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Dry_vby
Skeptic Friend
Australia
249 Posts |
 Posted - 08/09/2005 : 15:31:32 [Permalink]
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Rejoice every one.
I've been converted.
I have had an epiphany.
God came to me in a vision last night and spake to me and said that it was all right for me to be a skeptic.
Now I don't have to worry about not having anything to beleive in. |
"I'll go along with the charade
Until I can think my way out.
I know it was all a big joke
Whatever it was about."
Bob Dylan
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ergo123
BANNED
USA
810 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2006 : 14:16:41 [Permalink]
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DaveW said: "The [fense sitting] metaphor is just about belief, and not about activism."
I don't get why a skeptic would want to change what a person thinks. I can understand wanting to change how a person thinks. But it seems central to the notion of a skeptic is not any particular belief on any particular isse--but rather the approach they take to all issues. |
No witty quotes. I think for myself. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2006 : 15:45:03 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by ergo123
I don't get why a skeptic would want to change what a person thinks. I can understand wanting to change how a person thinks. But it seems central to the notion of a skeptic is not any particular belief on any particular isse--but rather the approach they take to all issues.
That's pretty much what I'm talking about in the rest of my posts in this thread. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Neurosis
SFN Regular
USA
675 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2006 : 17:42:50 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by ergo123
DaveW said: "The [fense sitting] metaphor is just about belief, and not about activism."
I don't get why a skeptic would want to change what a person thinks. I can understand wanting to change how a person thinks. But it seems central to the notion of a skeptic is not any particular belief on any particular isse--but rather the approach they take to all issues.
Would you want to change how an islamic (or christian or any other religion) extremist thinks? What if they thought is was okay to murder infidels, or bomb abortion clinics, or do any other destructive activity? |
Facts! Pssh, you can prove anything even remotely true with facts.
- Homer Simpson
[God] is an infinite nothing from nowhere with less power over our universe than the secretary of agriculture.
- Prof. Frink
Lisa: Yes, but wouldn't you rather know the truth than to delude yourself for happiness?
Marge: Well... um.... [goes outside to jump on tampoline with Homer.] |
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Neurosis
SFN Regular
USA
675 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2006 : 17:57:17 [Permalink]
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People should care about what others think and how they think. No one should actively try and force people to think like them, but everyone should encourage thought. It is important to teach others how to think and to check other people's remarks.
It is far too common for people in this information age to spread memes around without a second thought. Since most do not investigate the claims they hear and simply pass them on unchecked the result is instant dispersal throughout the population of shady information, which at that point is harder to correct than it was to spread.
The "battlefield" we are talking about will have an outcome one way or the other regardless of whether I or anyone else participates. There is no black and white dichotomy of the issue (not exclusively anyway). Whether you agree with one position or the other or even have a totally different view, it still remains necessary to have a view on the issue (especially the ones that have an impact on our children, government, and society).
There is no need to have an opinion on whether Pluto is a planet or not, but it is vital to understand Stem Cell research as that may hold a cure for untold diseases. And also it matters whether you (a voter) understand the theory of evolution since it is playing a major role in politics currently. Also many issues will probably make the news in a few more years and should be understood as well.
The fact is, someone has to stand for truth and reason, and my opinion happens to be that we all need to stand for truth and reason. |
Facts! Pssh, you can prove anything even remotely true with facts.
- Homer Simpson
[God] is an infinite nothing from nowhere with less power over our universe than the secretary of agriculture.
- Prof. Frink
Lisa: Yes, but wouldn't you rather know the truth than to delude yourself for happiness?
Marge: Well... um.... [goes outside to jump on tampoline with Homer.] |
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ergo123
BANNED
USA
810 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2006 : 04:59:48 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Neurosis
quote:
Originally posted by ergo123
DaveW said: "The [fense sitting] metaphor is just about belief, and not about activism."
I don't get why a skeptic would want to change what a person thinks. I can understand wanting to change how a person thinks. But it seems central to the notion of a skeptic is not any particular belief on any particular isse--but rather the approach they take to all issues.
Would you want to change how an islamic (or christian or any other religion) extremist thinks? What if they thought is was okay to murder infidels, or bomb abortion clinics, or do any other destructive activity?
I would want to change how those people behave. And to do that you need to change the way they process information and form a pov.
If you focus on changing what they think, you have to continually monitor what they think. If you change how they think, your work is done (at least for them). |
No witty quotes. I think for myself. |
| Edited by - ergo123 on 10/10/2006 05:01:03 |
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wombatwal
New Member
Australia
20 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2006 : 16:05:44 [Permalink]
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I have just returned from a 4 day camping trip and we were debating around the camp fire. The subject came to Climate Change.
One bloke thought it was all rubbish and one woman thought it was all true and man was causing all of this change and warming.
Well I was taking a sceptical view of both sides and I was accused of fence sitting. What I was trying to do was to get them both to logically think their stances and use rational thinking instead of dogma. |
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