Re: >H Re: The pool we're trying to paddle in

From: J Corbally (icorb@indigo.ie)
Date: Sun Apr 15 2001 - 14:31:08 MDT


>------------------------------
>Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 15:18:26 +0000
>From: Richard Wentk <richard@skydancer.com>
>Subject: Re: >H Re: The pool we're trying to paddle in
>Transhuman Mailing List
>On Sun, 15 Apr 2001 14:39:56 +0100, J Corbally wrote:
> >Transhuman Mailing List
> >
> >I have no belief in Santa Claus. I'll believe it when evidence=
>is
> >presented for it. Until then I'll lack belief in him.
>Of course Santa Claus exists - as a very persistent meme, rather=
>than as a guy with a weight problem, a house in a cold place and=
>a thing about elves.

Er...I don't remember mentioning memes. Is that what you thought I was
talking about?

>God 'exists' likewise.
>Working out *why* these memes are so persistent is a very useful=
>thing to do. Far more useful than persuading ourselves that just=
>because they don't exist in the way that - say - my car exists,=
>they have no effect on human experience.
>Richard

What makes you think I believe the existence of the god idea has no effect
on human experience? If you can deduce that from what I wrote, then I
guess I've just invented a new data compression technique, squeezing extraj
meanings into what I thought were pretty straightforward statements.

James...

"If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and
crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures
to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it's not for the timid."
-Q, Star Trek:TNG episode 'Q Who'



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