Humility: Good or Bad?

[Probius]

What he says about the mind is that it does not exist.  Therefore the ability to be owed can not exist.  Therefore trading value for value is meaningless.  That is the necessary conclusion, and doesn't depend on what you like.

I'm not saying you are wrong, but that is not what I have gotten from his videos.  He seems to be trying to de-mystify the mind, but not deny it.  Why do you say that he denies the mind?

[Probius]

What is materialistic eliminativism?  Will you please define this term?

That at the end of the day we are just neutrons, protons, and electrons.  Therefore it is foolish to believe in love, beauty, justice, trading value for value, living, "bettering yourself", the mind, intentionalism, or any other kind of virtue or transcendental immaterial concept.  In a word, it is atheism.

Why do you say neutrons, protons, and electrons?  By this do you mean only matter?

[rbjmartin]

I don't know all of Dennett's philosophy, but I like what he has to say on the mind.  I don't know if he is right or not, but he is interesting.

So once again, we see you basing your opinions on whim. You reveal it in your word choice. "I like," "I prefer," "he is interesting," etc. but nothing about whether certain ideas are true or false. In fact, you seem to view that as a peripheral concern.

This is why it's pointless for you to take the "Catholic challenge" or pray the "atheist's prayer"; you have no interest in the truth. In which case, you really are wasting everyone's time here, and simply out of consideration, you should consider leaving and not coming back until you gain an interest in the truth. That's all we care about as Catholics.

[Probius]

I don't know all of Dennett's philosophy, but I like what he has to say on the mind.  I don't know if he is right or not, but he is interesting.

So once again, we see you basing your opinions on whim. You reveal it in your word choice. "I like," "I prefer," "he is interesting," etc. but nothing about whether certain ideas are true or false. In fact, you seem to view that as a peripheral concern.

This is why it's pointless for you to take the "Catholic challenge" or pray the "atheist's prayer"; you have no interest in the truth. In which case, you really are wasting everyone's time here, and simply out of consideration, you should consider leaving and not coming back until you gain an interest in the truth. That's all we care about as Catholics.

I don't base any opinions on Dennett.  The great thing about philosophy is that I can listen to a philosopher without accepting everything he says.  I am interested in his theory on the mind, but I don't know enough yet to accept or reject it.

[james03]

But you know enough to reject God?

[Probius]

But you know enough to reject God?

I don't know enough to judge Dennett's theory of the mind as of yet, but I do know enough to reject God, yes.

[james03]

I'm not saying you are wrong, but that is not what I have gotten from his videos.  He seems to be trying to de-mystify the mind, but not deny it.  Why do you say that he denies the mind?

Because he denies what is the common meaning of the term "mind".  He says there is only one transcription, and then just a bunch of chemical/electrical reactions.  That is it.  He is a consistent eliminativist.  Chemical/electrical reactions don't have justice, or value, or virtue, or even life.  In a word, that is atheism.

And he fails at demystifying anything, contradicting himself with a talk of an agent, "you", and saying: we are making progress.

[james03]

I don't know enough to judge Dennett's theory of the mind as of yet, but I do know enough to reject God, yes.

But if God does not exist, then Dennett's heretofore undetailed theory has to be right.  Or to be precise, eliminativism has to be correct.  But you say that we can trade value for value.  However your rejection means that "value" can not exist. 

But in reality you don't reject God, you just refuse to accept him.  So you spend your time whining thinking it will get you off the hook when judgement comes.  "It's not my fault!!".  It won't help at all, in fact it will be worse for you in hell.

[Probius]

I'm not saying you are wrong, but that is not what I have gotten from his videos.  He seems to be trying to de-mystify the mind, but not deny it.  Why do you say that he denies the mind?

Because he denies what is the common meaning of the term "mind".  He says there is only one transcription, and then just a bunch of chemical/electrical reactions.  That is it.  He is a consistent eliminativist.  Chemical/electrical reactions don't have justice, or value, or virtue, or even life.  In a word, that is atheism.

