When he got to, “word to your mother,” I was glad no one was around as I was walking my dog, because I laughed out loud so hard, people would have thought me crazy. Which may be true, but…
Man, streaming 26 minutes of video eats a decent hole in my download cap. But this was worth every minute! Glad you're back, TB! You and ProfMTH are my favourite youtubers.
So glad your back! I've recently been looking into theistic debate as well as opening my own atheist youtube channel and your a huge model to me when it comes to those situations and their related topics.
Actually, I've been thinking about your argument against solipsism. Now, I know you made this video 5 years ago and your argument may have evolved and it isn't fair that I respond to it at this point but I wanna share my thoughts on this. I wholeheartedly agree with you saying that the burden of proof lies with the person doubting the reality of an external world. What I want to say is that our mind isn't just our consciousness and our experience. There are things in our minds that we aren't aware of and are not in control of. Not only is our mind responsible (without our awareness) for maintaining bodily functions (distributing oxygen, pumping blood, homeostasis, etc.), we have a subconsciousness that we aren't aware of, and so I think your argument that the "puppeteer" couldn't be part of our mind fails here.
Hooknosed Jack I think it's impossible to rule out something like that entirely. It's untestable, afaik. That said, it's totally fair and ideal that people comment on videos regardless of age with problems people have with arguments made in said videos.
ThePharphis You are correct. The question of whether there exists an external world or not lies beyond the scope of science. It's untestable. However, philosophy doesn't bother itself with testable claims, because science does a better job at explaining them. That's why TBS's argument, as well as my rebuttal to it, are philosophical arguments, not scientific ones. "But what good is it if you can't test it?" you may ask. Well, not much. Except that with philosophical arguments you get the best possible idea, given the evidence (or lack thereof), of what is *probably* true.
It's so strange- the journey's we take on in life. Wanting to believe there is more to our existence. Placing importance on ourselves because we cannot deal with the concept of our life being this small, almost insignificant piece of the rest of the universe. I love that I am now exploring this truth. A truth that I can relate to. A truth that goes beyond a commandment, but thinks outside of the box of everything. Of every concept. I do not claim to have everything figured out but I can honestly say that this helps me put a lot of things into perspective, especially concerning religion and spirituality. Thanks for sharing, Scott.
I am a Christian and I would say that Scott is my favorite Atheist. He presents challenging arguments, but does it in a positive way that will make me listen rather than click away because he is not condescending.
@anrchyvk Well, exactly. I'm not a duelist, and I think our consciousness/mind is entirely contingent on our brains. But I do know the difference between what my brain lets me consciously experience, and what it doesn't. To ask if there is a world external to my mind (my consciousness) is to ask if there is anything more to existence than my subjective experiences. And yes, there is. There must AT LEAST be my physical brain, because my consciousness can't trick itself: I'd be conscious of it.
On the topic of discourse and persuasion, I'd also say that oftentimes I find myself debating an idea with someone not in the hopes of persuading or converting the opposing party, but even just for the sole reason of expanding my mind to ideas that I may not have considered specifically, thus inspiring new thoughts that may be relevant to the topic of discussion or even other subjects.
Welcome back! ^^ Great video and excellent points as always. And I must add that your thoughts on healthcare here in the US were spot on. Brilliantly stated to say the least.
You really only put 15 minutes into that argument? It was pretty good. Also, glad to see you back making videos. You and DasAA are my 2 favorite channels on TH-cam.
18:22 I have been trying to do the same thing with my kids. Tell them without judgement about different views and let them come to their own conclusions. I was extremely proud when my five year old daughter asked where the first people came from, and when I told her that some people believe in a god that created everything, she got an expression on her face that said "that's ridiculous" and shook her head in disbelief.
Note on Doug Wilson. In a materialistic universe debate and argumentation are the result of matter acting upon other matter according to universal laws. Therefore, every view stated in a debate and the processes we undergo to come to those views are coerced. We aren't debating as we normally think of it; we're forced to say what we do. Differences aren't resolvable since the resolution process would be predetermined and we can't transcend the process to see which opinion, if any, is correct.
