussion. Last reply by Michael 9 hours ago. 54 Replies 2 Likes
And this one is actually published in a peer reviewed journal.Read about it in plain English, though,…Continue
Dealing with prostitution
Started this discussion. Last reply by Unseen on Tuesday. 108 Replies 2 Likes
I actually worked in the softcore end of the porn industry for about 15 years as a photographer, and one of the things I learned would be counterintuitive to many people: Most of the models I worked…Continue
Tags: slavery, exploitation, sexual, feminism, criminalization
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Unseen replied to Unseen's discussion 'An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist'"If I see that someone else is enjoying the monkeys at the zoo as am I, would never call that empathy, even as I say to him "These monkeys are hilarious!" The way the word is used is in the context of tragic or unpleasant circumstances in…"
Pope Beanie replied to Unseen's discussion 'An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist'"I'm not rejecting ethical/moral relativism."
Pope Beanie replied to Unseen's discussion 'An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist'"Okay, but the kind of empathy I think is most significant is the kind that communicates not only from fear, but from pleasure, and even at a physical perspective like watching someone perform in Olympics, or having a pet cuddle with you.
Is there a…"
Unseen replied to Unseen's discussion 'An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist'"If science defines empathy a certain way, it's not empathy, it's "empathy." In everyday life, we don't run to science for definitions of basic terms. We learn language in everyday life.
At the same time, when we use terms…"
Unseen replied to Unseen's discussion 'An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist'"Definition of empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
There aren't really any substantively different definitions empathy.
You can't empathize without having experienced something sufficiently similar to the…"
Unseen replied to Unseen's discussion 'An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist'"I think if we reject a cultural and ethical/moral relativism, then we have to start thinking of, for example, the Greeks as bad people who did bad things. To me, that's absurd. It's the fallacy of presentism. It seems to me that if we…"
Pope Beanie replied to Unseen's discussion 'An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist'"Scientific definitions of empathy are actually coming up for consideration. One of the most basic forms, e.g. a mother's empathy for her offspring, is a somewhat measurable quantity in brain scans and hormone levels.
It's more than just a…"
Simon Paynton replied to Unseen's discussion 'An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist'"I'm not sure how you define empathy. There seem to be a lot of different meanings of the word. I take it to mean the awareness of another person's internal state, and possibly feeling the same feelings as them. In that…"
Pope Beanie replied to Unseen's discussion 'An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist'"I think empathy is a good view to start from, with the ultimate goal to not impose one's expression of attitude onto others, especially when it incurs a permanent disfiguration or psychological trauma, and there's a chance the victim would…"
Unseen replied to Unseen's discussion 'Why is America so special?'"If you go to http://www.cnn.com/go you can watch just about any cnn show anytime, though I don't know how far back their library goes and how long you have to wait for a show on today to end up there. You might have to look for today's GPS…"
Unseen replied to Unseen's discussion 'An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist'"since facts are universal and objective (not relative and subjective) you have reversed your titular thesis, as well as your claim that moral judgements cannot be factual.
I don't see it that way. A moral choice based on the fact of I…"
Pope Beanie replied to Unseen's discussion 'Why is America so special?'"That's one show I miss the most, going without cable.
I'll have to see if they've made podcasts any easier (i.e. not just for ipods), recently."
Gallup's Mirror replied to Unseen's discussion 'An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist'"We've covered this already. Ethics describes the best ways for humans to live. It is absolute that humans need air, food and water, therefore a moral based on that premise is true for one and all, no matter what culture or eon they live in."
Profile Information
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- Atheist
- About Me:
- MA in Philosophy. I call myself an atheistic agnostic. In other words, I'm atheist until someone proves I'm wrong.
- Age
- 65-70
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- Single
- Why are you here?
- I followed a link on twitter
- The religion you left
- Christian
- Why you left your religion.
- Strangely, you don't include the most obvious answer: God doesn't appear to exist, even as a possibility.
- How did you hear about Think Atheist?
- followed a link I saw on twitter
Unseen's Blog
Scientists are now admitting that nuclear power is greener than other alternatives
Posted on January 8, 2015 at 12:29pm 37 Comments 1 Like
A great number of paradoxes, starting with Scroedinger's cat
Posted on April 18, 2014 at 8:00pm 1 Comment 3 Likes
I'm sorry, but I had to stop listening to this bit at about the fourth paradox due to being out of breath from laughing. How long can you last?
Famous last words. No...really!
Posted on February 6, 2014 at 6:30pm 2 Comments 1 Like
I found a website where Texas lists every capital execution from 1982 on. One of the more interesting things about it is that it includes any last statements the prisoners made. Interesting reading. Lots of "foxhole converts" among them, I note.
OBAMACARE Is Better Than You Think
Posted on September 24, 2013 at 11:40am 1 Comment 0 Likes
In just one week the main part of Obamacare will begin to kick in. This is the state level exchanges that will allow the uninsured to be covered. Beginning on October 1, people will be able to sign up to get insurance in their state regardless of their health.
Most people signing up on the exchanges will qualify for subsidies based on their income and family size. This means that the cost of insurance will be less than the advertised price.
