Comments by decius

Comment #252019 by decius on September 22, 2008 at 12:47 pm

Comment #252003 by hawt4dawk

....Decius wondering about his disgust at the rich.

Good post, just a minor quibble: I didn't mean to express disgust at the rich, as I clarified later in the thread - my problem is with extreme inequality, only.

302. When Atheists Attack

Comment #252011 by decius on September 22, 2008 at 12:41 pm

Comment #251999 by AtheistJon

and only left wing Palin haters should be allowed to post here.

I think you are a reasonable and nice fellow, but when you use this black-and-white rhetoric and partake in demagoguery a la Fox News, you really do a disservice to yourself.

Harris has written an articulate piece where he lays out an objective critique of Palin. Those who agree with him have, for the most part, posted reasonable comments which by no mean imply hate, nor did they exceed the boundaries of normal discourse and political commentary.

In case you missed it, earlier in this thread you shall find my reply to your comment of yesterday night.

Cheers

303. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251997 by decius on September 22, 2008 at 12:18 pm

Comment #251981 by Steve Zara

However, continuing to post on a site gives tactic support to such views unless they are robustly rejected by others...I don't know what the solution is, but ignoring him is not going to work.

Not necessarily. Anyone can see that Fanusi is a single-issue poster and that his ideas are impervious to revision.
Debate is useless when it becomes apparent that the two sides cannot be reconciled. After years of this back-and-forth, agreeing to disagree seems to be the obvious solution.
In fact, continuously challenging Fanusi just seems to encourage him to post endless repetitions.

304. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251979 by decius on September 22, 2008 at 12:01 pm

H4D,

welcome back.

No, I am not Sarah Palin. If I had to perform a drag act, I would pick Madame Curie or Valeria Messalina.

305. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251973 by decius on September 22, 2008 at 11:55 am

I don't really have the right to act as a topic-nazi, having being guilty of derailing threads more than once.

However, the islamic threat issue is omnipresent on this site. I'd suggest that we confine it to the relevant threads, before it suffocate all other conversations allowing its depressing contents to affect the general mood in a negative way.

It seems to me a fair and reasonable request.

306. Ancient underwater reef found in SA's Flinders Ranges

Comment #251929 by decius on September 22, 2008 at 10:52 am

Comment #251917 by Steve Zara

Indeed.

The original hypothesis postulating global thick glaciation (Hard Snowball) has already fallen out of favour even among many of its original proponents, though.
The re-formulation assumes the presence of thin tropical sea ice - I think the discovery that you mentioned is compatible with this interpretation.

Personally, I've never been very convinced by the hypothesis. The alleged layer of ice seems to retreat and thin out at every new discovery.

A sort of Ice of the Gaps. :)

307. Ancient underwater reef found in SA's Flinders Ranges

Comment #251914 by decius on September 22, 2008 at 10:20 am

Interesting, even though the article is written with great incompetence.

The events described took place in the Precambrian, or more properly, during the Neoproterozoic era.

There is an ongoing heated debate about the true extension of the glaciations mentioned in the article, which took place during the Neoproterozoic's geologic period known as the Cryogenian. This discovery should settle the controversy and establish whether the famous Snowball Earth hypothesis has any merit.

308. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251891 by decius on September 22, 2008 at 9:49 am

Comment #251887 by Steve Zara

I suspect that for all his many faults, Robertson supports the idea of general human rights and civilization.

His beliefs are chequered.

309. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251741 by decius on September 22, 2008 at 2:44 am

Comment #251673 by robotaholic

I try to be objective, and it is obvious that Sam Harris is smearing Palin because he doesn't at all mention when Obama makes the same mistakes. For example, he states that "Palin has spent her entire adult life immersed in this apocalyptic hysteria

None of this makes anything of what Harris said a lie or propaganda.

And no, you are not being objective.

310. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251740 by decius on September 22, 2008 at 2:42 am

AtheistJohn

Yes, it's Post-Modernism.

We both live in Finland. :)

I resent European snobs and liberal American elitists who think that all of those politically opposed to them, especially American Republicans are automatically "disgusting", or somehow automatically Christian idiots with an inability to act "civilized".

