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Post by LorrB on Oct 15, 2010 14:06:41 GMT 9.5
In this age of skepticism, we are skeptical about everything except the skepticism itself. We have put all our faith in skepticism and doubt all else. Is it a wise course of action? Is there a truth out there? Our mind doubts everything except its own capability to find the truth. We have put all our faith in our limited and doubting mind and doubt that there is anything greater than our limited power of intellect. Are we than any better than a common beast of burden? Even a dog has put its full faith in its limited mind and in its ignorance; it thinks it’s a top of creation. That’s why it remains to be a dog! In India, they catch monkeys by putting few seeds in a pitcher with a narrow neck, while monkey is watching. As soon as no one is around, monkey darts and grabs the seeds in a pitcher but now with a clenched fist it cannot get hand out of a pitcher. It will not let go because its mind will not let him. This is what mind does – it plants the seed of doubt through its endless analyzing, fragmenting and splintering of the simple truth, while in all its wisdom it remains completely oblivious of its own limitations. It’s a great mistake to think that mind is the top of evolution because it is not. The soul is! Without soul, the mind would be a dead piece of matter.
-- Daniel Srsa
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Post by paul on Oct 15, 2010 14:11:38 GMT 9.5
I was thinking yesterday about a thread on scepticism.
An optimistic outlook improves human biological process and health so sceptics risk reduced lifespan.
So what benefit is there from looking dubiously at everything that is contrary to one's expectations or beliefs?
Such a benefit must outweigh the potential for reduced lifespan or is a reduced lifespan attractive for the sceptical?
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Post by mgc on Oct 15, 2010 20:43:14 GMT 9.5
what is wrong with that? if we wouldnt be at least a little critical, wouldnt we be swamped by ppl trying to trick us?
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Post by paul on Oct 15, 2010 21:54:46 GMT 9.5
Skepticism is a predisposition to reject new or uncomfortable propositions.
Testing propositions without prejudice might be more reliable.
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Post by LorrB on Oct 16, 2010 15:55:59 GMT 9.5
I am rather skeptical about some of our medical treatments, and I was skeptical about mercury fillings over 30 years ago...
I guess if we find ourselves a bit skeptical about something, it might pay us to just do a bit of research on it and then decide. The Internet is a great help to us in this regard. It gives all points of view etc and can take us as far as our interest in the subject warrants.
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Post by coach on Oct 16, 2010 22:17:06 GMT 9.5
Definition of SKEPTICISM 1: an attitude of doubt or a disposition to incredulity either in general or toward a particular object 2a : the doctrine that true knowledge or knowledge in a particular area is uncertain b : the method of suspended judgment, systematic doubt, or criticism characteristic of skeptics 3: doubt concerning basic religious principles (as immortality, providence, and revelation) Examples of SKEPTICISM She regarded the researcher's claims with skepticism. It's good to maintain a healthy skepticism about fad diets. First Known Use of SKEPTICISM 1646 Related to SKEPTICISM Synonyms: distrust, distrustfulness, dubiety, dubitation [archaic], incertitude, misdoubt, misgiving, mistrust, mistrustfulness, query, reservation, doubt, suspicion, uncertainty Antonyms: assurance, belief, certainty, certitude, confidence, conviction, sureness, surety, trust The core of skepticism is DOUBT (uncertainty) Doubt is an emotion. It occurs when what is before us does not match what we have come to know as true. It is an indication (AKA: MESSAGE) that this duality of reality exists and tells us that we are faced with reconciling that duality by whatever means we use to validate what is before us or what is within us. - If what is before us is discovered to be true, then we internalize this in model form as a future comparative reference.
- If what is before us is found to be false, then we reject it based upon our findings and re-enforce the internally existing reference.
- If we find that there are differences but there are also similarities, our finding are internalized and our internal reference is adjusted/modified accordingly for future comparisons.
There is nothing unhealthy, dysfunctional or abnormal about properly placed skepticism. Lack of this type of skepticism is actually an indication of abnormality, unhealthiness and dysfunction. What is problematic are dysfunctional and unhealthy methods used to compare the inner model with the outer reality. Denial, justification and dismissal of things that do not match the inner model causes undue harm for both the individual doing so and those negatively impacted by their wrongly conclusive actions thereafter. This is why there have been numerous studies into what comparison methods work where typical tendencies may lead us to false conclusions. - Studying these studies,
- understanding the techniques that are best in obtaining results that have the least problematic biasing
- and implementing each when one is "doubt-filled"
allows a person to obtain a sounder grasp upon the reality he or she has come to know is true. It also helps others who have come to know reality differently be able to understand why doubt exists between conflicting peoples. Coach
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Post by Henka on Oct 17, 2010 5:22:34 GMT 9.5
A bit of skepticism is healthy, and necessary. One needs to follow a rational and coherent epistemology when exploring these things, otherwise one is open to deception or illogical conclusions.
