If there is a discovery of a new dimension that allows ghosts to interact with us, then the scientific community would be very excited to explore that.
Right, just like doctors were enthusiastic about washing their hands to stop the spread of germs…
In our November 1958 issue, in his essay “The Crisis of American Masculinity,” he wrote, “Only a few people at any time in human history have enjoyed the challenge of ‘making’ themselves; most have fled from the unendurable burden of freedom into the womblike security of the group.
If your only argument is that you can’t definitively disprove God, so I have to respect people who think God is real, that’s a pathetic argument and is yet another testament of poor intellectual standards.
Phew! Am I glad that’s not my only argument!
My argument is you should stop being…disrespectful. I’m an atheist, too. Not respecting people because they believe unproveable things is misanthropic. You might as well believe everyone human on earth is deserving of disrespect, including yourself.
The alternative is respecting everyone because they’re human. That’s it. That’s my whole argument. Disrespecting others for their religious or superstitious beliefs is basically anti-social and misanthropic. There’s value to be found in beliefs you don’t agree with. And if you think there’s not, then it’s your beliefs that shouldn’t be respected.
I’m not sure how you can argue that an art degree should be paid for out of pocket when memes are rampant across the internet. Are memes somehow subtracting from society?? Really?
My question, even though it by definition might make affirming answerers question whether they are pariahs or a part of the cultural arena, is why does nobody agree? Why are cultures “always precious” while cults are “always suspicious”?
Imho, because there’s really no consistent methodology applied to the analysis of cults or culture used by regular people. I’m sure there is considerable lap between the analysis of Scientology and the analysis of Islam as cults that use a particular theory of cults to do that analysis. But for regular people discussing cults vs culture, I think it’s important to ask how they define both.
I’d donate a quarter for 4 years to my city to create a biking network, with some smaller portion donated after the 4 years for maintenance.
I’d almost certainly help the local schools get up to date teaching materials and try to supplement their income by literally just gifting them money. There’s only around 1000 teachers in my city, so it wouldn’t be too hard to do that.
Obviously myself a senator and representative.
Then idk. Get a personal chef and personal trainer?
Human constructs are of monumental importance in many cases. Some of us are dedicated to fighting the construct of authoritarianism, for example, while others are dedicated to being authoritarian. Both provide meaning and purpose and can drive and direct the lives of whole nations to some extent.
Don’t underestimate the power of human constructs. They’re incredibly important to us.