Aardvark

Please show a dictionary to anyone who ever uses that phrase in your presence. In particular point out what the word volunteer means. Then offer them a copy of '1984' making particular reference to the concept of 'Newspeak' Double Plus Bad

Agriculture. We produce food by cultivating the soil. Hunger and poverty are reducing around the world, even in the 3rd world. The situation is improving, not heading toward some dystopian scenario. No, technology means more food and clean water for more people, less tragedy. Capitalism provides the food and cleanwater and medicines and power and housing. It wants more consumers so it has a direct interest in not letting them die in some Malthusian crisis. Hooray for meaningless, verbiose government proclumations.

I think you've got me there. On second thoughts that social mixing might require quite a lot of alcoholic lubrication I anticipate updates on your search for a nice interior decorator for her. I've a feeling its going to be interesting I'll try and disregard your crude insult against men which is so grossly unfair that i want to get a big stick and go and hit people with it. Seriously, men do seem to have a greater propensity to use force to solve problems, but i'm not sure this is related to autism. Autism may be increasing but i don't think that implies that 'male' brains are increasing in the general population as a whole. Rather, that those with 'male' brains are more likely to breed together resulting in a greater concentration of those 'male' characterisitics in a limited segment of the population. As Autistic people aren't generally in positions of power of influence such as being diplomats i can't see any direct link between Autism and how society is structured. Men may have a greater propensity for violence, but they also have the ability to focus clearly on individual problems and deal with them very directly, as opposed to female multi tasking and attention to detail. So 'maleness' isn't necessarily a bad thing in itself. ( Prior statement issued with all usual cravets and disclaimers about how it is a gross generalisation) I think it fair to say that it is a male characterisitic to be blunt and direct. This can be a good way to approach problems (as well as causing the occasional genocidal war). Presumably a combination of the male directness and female consideration is the best combination, as i don't think 'maleness' is increasing in the general population i am cautiously optimistic that some sort of constructive balance can be approached.

In which case it would no longer be bacteria. The equating that he is doing is mistaken. Society is not like bacteria because bacteria simply consume. Societies produce, they have technologies to improve and restore matters. The analogy is not accurate.

Yum, my favorite. You're making me hungry.

As all of those bacteria are the same in that they consume but don't produce anything the analogy is not 'wise' it is wrong. Which proves my point and disproves your own. How odd of you.

The wretched creatures were waking me up in the morning so i had Carruthers shoot them. Damn, one of the gardeners has scratched the Daimler, i must just go and flog him. It's so hard to get good staff these days.

Bacteria simply consume. Humans create. Bacteria don't have agriculture, fishing, nuclear power or any technology at all.

Ah yes. Obviously. This is a public discussion forum. People present ideas and argue about them. It's a matter of robust dialogue. . It's a public discussion forum. If you post here people will discuss your posts. If you are unwilling to deal with criticism and to defend your ideas this is probably a bad place for you to come to. Discussing posts on a discussion forum is 'stalking and harrassment'? If you make posts on a public discussion forum you are explictly accepting that other people will comment and argue. All you have to do is answer questions and back up opinions with reason, logic and evidence. I hadn't noticed any witch naming or burning alive. Have i missed anything? That sounds like fun.

Or you could just get a job and live on a budget like the rest of us.

Done, most unilluminating. You don't seem to actually understand what the idea means. Mars and Pluto for instance? Ever heard of the teleological fallacy? Genetic novelty doesn't need to be 'collected' or 'recombined'. Your ideas are pointlessly overcomplex, redundant and unrigorous.

We are not so much looking at organised crime but wide spread corruption. However, even so, the idea that organised crime would try to assasinate the President of Mexico because of his crackdown is probably far too cynical. That sort of thing happens in bad novels, not reality. Organised crime bosses are interested in money, not unwinnable wars with governments.

Metatron, Those posts are tragic. You really think a bunch of out of context quotes with no back up of reasoning, logic or evidence helps make your case? In case you hadn't noticed most of the quotes are refering to the development of evolutionary theory called 'punctuated equilibrium' which is not a challenge to evolutionary theory, only a development and refinement. But seeing as how you have been studying these matters since before i was born you'll already know that, right? As for your photo of a piece of gravel. That's your evidence?

'setting fire to my cabin' a bit melodramatic. All i requested was a straight answer to a simple question. Incidentally, i'm still waiting for that answer.

Your studies seem to have been remarkably unfruitful. Depending on out of context quotes from 'the origin of species' is at best foolish, at worse deliberately dishonest. The problem with your 'alternative perspective' is that it is backed up by no evidence whatsoever. You may find that people will be more receptive to your 'new ideas' if you bother to present any evidence at all. Informed individuals require evidence to accept ideas. They treat with rightful contempt people and ideas with no empirical backing. I seriously doubt that. Educated people require proof, not pseudo intellectual drivel. The more educated the individual the easier it is to see through you obscuratism. If you want to be taken seriously then provide some proof. Otherwise all you have are baseless assertions. If you really are as scholarly as you claim then you will realise that baseless assertions have no scientific value. Show your evidence or stop wasting peoples time.

So all life is endowed with a soul as it is all part of Gods creation. But we have the intelligence to understand and appreciate that soul and thus participate in worship of God? That seems a reasonable point of view.

True, China is rapidly industrialising and in time should reach first world standards. But it's easy to underestimate the degree of economic backwardness to be overcome, once you look beyond the glittering skyline of the coastal towns China remains largely 3rd world, primitive farming. Its financial and legal institutions are immature, corruption and weak central control plague the provinces. If and when China does reach ecomonic parity with the West it is to be hoped that China will have also politically matured. Some form of more accountable government developed which would find it harder to make acts of unprovoked aggression against its neighbours. Even if that was not the case, any war with an advanced and important nation like Japan would still not make sense, it would be massively destructive, with little to nothing to gain. Unfortunately China has a habit of throwing its weight around. It isn't at a stage to seriously confront a country like Japan, but it has invaded Vietnam (1979) without any real provocation and invaded and occupied Indian territory. Its occupation of Tibet is a clear example of why neighbouring countries are wary of China. China has border disputes with most of its neighbours and isn't above using force to make its point. China can't easily project force over sea, but it is able to move large army forces around its land borders. The Chinese government is facing domestic difficulties and uses appeals to nationalism as a way of diverting attention from its failings. That nationalism can easily overflow into aggression. It is possible to imagine China finding itself at war with Taiwan almost by accident. That is a real worry.

Do only humans have souls, or can other apes also have them?

Do you believe that humans evolved from apes?