I apologise for the lack of clarity. I have no problem with people for their political affiliations, indeed many of my friends are conservatives. I tend to avoid the company of overly religious and superstitious people, though - you could probably file that under intellectual elitism, I suppose.

My remark was directed at types of society where economical disparities are extreme, and I don't resent wealth per se. I think universal medical care and a degree of social welfare are indeed a cornerstone of civilisation, and I base this judgement both on humanistic and utilitarian considerations.

I agree with most of your snapshot of Europe and Finland.
I am sure that you realise that high taxes are necessary to provide all those services. Undoubtedly, a lot of tax money is wasted, but rather that than leaving the poor and the sick to fend for themselves.
This brings enormous benefits to the society at large: just compare prison population rates between Finland and the US for the most obvious one.

311. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251613 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 6:11 pm

Comment #251596 by AtheistJon

So, decius, are you an advocate of the wonderful successful and enlightened socialist democracies and leftist parties of Europe?

Well, I am not really an advocate of the leftist parties of Europe. In fact I am very critical of party systems as they are, because they tend to favour cronyism and impede meritocracy, thus stagnating progress.
While I am politically to the left of the spectrum, I also deeply dissent with some recent intellectual downfalls of the European left and its fascination with PoMo and emasculated multiculturalism.

Nevertheless, I currently live in a Scandinavian social-democracy after many years spent under various political systems during extensive travelling and permanence abroad. That gave me the opportunity to compare the standard of living of many countries. Those systems include a couple of right-wing dictatorships and several communist ones.

I don't have a recipe for the US, but the impression I gathered there is that far too many people live in abject poverty and unassisted, while a tiny minority is filthy rich. I find that disgusting and contrary to the very concept of civilisation. Even though I am personally in no need of social assistance, I would never swap places, as a matter of principle.

312. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251594 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 5:32 pm

Comment #251588 by DarwinsPitbull

The first three points represent a slight moderation with regard to unbridled neo-liberism and to marginal details of foreign policy. By no means they erode or overturn American doctrine within a socialist framework.

Of course we can't forget the biggest marx philosophy of wealth redistribution. That is Obama's economic corner stone.

ROTFL

313. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251581 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 5:02 pm

Comment #251576 by DarwinsPitbull

You made the claim, you have the burden to show these alleged similarities, if you want to convince anyone.

From a European perspective, and by all standards of fair political analysis, you have two right-wing candidates whose programmes do not even come close to a social-democratic model, left alone a marxist one. Not just in this election, but historically, the US don't have a major left-wing party.

314. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251570 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 4:48 pm

Comment #251565 by DarwinsPitbull

You wouldn't know a marxist if he bit you, and please, spare us this absurd Mccarthyistic rhetoric.

315. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251557 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 4:04 pm

Comment #251556 by Enlightenme..

I have never been a big fan of Shermer's, although I am involved with the sceptical movement. However, do you remember why he was indirectly criticised?

316. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251545 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 3:32 pm

Comment #251539 by robotaholic

This 'piece' is full of lies, propaganda, and smears.

Please, indicate them.

317. Look Who's Irrational Now

Comment #251536 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 3:09 pm

Comment #251527 by jamesstephenbrown

The person who wrote this article needs to try and understand what a belief and a non-belief are. Bill Maher, NOT- believing in western medicine is a NON-belief, it is a sign that he is skeptical about western medicine, and is completely in line with being skeptical about other things like God.

Sorry, but this statement is an epistemological and semantic mess.

Not believing in western medicine equals denying science and evidence-based research, while there is nothing scientific about a belief in the supernatural.

Scepticism toward the supernatural is part of Scientific Scepticism and/or Philosophical Scepticism.

That is unless you are an epistemological sceptic (aka a fucking post-modernist), in which case you are entitled to your wrong statement, but you find yourself in the wrong site. :)

318. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251523 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 2:45 pm

Comment #251521 by ggab7768

Do you have the 7th? Also, a couple of his overtures are pretty good, namely Egmont and Coriolanus.

319. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251516 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 2:37 pm

Comment #251505 by Enlightenme..