You are by far one of the best thinkers I have found on TH-cam, and I would be overjoyed if you could take some time to discuss this issue with me. I think we could both benefit from the experience.
@Nulono I take from all of this that you would never, ever, terminate the life of a flower or plant, given that they have the exact same degree of sentience, sensory perception, cognition, self-awareness, and capacity for suffering as a 1st trimester fetus.
last part is exactly how i think about it: if we are perceiving there is something that is to be perceived, which would be reality whether we recognise it ourselves. Perosnally i just see our 'being' as just a process, which observes and interprets reality and thoughts/memories
I agree with you about the external world. Mind and world are aspects of experience. Whether the "world" aspect is external or not seems moot. If it is an extension of myself, then discovery of that part of me could be relabelled 'introspection' but it would be business as usual. Understanding stubbing my toe on a rock would still involve a complex story about dream-toes, dream-rocks and dream-nervous systems. Dream-others would still present ideas apparently independent of my 'mind' aspect.
Sam Harris: Fully agree. I do not subscribe to many things he has too say, but I always admire his divine gift of clarity (pun intended; his Aspen talk on Faith and Reason -fora.tv- is a classic) and his intellectual honesty. Also, I find the theme of his newest book (Moral Landscape) very refreshing. BTW, I would love you reviewing fav books you recently read (like "The Greatest Show on Earth"). Not in a professional book-review style, but more your spontaneous personal impressions.
I remember Das asking the question about the external world in a video, and I gave a similar answer to "the puppeteer isn't part of my mind" line of thought
Love Sam Harris. As for the last question from James I think you handled it well. I find that particular question and others like it to be especially frustrating.
Mr. Wilson's argument seems to me exactly like what I hear in a lot of epistemological arguments and rather similar to what I hear in some free will/determinism arguments.
@migkillertwo Also: A theory of ethics is different from a definition of right/wrong. You should know this. A theory of ethics investigates which actions are wrong, which aren't, and how we can know. But this cannot happen until we know what "wrong" MEANS. You cannot investigate what is right and what is wrong until you know WHAT TO INVESTIGATE.
@jojoinhere I wasn't talking about supernaturalism. I was talking about dialectics. Buddhism resolves that through an act of will. Hegel resolves it through reason. Guess which one I consider to be more reasonable.
Preventive medicine, if offered as a part of free healthcare, would do much to help reduce the cost of treating ongoing illness and disease as well as improve workplace productivity and general well-being. Those who oppose improvement to our model of healthcare in the USA seem to feel only a certain class should be afforded the benefits of health.
So um, just a question, you talked about Dawkins, Hitchens, and HArris...but I didn't see you mention Dennett. As Dennett is possibly my favorite of the 4, I'd like to know what you think of him.
Ha ha ha ha! XD In about 20:00... that bit about Douglas Wilson, "It sounds to me like the real reason there's no debate happening is that Mr. Wilson hasn't actually made an argument. Ohhhhh!" was absolutely priceless! ^_^ I had to pause the video because I was busting a gut laughing. Ha ha ha! Well done!
@PluripotentBrain It may have been simplistic, but I would say there's no complicated way to respond to the gentleman's argument besides granting his claim and saying, "what's your point?". Is there something problematic about that approach?
@herbiepop Your conscious mind only experiences the dream, it doesn't create it. Your *brain* is what creates the dream, and your brain is a part of the physical, external world outside of your mind (what you consciously, subjectively experience).
Sometimes you answer the questions like you are considering giving the opposite answer than the one you are about to give. It's quite interesting, as are your perspectives and your channel. I also have observed you smiling repeatedly as though you are aware that you are remarkably handsome. Thanks for the brilliant monologue posts.. and some semi-response oriented and quote infused dialogue.