And he fails at demystifying anything, contradicting himself with a talk of an agent, "you", and saying: we are making progress.

When he speaks of the brain, he is speaking of "you."  "You" are brain and body combined.

[Probius]

I don't know enough to judge Dennett's theory of the mind as of yet, but I do know enough to reject God, yes.

But if God does not exist, then Dennett's heretofore undetailed theory has to be right.  Or to be precise, eliminativism has to be correct.  But you say that we can trade value for value.  However your rejection means that "value" can not exist. 

But in reality you don't reject God, you just refuse to accept him.  So you spend your time whining thinking it will get you off the hook when judgement comes.  "It's not my fault!!".  It won't help at all, in fact it will be worse for you in hell.

I do not whine, and I do accept value.  If there is a God, I shall make no excuses, instead I shall accept whatever is my fate with dignity.  The concept of value is not necessarily tied to the concept of God.  Anything which furthers life has value.

[james03]

There is no dignity in hell.  As far as life, according to a consistent atheism, it does not exist.  For that matter, dignity can not exist.  As far as "you" being the brain, you are correct.  It is just a material clump that is part of the body.  There is no mind, no concepts, just nihilism.

[voxxpopulisuxx]

But some are weak and we are not to condemn them for it as nutzo rand asserts. If we are prosperous because we worked hard and were just and honest...that does not mean we get to judge and dismiss those who were weak and because of it did not prosper. Jesus defined all the laws of moses as only 2 commands..Love God (humility) and your neighbor as if he was yourself ( more humility)...all good socioty and true justice flow from these truths...rand the rancid rejected this.

First, insults are not necessary.  Second, Miss Rand never said any such thing.  She was perfectly fine with charity, so long as it was not seen as a virtue in itself.  (By charity I mean giving alms to the poor)  She wanted everyone to love each other, but not to use others as ends.

according to the lunatic ayne rand insults can be very necessary.

[Non Nobis]

The great thing about philosophy is that I can listen to a philosopher without accepting everything he says.  .

"Philosophy" comes from the Greek for "love of wisdom". Do you believe in wisdom, or in truth?  These are things outside yourself that exist whether or not you accept them or are interested in them. They are not best obtained by "dabbling" in whatever appeals to you.

If I were an atheist I hope I would recognize that throughout all history the belief in God has been thought to be the greatest wisdom.  I would not stop studying about God (and even arguing) instead of dabbling in one little philosopher after another.  If God is truth what a waste of life to pass Him by.

[Probius]

The great thing about philosophy is that I can listen to a philosopher without accepting everything he says.  .

"Philosophy" comes from the Greek for "love of wisdom". Do you believe in wisdom, or in truth?  These are things outside yourself that exist whether or not you accept them or are interested in them. They are not best obtained by "dabbling" in whatever appeals to you.

If I were an atheist I hope I would recognize that throughout all history the belief in God has been thought to be the greatest wisdom.  I would not stop studying about God (and even arguing) instead of dabbling in one little philosopher after another.  If God is truth what a waste of life to pass Him by.

I love wisdom and truth, and I am interested in Objectivism because it exists in reality.  I am still here because I still want to argue about God.

[Probius]

But some are weak and we are not to condemn them for it as nutzo rand asserts. If we are prosperous because we worked hard and were just and honest...that does not mean we get to judge and dismiss those who were weak and because of it did not prosper. Jesus defined all the laws of moses as only 2 commands..Love God (humility) and your neighbor as if he was yourself ( more humility)...all good socioty and true justice flow from these truths...rand the rancid rejected this.

First, insults are not necessary.  Second, Miss Rand never said any such thing.  She was perfectly fine with charity, so long as it was not seen as a virtue in itself.  (By charity I mean giving alms to the poor)  She wanted everyone to love each other, but not to use others as ends.

according to the lunatic ayne rand insults can be very necessary.

Ayn Rand did not say that insults are necessary.  By the way, proper nouns are capitalized.  I capitalize the name of God, the least you could do is capitalize Miss Rand's name.