It probably arrived with the vegetables.

Why do you have to kill it? Make it climb on a piece of paper, if you don't want to touch it, and put it outside.

320. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251511 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 2:32 pm

Comment #251501 by Sargeist

I used to listen to punk rock and heavy metal in the late seventies and early eighties, then got fed up with the whole edifice pretty soon.
A while ago, out of curiosity, I checked what was new on the scene, and I found it uninspired and even more boring than what came earlier. Well, according to my personal taste, at any rate.

321. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251497 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 2:23 pm

Comment #251494 by Sargeist

Their album "Satanic Black Devotion" is particularly good

Thanks, I'd rather listen to a chainsaw accompanying a sledge-hammer, they are less repetitive. :)

322. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251482 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 2:03 pm

Comment #251478 by ggab7768

Of course it is not the only bad thing, given that we are speaking generally of a variety of substances, each with its unique characteristics.
Still, it is when people get addicted in a bad way to some personality-altering drugs, that they may pose a problem to society.

Yet, this discussion started in a very simplistic way with silly blanket statements, so there is no real need to get into detail until we have cleared up the crudest misconceptions.

323. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251473 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 1:48 pm

Comment #251471 by Titania

Sorry, it appears that I made a Freudian slip.

324. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251470 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 1:44 pm

Comment #251467 by ggab7768

That list is much longer than the list of people who do bad things on drugs.

I appreciate that yours is a joke, yet it is untrue.
It is a very small minority of drug users who fall into toxicomania, and among those not all become criminals or do harm others.

325. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251464 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 1:37 pm

Comment #251453 by Sargeist

I expect I would be shown to be wrong.

Here is a short and incomplete list of people who used drugs recreationally and to stimulate their creativity. Much of their work was done under the influence.

# Alexander Dumas, Author - "The Three Musketeers"
# Arthur Rimbaud.
# Balzac Honore de.
# Carl Sagan
# Charles Beaudelaire, Author.
# Dr Francis Crick. Nobel Prize winner.
# Francois Rabelais
# Friedrich Nietzsche, Used it as a medicine.
# George Washington
# Gerard de Nerval French writer
# Graham Greene, Author.
# Henri Michaux poet and painter
# Hunter S. Thompson, Author
# Modigliani. Sculptor.
# Norman Mailer, Author.
# Oscar Wilde
# Pablo Picasso
# Pythagoras, Mathematician.
# Queen Victoria.
# Ram Dass, Philosopher.
# Richard Feynman, Nobel Prize Laureate physicist.
# Rudyard Kipling . Author.
# Salvador Dali, Artist.
# Samuel Beckett, Author.
# Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Author.
# Stephen King. Author, "Tommy Knockers".
# William Butler Yeats.
# William S. Burroughs, Author.
# William Shakespeare.

326. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251451 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 1:20 pm

Actually two, Fanusi.
They are concise, informative and brief.

They are both available on rd.net, here and here.

EDIT - We are talking about a variety of deep issues, just listen to Eddie's take on this.

327. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251446 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 1:13 pm

Comment #251441 by Fanusi Khiyal

Not full-fledged theocracy, but theocratic interpretations of the constitution whenever a case is brought before the SC.
And this, over time and cumulatively, will lead to theocracy.

I think you should watch again the Tabash lecture.

328. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251442 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 1:10 pm

Comment #251440 by Titania

all we need is one more right-wing Supreme Court justice like Scalia, which is precisely what we will get from McCain or Palin.

I completely agree. It's the crucial point.

329. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251403 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 12:34 pm

Comment #251400 by GoatBoy36

It was earlier in this thread, so I didn't deem it necessary.

330. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251392 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 12:26 pm

Comment #251385 by GoatBoy36

so that wasn't an ad hominem attack just now then ... no, no of course not.

Did you follow the discussion earlier?
If you did, you'd know that it isn't an ad hominem.

He didn't reason why we should suspend civil rights and engage in extra-judicial killing of "anyone in possession of class A drugs", he simply stated it on the basis of his perceived belonging to an "intellectual elite", that is apparently privy to some special knowledge as to who has the right to live.

331. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251380 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 12:12 pm

Comment #251367 by Sargeist

Sorry, but I feel like I dealt with your points and not with your insanity.
Your original statement revealed an incredibly superficial understanding of certain issues, which didn't prevent you from advocating the most appalling solutions, and that also had to be brought to you.

332. Interstellar Space Molecules That Help Form Basic Life Structures Identified

Comment #251364 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 11:58 am

A team of scientists led by researchers from the Instituto Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has succeeded in identifying naphthalene, one of the most complex molecules yet discovered in the interstellar medium. The detection of this molecule suggests that a large number of the key components in prebiotic terrestrial chemistry could have been present in the interstellar matter from which the Solar System was formed.

This will thus be featured in Conservapaedia and Answer in Genesis:

A team of scientists led by researchers from the Instituto Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has succeeded in identifying God's mothballs, one of the most complex proofs of Creation yet discovered in the interstellar medium. This detection suggests that a large number of diaphanous and cheap clothing items are stored in the heavens, ready to be distributed to the souls of the righteous after the Rapture.

333. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251196 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 7:32 am

Comment #251184 by Sargeist

Sure, but it came out in the right context and I thought I might as well point it out.

334. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251182 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 7:11 am

Comment #251181 by Bonzai

You mean scatological beliefs?

335. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251179 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 7:06 am

Comment #251173 by Fanusi Khiyal

Sargeist did, and that's why I was arguing about those groups and principles.

If you want to criticise those people, feel free.

Comment #251167 by Sargeist

I love Sam Harris

Good, he is an utilitarian himself (just like Beccaria), and his comments about torture were utilitarian, certainly not a blank cheque for torture.

336. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251171 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 6:53 am

Comment #251166 by Fanusi Khiyal

Criticising a group is one thing, repealing the concept of inviolability of one's home and advocating the extra-judicial killings of members of those groups is quite another.

337. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251169 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 6:49 am

Comment #251162 by Sargeist

what about just killing knife-wielding idiots? That ok?

They get killed when they brandish their weapons and threaten the safety of others. No one objects to drastic measures when required.
If you are advocating extra-judicial killings or the death penalty, I again invite you to read Beccaria's relevant chapters. It's for free.
The principles highlighted there made the transition in Europe from Medieval to modern justice.

Many reforms in the penal codes of the principal European nations can be traced to Beccaria's treatise, although few contemporaries were convinced by Beccaria's argument against the death penalty. When the Grand Duchy of Tuscany abolished the death penalty, as the first nation in the world to do so, it followed Beccaria's argument about the lack of utility of capital punishment, not about the state's lacking right to execute citizens.

338. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251164 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 6:41 am

Comment #251154 by Fanusi Khiyal

I spoke of recreational drug use.
Therefore "junkies" is a straw man.

With regard to Palin, her incompetence ignorance and eschatological beliefs do indeed disqualify her from the job. Harris makes a water-proof case, and no one critical of his article has been able to make a dent into it. Attacking Palin's opposition and showing them wrong or incompetent do not in any way make her more appealing.

339. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251153 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 6:28 am

Comment #251146 by Sargeist

I am sure that you are a sensible and clever individual in many ways. You probably just didn't think this one through and let the gut take over.
There is also an element of christian pseudo-morality and propaganda that feeds on those feelings, and has managed to permeate secular thought enough to distort the public perception of recreational drug use - which is really no different from drinking with moderation and often leads to great artistic intuitions.

You should really abstain from harsh condemnation until you have all facts in, that's all I'm saying.

340. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251142 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 6:03 am

Why, Titania, thank you.

Comment #251116 by Sargeist

Well, I'm sure lots of people have views that many others don't agree with.

This would imply that all views are equally meritorious. Those you have just stated are demonstrably wrong and morally reprehensible.

I don't know why my desire to have certain people removed from society doesn't make me an elitist and intellectual snob

That would be true if you actually were member of an intellectual elite, and if what you suggested would indeed benefit an elect circle of individuals. But you spoke like a brutal bigot with an overblown self-esteem, projecting a parochial in-group mentality - solely based on personal and uninformed prejudice - to an Orwellian idea of society where three centuries of progress had to be incinerated in order to appease your blood-thirsty ignorance.