There are several issues for which I can and do argue with Sam Harris, but that's another issue for another day. I pretty much agree with you on the last point although I did like the way you phrased it. When someone asks aboutthe external world, they're either asking if we can demonstrate ANY external word (whatever is causing our perceptions MUST be external) or if the EW is what we think it is (we already know that to some degree, it's not).
you and i don't share many of the same views...with that said you are extremely interesting to watch and very intelligent. i think it is important that all people question and not just accept what their church has taught them & you can definitely make a person do that!
The question was somewhat rhetorical intending to point out the absurdity in assuming something exists when that something has never even been reliably defined, let alone detected. But your response was quite interesting. I may need to look into that further.
There are many people who can articulate and explain to you ‘what a soul’ is, I can’t and I’m not going to give you some b.s answer. What I want to tell you is that understanding this concept changes your life. I’m not saying that it makes you a better person, just gives you a deeper understanding. If you have a soul that doesn't die when your body dies, it means that it continues to live.
And, as I asked, how do we reliably test to see if this soul is really there or just an imagined concept? If there's no reliable method of detecting it, how do you know its there?
@riversonthemoon So why bother with 'dream', 'seemingly', 'apparently' and other words? Might as well continue to use the same realist vocabulary I have always used, and even commit to believing in an external world. Navigation through it remains unchanged under solipsism anyway.
@migkillertwo Jake, you can't have honestly thought that saying, "immoral means wrong" would be in any way constructive or informative to this conversation. I'm trying to get to the bottom of this, work with me: What does it mean to say something is "wrong"? What are we in fact saying about it by calling it this? "...not reducible to the consequences of actions" Remains to be seen. I don't grant this for a second. "Can you define supernaturalism?" ...the belief in more-than-naturalism?
Congrats dude :D lov you vids! hey a fact: costa rica is a developing country (not to say 3th world country) and our health system is one of the best in Latin America. We are quite far away from the health care in the U.S. ours is universal and everyone get treatment for their illness (is like the one used in Europe (been recently in there) and the one in Canada and so on). I love that you share your thoughts with us ;) that's cool ;D good luck keeping good vids!
I really liked your response to the question at about 19:40. I'm studying to be a neurologist, and I absolutely hate the claim that "X (any "feeling") can't just be a chemical process". I just want to scream, have you ever experienced X without those chemical processes?
The ability to feel pain is necessary to not be killed? What about Gabby Gingras or anyone else with congenital I sensitivity to pain? The ability to reflect upon one's own existence is necessary to not be killed? What about newborns, who do not develop this ability until 12-18 months after birth?
@TheRussianNihilist Well, the reason why I say this is because he said he grew up in no religous belief and was never a believer at one point in his life, so HOW did he become an ordained minister is my question?
Curius if your views have ever been a problem when you have auditioned for a role or after you have been hired for a role? Have TPTB made any comments about some of your views during your acting jobs? I was really pissed when you were let go from OLTL. What do you think the future holds for all soaps? Will they all be eventually gone?
06:45 Since you stipulate this, I gotta ask. What 'uneasy' answers are there to explain the existence of conciousness in a purely materialistic universe? I would like to know, since at this point I haven't heard a compelling argument for why.
Nifty, now please answer the second part of that question....how do we detect one to see if your description is correct? How exactly did YOU observe a soul in order to determine these properties you listed? If its material then it can be detected and observed by science. Which begs the question...why hasn't science found any souls?
@migkillertwo I've said something to this effect to you before on FB, but I actually see thoughts, consciousness, relationships, etc. events that *occur* between material things...But I really don't even feel the need to keep it that vague. I would be happy just to say that these arguments against abortion--if you peel all the layers away--assume theism or some spiritual realm. But I'll be able to unpack this if you answer my question about what you actually *mean* by calling something "wrong".
@bignastydragon I don't think that burial rights are necessary either, and wills are more a way to decide who gets what than giving rights to the deceased.
@migkillertwo No, not "aka, definition". What you just described is not a definition. Taxonomists need a definition of "vertibrate" BEFORE they can investigate and categorize a creature to see if it is, in fact, a vertibrate.
@blasphemite Nothing in a dream is truly original or fabricated. Everything is a remix of that which you've apprehended through sensory experience. There's no puppeteer in the sense I mentioned.