This is good…
ContinueComment Wall (21 comments)
- At 3:26pm on December 14, 2014,
Virgil said… You and I got off to a bad start and I almost gave up on AT cuz of it. I'm glad I didn't. Amazing how much you and I agree on besides views on how jobs are created, the meaning of wealth and what produces it. All of that I believe about those things are from my personal experience in the past 5 years since becoming a civilian. I believe in them more today than ever before but all that is teeny minor crap compared to my core convictions. The main reason I argued with you about that was the wrong reason to to argue. I was offended on a personal level by things you said and I gave into that & put my anger ahead of reason.
Interrogation. Please point out any errors in you see in my reasoning.... (why ask, you'll do it even if I don't ask hahahaha!)
my last tour 2009 in Afgh I was a E4, a corporal, just one tiny small guy the big picture. When I heard this report was coming out I thought "oh shit! This is going to get nasty!" But wait... "nasty" is a relative term. As a war vet, my idea of nasty in regards to what could have been in that report is waaaaaaaaay different from Joe Civilian's definition of nasty. In fact my definition of nasty info on EIT would be impossible for him to wrap his head around and not break out in a chicken little dance.
There's no damned way Feinstein & the others with that report know less about EIT than I do unless the CIA and armed forces have been totally lying to them. That's just not possible.
I've read all I can find for details, watched TV for the hot talking points and I have come to the conclusion that whole report just about has to be a psyop to cover ALLLLLLLLL the shit guys like me know and all the shit guys like me don't know. For me there hasn't been ONE DETAIL in that report that was newsy or nasty. I really feel what's going on is a well planned magician's trick that starts off with him saying, "watch me cut off my right hand" to distract everyone IN THE WORLD while they sneak a 60 ton plaid elephant across the stage.
This isn't a conspiracy theory about some secret plot from the Obama white house. This is a theory about possibly pulling off a great Intel move to benefit the very people and programs that it's supposed to be making the focus of world wide outrage.
But wait. There's more.
There were things in that report that were totally ridiculous and almost funny when you thin about them. ONLY dummasses would fall for some of the shit AND the media and none of the "experts" have even tried to point the silly shit out.
Think. The report says next to no vital intel has been obtained through EIT. It says most of the intel obtained is lies told under torture. I don't recall ONE time in my whole 22 months in Afgh when we were told, "get your guns and let's go find some bad guys to shoot." Every time we did anything se went out to specific places looking at specific times, to look for specific people, specific things and act like we were just dumb gyrines who didn't know what we were looking for. One time we did a four hour search on a small 6 house village before "noticing" the exact item we'd been shown satellite images of sitting right in our way the whole time. Sooooo where did that intel come from? The pentagon must be using psychics and have consult fortune tellers. ........... That's just one example. One time we were rushed out to set up a fake road check, told what car to look for, who would be in it and make sure its 4 tires were blown out 1 km before the road block so the occupants would have to get out and walk after all traffic on the road was stopped to prevent them from hitching rides. When we go the guys back to base there were interesting guys there. After a staged accidental explosion the 3
- At 9:06pm on September 19, 2014,
Davis Goodman said… Can't believe we weren't official friends here all this time!!!!
- At 3:34am on September 2, 2014,
Demetrius Alcala said… You stole CBS
- At 7:51am on August 10, 2014,
Brandon Bissell said… Yeah thanks. I was hoping to talk to you about something so I'll send a message soon.
- At 10:30pm on March 25, 2014,
Justin said… ah yes Im new to it, thank u
- At 2:58am on March 25, 2014,
EMil Wentzel said… Thanks :)
I'm still feeling my way around, glad to see so many wonderful positive and active voices here :)
- At 11:56am on February 7, 2014,
Reg The Fronkey Farmer said… Thanks for the add Unseen. We took long enough lol...
- At 2:46pm on August 30, 2013,
Beth said… Nice to meet you too!
- At 3:45pm on May 22, 2013,
Asura said… Yeah i'am new here, seems like an amazing place :D
Thank you!
- At 4:25am on March 3, 2013,
Gregg R Thomas said… You Tyrant You. LOL
Oh well at least we now have Richard Bohn, I wonder how long he will last. :D
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Ladies will dominate the night - UFC 184
Started by Belle Rose in Small Talk. Last reply by Belle Rose 2 hours ago. 12 Replies 1 Like
An atheist has to be a moral/ethical relativist
Started by Unseen in Philosophy. Last reply by Pope Beanie 2 hours ago. 79 Replies 1 Like
It Seems Like Yahweh WANTS Sin To Occur
Started by Peter in Religion and the Religious, Atheism and Atheists. Last reply by Ed 2 hours ago. 4 Replies 0 Likes
Why is America so special?
Started by Unseen in Politics, Economics, Civil and Reproductive Rights, International Conflicts. Last reply by Unseen 6 hours ago. 41 Replies 2 Likes
New theory of cosmic origin implies no Big Bang
Started by Unseen in Physics, Astronomy, Cosmology. Last reply by Michael 9 hours ago. 54 Replies 2 Likes
Events
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Kids Logic
Posted by Mai on February 28, 2015 at 5:33am 3 Comments 1 Like
Forever Cursed
Posted by Nerdy Keith on February 25, 2015 at 8:00pm 4 Comments 2 Likes
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