I hear on the TV from time to time

I had no doubt whatsoever that you form your opinions in front of a TV set.

Now, I don't want to get into crime and we should deal with it, but I suggest that you read one of the Enlightenment pivotal works: Beccaria's Crime and Punishment.

However, I am ready to prove wrong your views on drug use and possession, and show how such activities do in fact greatly benefit part of the intellectual and artistic elite.

341. When Atheists Attack

Comment #251109 by decius on September 21, 2008 at 5:03 am

Comment #251105 by Sargeist

people's houses searched and anyone found in possession of class A drugs and/or weapons put up against a wall and blown away.

So... I am an elitist, and an intellectual snob,

Don't flatter yourself, it really is not the case.

342. Art teacher made student pray to Jesus for forgiveness

Comment #250842 by decius on September 20, 2008 at 3:29 pm

Comment #250841 by ggab7768

You're just jealous.

Exactly!

343. Art teacher made student pray to Jesus for forgiveness

Comment #250840 by decius on September 20, 2008 at 3:18 pm

Comment #250839 by ggab7768

Should we dance on our hands, instead?

344. Turkish edition of The Ancestor's Tale sells out within a day!

Comment #250833 by decius on September 20, 2008 at 2:57 pm

Comment #250830 by mordacious1

I agree that it's highly unlikely, but well within their policies of silencing critics and they have the economic power to do it.

There was an analogous case in Italy, a couple of years ago. All copies of a volume highly critical of Berlusconi were bought by a single entity the same day of publication, but only in airport book stores.

I can't recall which one it was, but I'll check it out.

345. Turkish edition of The Ancestor's Tale sells out within a day!

Comment #250828 by decius on September 20, 2008 at 2:37 pm

Comment #250826 by mordacious1

There were only 2000 copies to begin with. It isn't an outlandish hypothesis, if you consider how much money 'they' funnel into the free distribution of their crappy atlas.

346. Look Who's Irrational Now

Comment #250822 by decius on September 20, 2008 at 2:05 pm

Comment #250815 by Diacanu

Oh, my, is this you finally admitting that "Downunder", was one of your sock puppets?

No, he had an epiphany and is now a full-time Chupacabra hunter.

His socks became energised in the washing machine through accidental contact with his magic mormon underwear. While drying, they began talking with David Robertson's voice, promising him immense celestial rewards if he succeeded in tracking down the Chupacabra.

347. Sharia courts operating in Britain

Comment #249733 by decius on September 18, 2008 at 1:06 pm

Comment #249705 by al-rawandi

Yeah, but in my opinion, jokes are funnier when they contain some truth, not so much so when they seek to subvert facts.

I was born 5 KM away from this place, and that single epic event allowed that part of Italy to be liberated from the Austrian yoke and to be exposed to the unfiltered values of the Enlightenment on a vast scale. Huge progressive reforms were introduced, and the clergy was forced to relinquish much power.
Much later, when the French left, the ancient regime couldn't be reinstated, because the people had tasted modernity for the first time.

Threfore I say: Vive l'Empereur. :)

348. Sharia courts operating in Britain

Comment #249703 by decius on September 18, 2008 at 12:41 pm

Comment #249690 by al-rawandi

Yeah, more hysteria. :)

349. Sharia courts operating in Britain

Comment #249692 by decius on September 18, 2008 at 12:35 pm

Comment #249688 by Fanusi Khiyal

That's weird, actually, considered the role that France played during the war of Independence. When do you reckon it did start?

350. Sharia courts operating in Britain

Comment #249687 by decius on September 18, 2008 at 12:29 pm

Correct me if I am wrong.
There was no animus between the US and France prior to the French refusal to join the Coalition of the Willies, right?

Then a whole 300 million people started to dance at the bashing tune orchestrated by Bush and his cronies, and to repeat the same tired jokes ad nauseam for almost a decade now.
How hysterical and sheep-like is that?

BTW, has no one across the Pond heard of Napoleon?