Is there a 'puppeteer' when you dream and what you believe at the time to be your consciousness is experiencing a manufactured 'reality'? Presumably the dreaming experience demonstrates that there is a portion of your conscious mind that can become a script writer that is hidden from your dreaming conscious experience?
Welcome back! I agree still with most of what you say. I had to change accounts twice, once from babyloniandream then again from abdishtar, now I'm spartacandream. Unless you've not been gone that long lol
I'm glad that another man understands the joy of peeing sitting down. I find it particularly enjoyable in the morning when I'm too lazy to stand for more than 5 seconds.
I follow most of your thoughts and arguments pretty well, but that last answer the entire time I was like "WTF". You're thinking in another dimension, sir.
@migkillertwo Jake, please answer my question, THEN I will answer yours. My question is absolutely crucial to this conversation: What does it mean to say something is "wrong"? What are we (you) in fact saying about it by calling it this?
Great! We certainly can detect dust. Thorough examination of this substance reveals it to be a mixture of discarded skin and hair cells, dirt, lint, fragments of the bodies of insects etc. Is this the "soul" you're talking about? Seem kinda unimpressive.
@ghuegel Oh I know. Have you read LR Hubbard's unauthorized biography "Messiah or Madman"? It's crazy. You should also subscribe to ToryMagoo44 if you haven't. She's an ex Scientologist who spills all the beans on her channel.
@migkillertwo "They don't really assume theism" Okay, then that's an important conversation that needs to be had. BUT, I should say, I'm aware of these arguments, and, *ultimately* I would argue that they still implicitly (even if not explicitly) assume theism/supernaturalism. "humans are not themselves intrinsically valuable, only insofar as they can think and feel" That's my point. What is morality about for you? What does it mean to call something "immoral"? What are we saying about it?
@migkillertwo You said, "JP Moreland has pretty much made it his life mission to advance that argument" Really? His life mission? How long can it possibly take to say, "We don't know exactly how the brain creates consciousness yet, therefor: God!" Surely not an entire lifetime.
@TheoreticalBullshit I have been looking for some source which actually details Plantinga's argument for the proper basicality of god belief, but I could not find anything. Do you have a link to a description of his argument?
@bignastydragon - Don't get me wrong, i'm not a science basher ! But i would argue that Analogy by definition does mean 'explicitly incorrect', in so far as actual truth. Science at the moment, may be always, just makes its useful predictions based on its analogy driven 'estimations'.
Your Zeus answer to the 'no debate happening' question? Pure gold.
When he got to, “word to your mother,” I was glad no one was around as I was walking my dog, because I laughed out loud so hard, people would have thought me crazy.
Which may be true, but…
Man, streaming 26 minutes of video eats a decent hole in my download cap. But this was worth every minute! Glad you're back, TB! You and ProfMTH are my favourite youtubers.
So glad your back! I've recently been looking into theistic debate as well as opening my own atheist youtube channel and your a huge model to me when it comes to those situations and their related topics.
Wow, this has got to be the first time I actually heard a logical argument against solipsism. Scott, you are a genius!
...
Make more videos. please.
Actually, I've been thinking about your argument against solipsism. Now, I know you made this video 5 years ago and your argument may have evolved and it isn't fair that I respond to it at this point but I wanna share my thoughts on this.
I wholeheartedly agree with you saying that the burden of proof lies with the person doubting the reality of an external world.
What I want to say is that our mind isn't just our consciousness and our experience. There are things in our minds that we aren't aware of and are not in control of. Not only is our mind responsible (without our awareness) for maintaining bodily functions (distributing oxygen, pumping blood, homeostasis, etc.), we have a subconsciousness that we aren't aware of, and so I think your argument that the "puppeteer" couldn't be part of our mind fails here.
Hooknosed Jack I think it's impossible to rule out something like that entirely. It's untestable, afaik.
That said, it's totally fair and ideal that people comment on videos regardless of age with problems people have with arguments made in said videos.