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Post by Henka on Oct 17, 2010 5:41:55 GMT 9.5
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one.--George Bernard Shaw
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Post by paul on Oct 17, 2010 5:59:47 GMT 9.5
When navigating in an unknown urban area with poor signage I find it useful to have two theories as to where I am. Having a fallback theory enables me to make quick decisions when I become disoriented by the failure of the first theory.
Perhaps holding several world views simultaneously increases the chances of recognising Reality
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Post by paul on Oct 17, 2010 6:05:01 GMT 9.5
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one.--George Bernard Shaw The skeptic is just as prejudiced as the believer. Which then is sober? Surely there is at least one human able to perceive without the filter of skepticism or belief?
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Post by Henka on Oct 17, 2010 10:58:33 GMT 9.5
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one.--George Bernard Shaw The skeptic is just as prejudiced as the believer. Which then is sober? Surely there is at least one human able to perceive without the filter of skepticism or belief? One's mind shouldn't be so open that one's brain falls out.
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Post by Henka on Oct 17, 2010 11:00:13 GMT 9.5
When navigating in an unknown urban area with poor signage I find it useful to have two theories as to where I am. Having a fallback theory enables me to make quick decisions when I become disoriented by the failure of the first theory. Perhaps holding several world views simultaneously increases the chances of recognising Reality I tend to ask directions. Perhaps an objective apprehension of reality allows one to perceive it as it truly is?
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Post by LorrB on Oct 17, 2010 11:04:21 GMT 9.5
When navigating in an unknown urban area with poor signage I find it useful to have two theories as to where I am. Having a fallback theory enables me to make quick decisions when I become disoriented by the failure of the first theory. Perhaps holding several world views simultaneously increases the chances of recognising Reality I must admit to being skeptical about the official version of the moon landings. I have come to the conclusion that they probably did land on the moon, I don't think that many people could keep such a huge secret for such a long time even to their deathbeds. However, I think that maybe the images we received were perhaps manufactured. But I might change my mind again sooner or later Talking about which, most of the astronauts saw UFO's while 'up there' - if we believe them when they say they landed on the moon, why would there be skepticism about the sightings they reported?
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Post by paul on Oct 17, 2010 11:19:31 GMT 9.5
I must admit to being skeptical about the official version of the moon landings. See Alternative Three en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_3Many years later the writer said that while he made up the plot, ever after his phone was tapped. See also Projekt Saucer
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Post by paul on Oct 17, 2010 11:21:12 GMT 9.5
I tend to ask directions. That is certainly useful in the physical world but less so in the inner worlds. See for example the decades the spiritualists spent at the turn of the 20th century learning to distinguish lying spirits.
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Post by paul on Oct 17, 2010 11:26:47 GMT 9.5
And here was I thinking that skeptics thought that the mind was only an artifact of physical brain activity.
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Post by coach on Oct 17, 2010 21:46:52 GMT 9.5
I tend to ask directions. That is certainly useful in the physical world but less so in the inner worlds. See for example the decades the spiritualists spent at the turn of the 20th century learning to distinguish lying spirits. As do other "professionals" such as criminologist, managers, judges, psychologists, attorneys, behavioral theorists, engineers and a host of others who can detect when the spirit of lying is alive and well and churning up havoc within person or groups of people. Asking for directions leads to lots of information from people who have done the work, accumulated the data and have repeatable results to show. They also have years of training that show them how to do all this.
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Post by coach on Oct 17, 2010 23:12:12 GMT 9.5
And here was I thinking that skeptics thought that the mind was only an artifact of physical brain activity. Would your statement be considered an example of stereotyping skeptics? or perhaps skeptical sterotyping? Is your use of the word "artifact" in your example designed to dismiss? merely explain? or share your opinion of what others thought? I thought an artifact was something that was man-made. How does "mind" in other creatures get explained?
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Post by LorrB on Oct 18, 2010 8:22:05 GMT 9.5
Mind and thoughts are sometimes confused. All is Mind. (Some people are thoughtless, or appear that way.)
If All is Mind then animals are the same as us.. we are animals, and animals do repeatedly demonstrate to us that they have the capicity to think.... the one that springs instantly to mind is how some animals act to gether to corral their intended victim/s.
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Post by LorrB on Oct 18, 2010 8:23:20 GMT 9.5
I tend to ask directions. Henka, you're a woman?
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