jakelafort

@ Simon and Robert

One can belong to various groups almost without limit and often with incompatible or conflicting interests. One might work for Willie’s Widgets and own Willie’s Widget’s stock as a retirement investment. So, joining in a strike for higher wages for oneself and one’s fellow union members (yet another group) could adversely…[Read more]

Simon Paynton wrote:

Unseen wrote:
Set being a useful term because a mathematical set can have just one member—or even no members, a null set.

That’s the difference. A collaborative group must have at least two members (a partnership, team, etc.).

Okay, but I asked a question which wasn’t I guess, worth answering when one might split lin…[Read more]

What is the logic of in-group bias? When the most basic group (in mathematical terms, a set*) is the self, it’s hard to distinguish it from simple narcissism.

Expand the set to one’s group (however defined, which is a problem: family? neighborhood? village? territory? nation-state? humankind?) and you have to decide to what extent do you have to…[Read more]

@jakelafort – A very good smartphone would tell you that O’Brien and Dettori score a treble tonight with Greenfinch, Mountain Bear and Chief Little Rock.

This is a fault in human nature – our in-group bias.

I agree but I think there is a bigger picture to look at here. In-group bias evolved as a survival mechanism. Favoring those within one’s own group lead to more cohesive and cooperative units, enhancing group survival against external threats. It allowed us to protect our territory and r…[Read more]

I know a male dentist in Ireland who saw a patient from Saudi for a wisdom tooth extraction. After the procedure the patient left his sister in the waiting room and said he would be back in 30 minutes as he wanted to get his prescription from the pharmacy. He only left her “alone” as the other 2 patients and the receptionists were female. It tra…[Read more]

Strega wrote:
Genghis Khan unified all the Mongolian tribes with his brutality.

The British created the modern state of India out of a gaggle of minor local kingdoms with theirs. And the modern state of Germany wouldn’t have the national treasure of Schloss Neuschwannstein without the brutality of The Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria, either.

Strange…[Read more]

@_Robert_ always will be a child molesting…cult.

I suspect this is going to be the case but they are not in first place considering the latest news about the Catholic Church in Ireland which will lead to more revelations around the world over the next few years. I won’t post about it yet but I will be asking people why they still support an…[Read more]

See what happens when you try to silence me…..

Remember this from our old friend?

Apparently they don’t like apostates and atheists…

That means they don’t like 75% of the worlds population. That includes me so they can sit on this and swivel.

It’s just not healthy to place that much value in something, so that it is above all else that really matters.

That is very true, especially when what they value most is ima…[Read more]

Yes, to an atheist, Islam seems extreme, unbending and oppressive.  It’s also been hijacked by patriarchy.

At what time in its history was Islam not patriarchal?  If anyone would like to hear what women in Afghanistan think about it, you had better ask them very soon.

But I disagree with what a commenter said – that it’s incompatible with We…[Read more]