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Avoiding threads with exchanges such as these

The stratigraphic record is very sparse to missing for the period when it was thought that there may have been an intense ice age of the magnitude tojustify the name Snowball Earth. This report suggests that this was about 720 mya. It also suggests that the full stratigraphy is to be found on some remote Scottish Islands. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj9l2mrn43jo

A brain can build purpose. A neuron can't. Purpose = "intention", "aim", "meaning", etc. What you're doing here is stretching the meaning of the ordinary word to take it outside of the specific sense in which scientists and philosophers of science use it. For you it's just a synonym of "function". In that sense, of course neurons have purpose, because you use it to mean "function". No. It's not just a question of power. It'a question of different patterns, laws, and correlations arising, which a bunch of tens of neurons cannot even begin to accomplish. You tell me. I sense a big teleological explanation coming up. Random is not just anything. It has to be consistent with patterns of quantum noise. The die analogy was just that; an analogy. Here I don't understand what you say. Maybe that's why I don't get your point. What does this have to do with purpose in ants? The constants are representations of a material universe? I cannot make sense of that. Dimensionless constants are what they are 1/137 is not a representation of anything. Had it had a very different value, there would be no mind in the sense of a part of the universe trying to make sense of the whole universe. I did: You are a dualist. Your question only makes sense if there are two different realities. Namely: matter and mind. What we call mind comes from patterns of behaviour in matter. I'll answer that when you answer this: When the Earth turns around the Sun, who is doing the computing? How does the Earth know where to go next?

Right?! Can't be true. Everybody knows heavy metal fans love their bacon. But seriously, I hope the media in other countries don't give him the blank check the American media does. He says crap like this and they all see $$$ as people try to unravel the lunacy, and nothing holds them accountable for the horrible damage their news entertainment reporting process inflicts on the world.

No, I would not condescend to him. I was sincere. My mother was an independent believer - that is, she took from the doctrine what she considered good and disregarded the rest. Many self-identified Christians think that way, whether they say it or not. I was brought up in a mixed Christian family, attending both Catholic and Protestant churches - and finding much to appreciate in both. When I was old enough to read the Bible, I rather liked the Jesus character (very few others in either book, I have to admit) and thought he had some sensible things to say. (If only he hadn't been so childish as to curse that fig tree and the pigs, I'd have admired him.) I liked many of the teachings. At that time, I didn't know that so-called Christians generally ignored them. I'm 100% sincere about the reunion argument being the most persuasive for eternal life. We don't obey the law because we fear punishment - nobody expects to be caught. We obey it because it makes sense. We want to go to Heaven, not to escape Hell or to be rewarded or to hang out with God, but simply to continue and have our best relationships and best earthly experiences continue. That's a very seductive notion. Hard to give up. Long after you realize it's just another bogus carrot, the after-image lingers.

Of course I would have. If swansont had "cringed" when I posted about Atomic Physicist Terrorists, I would have berated him for his predisposition towards Atomic Physicists. I would have pointed out that his bias might be enabling terrorist bombers. Honestly, I think you've doubled down on a bad stance. As swansont mentioned, three descriptors highlights the intersection of a Venn diagram. You claim you don't care, but you "cringe" when white and Christian are included with Nationalists, ignoring the fact that the intersection doesn't include you at all, not even a little bit. Are you imagining that the intersection is 2/3 you, is that the problem here?

Sorry for your loss; hasn't been an easy year for you. No apologies are needed in my case. I've gotten used to you, and I actually find it quite refreshing that you allow your personality to come through the screens of text. Sometimes you get the impression that some are not the people their posts would indicate, instead you actually allow people to get to know you.

Interesting magazine Joigus; thanks. A much more relevant article from that same magazine Whatever happened to the theory of everything? | symmetry magazine