ThePharphis
You are correct. The question of whether there exists an external world or not lies beyond the scope of science. It's untestable.
However, philosophy doesn't bother itself with testable claims, because science does a better job at explaining them.
That's why TBS's argument, as well as my rebuttal to it, are philosophical arguments, not scientific ones.
"But what good is it if you can't test it?" you may ask. Well, not much.
Except that with philosophical arguments you get the best possible idea, given the evidence (or lack thereof), of what is *probably* true.
It's so strange- the journey's we take on in life. Wanting to believe there is more to our existence. Placing importance on ourselves because we cannot deal with the concept of our life being this small, almost insignificant piece of the rest of the universe. I love that I am now exploring this truth. A truth that I can relate to. A truth that goes beyond a commandment, but thinks outside of the box of everything. Of every concept. I do not claim to have everything figured out but I can honestly say that this helps me put a lot of things into perspective, especially concerning religion and spirituality.
Thanks for sharing, Scott.
Wow, listening to TBS' music right now. It's pretty awesome!
"one proof is memory. Souls have a memory."
--But memory is a consequence of the brain, which is physical.
I am a Christian and I would say that Scott is my favorite Atheist. He presents challenging arguments, but does it in a positive way that will make me listen rather than click away because he is not condescending.
@anrchyvk Well, exactly. I'm not a duelist, and I think our consciousness/mind is entirely contingent on our brains. But I do know the difference between what my brain lets me consciously experience, and what it doesn't. To ask if there is a world external to my mind (my consciousness) is to ask if there is anything more to existence than my subjective experiences. And yes, there is. There must AT LEAST be my physical brain, because my consciousness can't trick itself: I'd be conscious of it.
On the topic of discourse and persuasion, I'd also say that oftentimes I find myself debating an idea with someone not in the hopes of persuading or converting the opposing party, but even just for the sole reason of expanding my mind to ideas that I may not have considered specifically, thus inspiring new thoughts that may be relevant to the topic of discussion or even other subjects.
Brilliant arguments. And I'm glad you weren't a scientologist. Bravo sir. Also you have a very, very, infectious grin.
Welcome back! ^^ Great video and excellent points as always. And I must add that your thoughts on healthcare here in the US were spot on. Brilliantly stated to say the least.
SO glad you are back!!!!
@snbeings Maybe. With whom and on what topic?
I am allergic to belts, buttons and cheap jewelry as well. My mom had to sew on a patch to the back of the top button on all my jeans.
You really only put 15 minutes into that argument? It was pretty good.
Also, glad to see you back making videos. You and DasAA are my 2 favorite channels on TH-cam.
18:22 I have been trying to do the same thing with my kids. Tell them without judgement about different views and let them come to their own conclusions. I was extremely proud when my five year old daughter asked where the first people came from, and when I told her that some people believe in a god that created everything, she got an expression on her face that said "that's ridiculous" and shook her head in disbelief.
Note on Doug Wilson. In a materialistic universe debate and argumentation are the result of matter acting upon other matter according to universal laws. Therefore, every view stated in a debate and the processes we undergo to come to those views are coerced. We aren't debating as we normally think of it; we're forced to say what we do. Differences aren't resolvable since the resolution process would be predetermined and we can't transcend the process to see which opinion, if any, is correct.
You are by far one of the best thinkers I have found on TH-cam, and I would be overjoyed if you could take some time to discuss this issue with me. I think we could both benefit from the experience.
@Nulono I take from all of this that you would never, ever, terminate the life of a flower or plant, given that they have the exact same degree of sentience, sensory perception, cognition, self-awareness, and capacity for suffering as a 1st trimester fetus.
I'm allergic to the metal of belt buckles too, if you put a coat of clear nail polish on it really helps!
last part is exactly how i think about it: if we are perceiving there is something that is to be perceived, which would be reality whether we recognise it ourselves. Perosnally i just see our 'being' as just a process, which observes and interprets reality and thoughts/memories
Welcome back, we missed you.
