Sunday School

All kinds of people can have Theory of Mind, but not feel empathic concern, like narcissists, psychopaths, sadists, to name a few.  But “normal” people tend to have a lot of it.

When we feel empathic concern itself, this leads to a desire to help, and helping behaviour.

In turn, empathic concern depends on how much we approve of somebody.  We t…[Read more]

I assumed that this has been experimentally shown…

You are referencing what is called “Theory of Mind”. This is however undone when it come to autism. But it is worth looking up as a general discussion point.

Sorry no time at the moment to dig deeper.

I think I’m largely talking rubbish.  I was under the assumption that knowing someone’s perspective leads to empathic concern for any suffering they might be undergoing.  I assumed that this has been experimentally shown.  But apparently, the evidence isn’t there.

However, it seems intuitively true that learning about someone’s point of view – th…[Read more]

Simon Paynton wrote:

beliefs (perceptions) and desires (goals)

If you think about it, these form the necessary situation that causes an emotion: when a perceived “fact” is relevant to a goal.  We feel emotions when something is relevant to our goal(s).  We put our attention on this thing.  All of this is our perspective.

Simon Paynton wrote:

Maybe this is why “perspective-takers” didn’t do any better in “empathising” (feeling concern) than the “do-nothing” control group.

What I mean is, in the article, the participants might be asked to say how somebody is feeling, and the experiment then measures their level of empathic concern.

I think the question shou…[Read more]

The “trolley problem” is a good article and worth reading. As Diderot suggested circa 1750, morality should be founded on sociology and not on theology. He is one of my favorite atheist writers.

As an aside have you heard of the Diderot Effect?  Good to drop into a conversation about consumerism 🙂

Yes, he was well known in Ireland too, a country not too familiar with his sport. And still so young at only 41. What a shame.

Kobe Bryant is dead

Thanks, Reg!

Me: Don’t start out by telling lies. People might think everything that followed is not true. Everyone knows you are Mormons.

(My house, this morning – they left immediately)

That is SO funny 😂 😂 😂

the scream is a scream from nature and the face in the foreground is a reaction to the angst the scream made.

That’s so cool!

Police say woman drove into oncoming car as test of faith…

Yes, driven crazy by the god delusion.

In the Edvard Munch painting “The Scream”, the scream is a scream from nature and the face in the foreground is a reaction to the angst the scream made.

We keep chasing happiness, but true clarity comes from depression and existential angst?

Someone said, “if you want to find a man’s genius, look for his wound”.  I agree that negativity forces us to look for solutions.

Police say woman drove into oncoming car as test of faith.

She’s one crazy lady.

The Kindness of Strangers: How a Selfish Ape Invented a New Moral Code.

This article looks fascinating.  I’m studying this subject at the moment.  I’m wondering if Professor McCullough isn’t barking up the wrong tree.

As far as I’m aware, perspective-taking means uncovering the beliefs (perceptions) and desires (goals) of the other person.  Th…[Read more]

loll!!

Have a great week everyone!

Hello Sir, we are in the area to conduct a survey on the importance of family.

Me: Don’t start out by telling lies. People might think everything that followed is not true. Everyone knows you are Mormons.

(My house, this morning – they left immediately).

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

I have known a few men called Hunter but never have I met a gal called Gatherer.