Larry Stevens

In a recent book, ‘How States Think’, Mearsheimer says that in an ‘anarchic international system’ (one with no world government – i.e. the real world), each state must ensure its own survival. Great powers seek to maintain or expand their security buffer zones to prevent potential threats from getting too close. Russia’s view of NATO expansion,…[Read more]

Fellow Unbelievers,

There are some things that need adding to this video below:

For one thing, Jeffrey could have said: “Oh, I meant to mention, John Mearsheimer and myself both hate Israel with a passion, so just forget all that Adam Smith rot about the benefits of trade and global…[Read more]

Reg writes:

That is what the civilized world hopes for. And behind all of this, in the background, are the religious zealots and power grabbing bigots that nobody seems to be talking about. They are like woodworms in a library. By the time anyone reacts to them all the books will be damaged. Then they will bring in a pedestal and put one book on…[Read more]

Reg,

Are you sure Walter isn’t dipping into his own prescription there? The less strung-out would just use fly paper or trap them in jugs of sugar water.

Strega,

I meant to add as punctuation: All this fine mess is ultimately what Hamas hath wraught. Lots of IDF members would much rather be planting a tree or building a gazebo addition.

@jakelafort – it doesn’t take a lot to destroy the feeling of “I feel your pain”.  All it takes is if we don’t approve of someone, so for some reason, they are not “deserving” of our empathic concern.  A set of people we don’t approve of is hated out-group members.

Strega wrote:
But that’s not what stops us from randomly killing annoying people. We don’t think “I want to throttle you but I’d better not because it’s wrong”.

Well, this is true I agree.  There’s no such thing as moral obligation, having to do things because it’s the morally right thing to do.  We follow moral principles because we don’t like…[Read more]

Strega,

Whoever would want Gaza would have their work cut out for them. It wouldn’t be like The Donald’s glitzy, shiny AI prospectus.

First, they would have to clear out all the unexploded ordinance. That would include both all the ordinance in the tunnels and all the ordinance on the surface, conventional, plus Chemical, Biological, and maybe…[Read more]

I wonder if the Saudi’s in partnership with Jared would be interested in this ‘piece of prime real estate’.

Reg,

7 good reasons why we shouldn’t free Palestine.

I agree that a Gaza or West Bank ran by Islamists like Hamas is unacceptable. But I am equally not sure if anything beyond destroying Hamas is a good idea, such as Netanyahu’s proposal to take-over and hand it over to another Arab regime.

Doesn’t this assume there is an Arab regime t…[Read more]

Strega,

When i read your reply to Simon my kneejerk was you’re right.

Now i am not sure. In general there is something to it. Evolution would bake in to homos that only the atypical psycopath or deviant just goes around murdering. What evolution also bakes in is neuroflexibility or neuroplasticity. In fact it is if not opposite of instinct…[Read more]

Reg,

That useless and possibly dangerous “Therapist” obviously has to be from Great Britain or some other Romper Room where they don’t trust plain folks carrying pocket knives or other edged thingies to cut ropes or any piece of hardware that could block railroad tracks.

Strega,

Don’t feel bad for the fly or the mouse. They would kill you first with the diseases they carry.

As for the bat, build him a house separate from human abodes. He’ll eat the flys and other bugs too.

Reg,

Charlie Chaplin forgot that Hitler and his minions thought “The Kingdom of Heaven” was with them too. And democracies can choose tyranny too.

That last one?  Made me laugh out loud.

Potential Darwin Award winner?

I ridicule my efforts to get a fly out of the kitchen alive. 

I opened the back door fully, you stoopid fly…and the front window too!  Can you not see the gaps with the most light? The one you just entered through? The stray cats stare at me. Earn your keep you lazy band of…..ah, ok he’s gone. Buzz……Arrgh! your brother stayed behind!! T…[Read more]

@simonpaynton

“Murder is wrong”.  You are presenting this as a choice. We choose not to murder because it’s wrong.

But that’s not what stops us from randomly killing annoying people.  We don’t think “I want to throttle you but I’d better not because it’s wrong”.

I mock myself for my revulsion of killing. I ridicule my efforts to get a fl…[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
Many hope that AI will discover ethical truths.

In principle, we can make a complete description of the way morality works.  But this still would give a multiplicity of correct answers, according to multiple moral principles or domains; it couldn’t resolve dilemmas such as the abortion issue.