I agree with you about the external world. Mind and world are aspects of experience. Whether the "world" aspect is external or not seems moot. If it is an extension of myself, then discovery of that part of me could be relabelled 'introspection' but it would be business as usual. Understanding stubbing my toe on a rock would still involve a complex story about dream-toes, dream-rocks and dream-nervous systems. Dream-others would still present ideas apparently independent of my 'mind' aspect.
Sam Harris: Fully agree. I do not subscribe to many things he has too say, but I always admire his divine gift of clarity (pun intended; his Aspen talk on Faith and Reason -fora.tv- is a classic) and his intellectual honesty. Also, I find the theme of his newest book (Moral Landscape) very refreshing. BTW, I would love you reviewing fav books you recently read (like "The Greatest Show on Earth"). Not in a professional book-review style, but more your spontaneous personal impressions.
Thank goodness you're back. Honestly
Great Video,you are a Intresting Person ! I hope you again make more Videos in the Future !
I think one of the best arguments against solipsism is that reality is the more parsimonious answer.
I remember Das asking the question about the external world in a video, and I gave a similar answer to "the puppeteer isn't part of my mind" line of thought
Love Sam Harris. As for the last question from James I think you handled it well. I find that particular question and others like it to be especially frustrating.
Mr. Wilson's argument seems to me exactly like what I hear in a lot of epistemological arguments and rather similar to what I hear in some free will/determinism arguments.
@migkillertwo Also: A theory of ethics is different from a definition of right/wrong. You should know this. A theory of ethics investigates which actions are wrong, which aren't, and how we can know. But this cannot happen until we know what "wrong" MEANS. You cannot investigate what is right and what is wrong until you know WHAT TO INVESTIGATE.
@jojoinhere
I wasn't talking about supernaturalism. I was talking about dialectics. Buddhism resolves that through an act of will. Hegel resolves it through reason. Guess which one I consider to be more reasonable.
Preventive medicine, if offered as a part of free healthcare, would do much to help reduce the cost of treating ongoing illness and disease as well as improve workplace productivity and general well-being. Those who oppose improvement to our model of healthcare in the USA seem to feel only a certain class should be afforded the benefits of health.
So um, just a question, you talked about Dawkins, Hitchens, and HArris...but I didn't see you mention Dennett. As Dennett is possibly my favorite of the 4, I'd like to know what you think of him.
@bignastydragon I think an inheritance tax (or a cap on inheritance) is a perfectly valid idea.
Ha ha ha ha! XD In about 20:00... that bit about Douglas Wilson, "It sounds to me like the real reason there's no debate happening is that Mr. Wilson hasn't actually made an argument. Ohhhhh!" was absolutely priceless! ^_^ I had to pause the video because I was busting a gut laughing. Ha ha ha! Well done!
@PluripotentBrain It may have been simplistic, but I would say there's no complicated way to respond to the gentleman's argument besides granting his claim and saying, "what's your point?". Is there something problematic about that approach?
How "dust" can be "living" or "conscious" and where we can find an example of such a thing in order to study it.
@herbiepop Your conscious mind only experiences the dream, it doesn't create it. Your *brain* is what creates the dream, and your brain is a part of the physical, external world outside of your mind (what you consciously, subjectively experience).
Sometimes you answer the questions like you are considering giving the opposite answer than the one you are about to give. It's quite interesting, as are your perspectives and your channel. I also have observed you smiling repeatedly as though you are aware that you are remarkably handsome. Thanks for the brilliant monologue posts.. and some semi-response oriented and quote infused dialogue.
where have you been?
What exactly is a soul and how do we reliably check to see if one is present?
There are several issues for which I can and do argue with Sam Harris, but that's another issue for another day.
I pretty much agree with you on the last point although I did like the way you phrased it. When someone asks aboutthe external world, they're either asking if we can demonstrate ANY external word (whatever is causing our perceptions MUST be external) or if the EW is what we think it is (we already know that to some degree, it's not).
you and i don't share many of the same views...with that said you are extremely interesting to watch and very intelligent. i think it is important that all people question and not just accept what their church has taught them & you can definitely make a person do that!
