Why do we have to be so PC??

[_Buffalo]

Tarski is our Hawkings :)

Which surely identifies us as a whole nowhere near the top of the intellect meter.

I resemble that remark!

[_just me]

Calling people names, like stupid, do not promote discussion or understanding. People immediately shut down or become defensive. We see it here all the time where the thread then gets derailed into a pissing match.

I think that pissing matches are boring and childish. I prefer discussion.

It is possible to point out error in thought without resorting to name-calling and labels.

[_stemelbow]

Calling people names, like stupid, do not promote discussion or understanding. People immediately shut down or become defensive. We see it here all the time where the thread then gets derailed into a pissing match.

I think that pissing matches are boring and childish. I prefer discussion.

It is possible to point out error in thought without resorting to name-calling and labels.

+1

[_Themis]

Believers, help me understand why I should consider you intelligent, because I'm really having a hard time here.

I consider a number of things I have done, thought or said to be stupid. I think your friend is probably intelligent, but how she uses it may not be in certain areas. Religion tends to be a big one for many.

[_Buffalo]

Faith IS an automatic mental block against critically examining certain issues. But, once we become entrenched in any position too much, even if it's not a faith position (for example, a political position), the same barriers to critical thought can be raised. That's just how our brains are wired. It takes deliberate effort not to engage in that sort of thing.

[_Hoops]

For example:

Faith IS an automatic mental block against critically examining certain issues.

[_stemelbow]

Faith IS an automatic mental block against critically examining certain issues. But, once we become entrenched in any position too much, even if it's not a faith position (for example, a political position), the same barriers to critical thought can be raised. That's just how our brains are wired. It takes deliberate effort not to engage in that sort of thing.

Sadly, faith as secularly defined, is employed by all people at some point. Its not so much an automatic mental block. I think once people start recognizing that faith is employed by all but just to different extents we'll be much further along to the ideals put forth by Just me.

[_Buffalo]

For example:

Faith IS an automatic mental block against critically examining certain issues.

For example, your inability to critically examine the tenants of your faith, Hoops.

[_Franktalk]

We all have faith. Some have faith that the trace evidence they have found laying around fits the story they came up with to explain the stuff they found. Other people have faith that the religious books they read are the truth. Those people think that science just probably have their interpretation wrong. And of course there are many who join the two groups and don't do the study and their arguments expose their lack of depth of understanding. Then there are the complete morons who think that they can co-exist in both camps.

[_Buffalo]

Faith IS an automatic mental block against critically examining certain issues. But, once we become entrenched in any position too much, even if it's not a faith position (for example, a political position), the same barriers to critical thought can be raised. That's just how our brains are wired. It takes deliberate effort not to engage in that sort of thing.

Sadly, faith as secularly defined, is employed by all people at some point. Its not so much an automatic mental block. I think once people start recognizing that faith is employed by all but just to different extents we'll be much further along to the ideals put forth by Just me.

Could you expand on this comment?