A Tripolation

You're right. If I knew your family would be murdered and I would get money from it, and I went right along with it without attempting to alert the police, I don't deserve any punishment. I didn't kill your family members. You keep speaking of her "low IQ". Once again, I heard her speak. She was not mentally incompetent. And even if she HAD the 72 IQ the tests claimed she did, she's STILL ABOVE the legal threshold that has been deemed viable by the federal government. Once above a 70, HER IQ IS NO LONGER AN ISSUE. Saying, "Oh, she's too stupid to know what would happen after those two guys killed them", is an Appeal to Emotion. That's what your entire argument has been.

Is there any alternative system to what we have that might be better?

*sighs* Her IQ was at the level of a 14 year old if you can believe the results of those tests to be accurate. Fourteen-year olds understand that it's wrong to take someone's life. They are aware the law is against such a thing. Therefore, I have no sympathy for her. Nor do I like Appeals to Emotion about the "poor, quasi-mentally-retarded lady" who was 'manipulated' into wanting to kill people for money. She was aware that people would die by her hands, albeit indirectly. Execution is just in my opinion.

Aren't these shifts in ideology pretty normal during midterm elections? The public doesn't like the way the majority is running things. They then turn to the minority who is promising a brighter future. And back and forth and back and forth.

She knew people would be murdered. She knew the men would kill them. She was ok with it, and she understood that they would die. She does not deserve life.

She probably didn't mastermind the intricate details of the murder. But she is more than capable of wanting to murder people and helping arrange such things. That's worth execution.

You asked what people thought of this woman being executed based on her IQ. I stated my opinion. The fact that the two actual murderers didn't receive the death penalty has no bearing on the fact that I believe she should be executed and that she knows right from wrong. For the record, I think all three should be killed. Those two got off lightly because of a plea bargain. But that's not what you were asking.

And I will have to agree with that, sir.

I heard this woman speak. She was not mentally slow in a way that would make her unable to know right from wrong. She knew she was helping to murder people. She has no respect for life and is therefore not deserving of life.

Sometimes. My best friend loves a certain pair of blue shorts. But, everyone in our group of friends agrees that she looks hideous in these shorts. I had to be the one to tell her that these shorts looked awful. It was shattering a delusion she held, but it was not kind. It was simply the truth.

No. Just direct and honest. Though I do think "hallucination" was the wrong word as well. It's not like he said Jesus was right there with him enjoying the lecture.

And if the ratchet were cold enough to be at a lower temperature than the reservoir, then it would be utilizing temperature flow and thus be considered well under the domain of the second law?

I'm trying to figure out why the Brownian Ratchet fails as a violator of the second law of thermodynamics. The pages I've read do not make any sense to me. Can anyone explain it to me in somewhat simplistic terms? I'm only a few weeks into my Thermo class. Thanks.

*pulls up a chair and starts microwaving some popcorn*

Same here. Except I would create my own charity, focused on helping children in any way possible. As much as I would like to invest in future technologies, I would feel awful if I didn't help those who needed it most.

He didn't provide any proof or data, but I'm having trouble seeing how this is a strawman, Saryctos.

Hm. Why? Why is it important to know? I know that it's in the Middle East. I know that they are in turmoil due to the fact that tribal civilization still reigns supreme and that religion is a major cause/catalyst to most conflicts. I know that the Islams in that area are oft divided on many issues. But I don't understand why knowing Iraq borders Syria is instrumental in my being able to cope with the world. I know most of the names of the Justices. I deemed that knowledge worthy of remembering, because I link names with 'ideology' and those nine people make some of the most important decisions in the nation. But knowing Iraq is 169,234 square miles? Not so important.

Thank you, Pangloss. I do not consider myself a fool, so I was surprised to read that. It's true that I know nothing of geography, but that doesn't make me anything other than admittedly ignorant. And to CaptainPanic, I wasn't professing any great knowledge on those regions. I was simply using my own personal reasons for "remaining" ignorant on some things to explain my opinion on why some people do not believe in a heliocentric solar system. And I have since looked it up. I said, "Oh, of course," and went back to the studying required by my major. No need to be mean.

I think it only has to do with the fact that people only absorb what they need to know or find interesting. Or annoying. I myself, have no idea where Afghanistan would be on a map, or Iraq for that matter. I pretty much suck at geography outside the U.S. I've never needed to know it, nor do I ever commit the location to memory when I watch the nightly news. I probably should, but I don't. I would say this holds true with a lot of these things. People are just apathetic towards many of these matters.

How does that apply to the many moderate theists who recognize the OT as the primitive books they are?

Doesn't this get into that whole "punishment is a form of rehabilitation" mess? And I really don't think there should be a life sentence for a child unless murder was involved. That seems kind of heartless.

Hmm...I more think that people remember the user names and not the Avatar. Or is that just me? Like I NEVER remembered Cap'n Refsmmat or the Domino thingy avatar. I remembered Cap'n Crunch. Because it's the same sounding...and the letters are red and the cereal box is red... Anywho.

This is very true. Well put, Moontanman. I think Avatars are fine the way they are used on this forum. Although Sisyphus' avatar has always creeped my out a great deal...

I would change my name to Malachi very quickly. I think that's a lot nicer name than Jacob. And not as common.