So how to you differentiate between a "correct guess" and a "memory"?
The question was somewhat rhetorical intending to point out the absurdity in assuming something exists when that something has never even been reliably defined, let alone detected.
But your response was quite interesting. I may need to look into that further.
Welcome back!!!
There are many people who can articulate and explain to you ‘what a soul’ is, I can’t and I’m not going to give you some b.s answer. What I want to tell you is that understanding this concept changes your life. I’m not saying that it makes you a better person, just gives you a deeper understanding. If you have a soul that doesn't die when your body dies, it means that it continues to live.
@migkillertwo I was actually just going for humor. I would certainly *hope* there is more to it than that!
Glad that your back!
And, as I asked, how do we reliably test to see if this soul is really there or just an imagined concept?
If there's no reliable method of detecting it, how do you know its there?
@riversonthemoon
So why bother with 'dream', 'seemingly', 'apparently' and other words? Might as well continue to use the same realist vocabulary I have always used, and even commit to believing in an external world. Navigation through it remains unchanged under solipsism anyway.
@SisyphusRedeemed Nice, thanks!
@migkillertwo Jake, you can't have honestly thought that saying, "immoral means wrong" would be in any way constructive or informative to this conversation. I'm trying to get to the bottom of this, work with me: What does it mean to say something is "wrong"? What are we in fact saying about it by calling it this?
"...not reducible to the consequences of actions"
Remains to be seen. I don't grant this for a second.
"Can you define supernaturalism?"
...the belief in more-than-naturalism?
How long has that fire alarm been bleeping?
changed battery yet?
Congrats dude :D lov you vids! hey a fact: costa rica is a developing country (not to say 3th world country) and our health system is one of the best in Latin America. We are quite far away from the health care in the U.S. ours is universal and everyone get treatment for their illness (is like the one used in Europe (been recently in there) and the one in Canada and so on).
I love that you share your thoughts with us ;) that's cool ;D good luck keeping good vids!
Our minds are much more than our consciousness and our experience.
Did you ever do a video on Plantinga's argument against Naturalism using evolution.
I really liked your response to the question at about 19:40. I'm studying to be a neurologist, and I absolutely hate the claim that "X (any "feeling") can't just be a chemical process". I just want to scream, have you ever experienced X without those chemical processes?
I love the point of attatching a symbol to athiesm as being a bad idea. That is so true. It would be just another dividing line between people.
Congratulations on your 100th video!
The ability to feel pain is necessary to not be killed? What about Gabby Gingras or anyone else with congenital I sensitivity to pain?
The ability to reflect upon one's own existence is necessary to not be killed? What about newborns, who do not develop this ability until 12-18 months after birth?
You should show us what you did to audition. That would be awesome.
Maybe you should have auditioned to be Checkov instead.
@TheRussianNihilist
Well, the reason why I say this is because he said he grew up in no religous belief and was never a believer at one point in his life, so HOW did he become an ordained minister is my question?
Curius if your views have ever been a problem when you have auditioned for a role or after you have been hired for a role? Have TPTB made any comments about some of your views during your acting jobs? I was really pissed when you were let go from OLTL.
What do you think the future holds for all soaps? Will they all be eventually gone?
06:45 Since you stipulate this, I gotta ask. What 'uneasy' answers are there to explain the existence of conciousness in a purely materialistic universe?
I would like to know, since at this point I haven't heard a compelling argument for why.
Nifty, now please answer the second part of that question....how do we detect one to see if your description is correct? How exactly did YOU observe a soul in order to determine these properties you listed?
If its material then it can be detected and observed by science. Which begs the question...why hasn't science found any souls?
@migkillertwo I've said something to this effect to you before on FB, but I actually see thoughts, consciousness, relationships, etc. events that *occur* between material things...But I really don't even feel the need to keep it that vague. I would be happy just to say that these arguments against abortion--if you peel all the layers away--assume theism or some spiritual realm. But I'll be able to unpack this if you answer my question about what you actually *mean* by calling something "wrong".
a soul is the part of you that doesn't die when your physical body does.
Glad your back
glad you're back. keep making videos. :)
@bignastydragon I don't think that burial rights are necessary either, and wills are more a way to decide who gets what than giving rights to the deceased.
@migkillertwo No, not "aka, definition". What you just described is not a definition.
Taxonomists need a definition of "vertibrate" BEFORE they can investigate and categorize a creature to see if it is, in fact, a vertibrate.
@blasphemite Nothing in a dream is truly original or fabricated. Everything is a remix of that which you've apprehended through sensory experience. There's no puppeteer in the sense I mentioned.
Is there a 'puppeteer' when you dream and what you believe at the time to be your consciousness is experiencing a manufactured 'reality'? Presumably the dreaming experience demonstrates that there is a portion of your conscious mind that can become a script writer that is hidden from your dreaming conscious experience?
welcome back.
religion, philosophy & the world. that certainly covers the waterfront. :)
Welcome back! I agree still with most of what you say. I had to change accounts twice, once from babyloniandream then again from abdishtar, now I'm spartacandream. Unless you've not been gone that long lol
it is a kind of nakedness, you are without your body and money or your parents and all the things that can protect you.
I'm glad that another man understands the joy of peeing sitting down. I find it particularly enjoyable in the morning when I'm too lazy to stand for more than 5 seconds.
I'm not new. Welcome back.
HE'S BACK!!!!!
and with one hell of a video :D
I follow most of your thoughts and arguments pretty well, but that last answer the entire time I was like "WTF". You're thinking in another dimension, sir.
What are your thoughts on agnosticism?
Awesome! Glad to see you back with a vengeance!
YOUR SO SMART AND HANDSOME!!!... did I say that out loud?
@migkillertwo Jake, please answer my question, THEN I will answer yours. My question is absolutely crucial to this conversation:
What does it mean to say something is "wrong"? What are we (you) in fact saying about it by calling it this?
it took a few videos from you and your thoughts on tag and i was sub. turns out your parents were as cool as mine, thanks for the breakdown
Great! We certainly can detect dust. Thorough examination of this substance reveals it to be a mixture of discarded skin and hair cells, dirt, lint, fragments of the bodies of insects etc.
Is this the "soul" you're talking about? Seem kinda unimpressive.
@bignastydragon We DO extinguish life for our food, but it is generally frowned upon if we kill one another for food.
@ghuegel Oh I know. Have you read LR Hubbard's unauthorized biography "Messiah or Madman"? It's crazy. You should also subscribe to ToryMagoo44 if you haven't. She's an ex Scientologist who spills all the beans on her channel.
@migkillertwo "They don't really assume theism"
Okay, then that's an important conversation that needs to be had. BUT, I should say, I'm aware of these arguments, and, *ultimately* I would argue that they still implicitly (even if not explicitly) assume theism/supernaturalism.
"humans are not themselves intrinsically valuable, only insofar as they can think and feel"
That's my point. What is morality about for you? What does it mean to call something "immoral"? What are we saying about it?
@migkillertwo You said, "JP Moreland has pretty much made it his life mission to advance that argument"
Really? His life mission? How long can it possibly take to say, "We don't know exactly how the brain creates consciousness yet, therefor: God!" Surely not an entire lifetime.
@robman419 Thanks. (It ain't my first rodeo.)
@TheoreticalBullshit I have been looking for some source which actually details Plantinga's argument for the proper basicality of god belief, but I could not find anything. Do you have a link to a description of his argument?
At 302 views, you've got 32 comments. Just about every tenth person who visited your video had something to say about it. That's... rather impressive.
Scott you say you're an ordained minister. Minister of which religion? Just curious :)
@bignastydragon - Don't get me wrong, i'm not a science basher ! But i would argue that Analogy by definition does mean 'explicitly incorrect', in so far as actual truth. Science at the moment, may be always, just makes its useful predictions based on its analogy driven 'estimations'.
@psychopicasso Half-three quarters gone? Is that 1.5 quarters? 1.25?