Thy Plague Doctor

These things are not scientifically testable, much less provable.

Indeed. I would say that just as people believing in magic and stating their fantasies are true with any degree of certainty is the result of evolutionary processes gone utterly haywire in the age of reason, so it is to want to claim certainty about that which we cannot…in the age…[Read more]

Unseen that’s just uber-arrogance. You don’t have absolute knowledge. We cannot answer the question whether God does or doesn’t exist until we achieve omniscience. Are you omniscient? Do you have proof you aren’t in a simulation created by God, a brain in a vat created by God? Under an incredible delusion in an environment where God could exist.…[Read more]

Unseen the difference is in the kind of questions that they ask and their methods of answering them. To say that philosophy avoids the practical is absurd. I’ve never taken a single course or read a single book that avoided practicals except for, and only sometimes, metaphysics.

Again, you have to measure the risk against how obsessed you are over the single issue. Participating in a revolution is extremely dangerous. The revolution could come and despite promises to change things so your single issue is addressed never comes (you are expendable once the revolution is a success). Your single issue could be addressed but…[Read more]

Unseen political philosophy IS dealing with problems in practical terms. What gave you the idea it was anything other than that?

Unseen the United States cannot have a third party without proportional representation which you don’t have. That and the stupid electoral college could be changed with constitutional amendments which, until that happens, you’ll have to do with your imperfect system. In any case, its certainly a LOT easier to get rid of a bad government needing a…[Read more]

Two problems with your original statement:

You live in a country with two party rule (almost zero history of coalition ruling except rarely at a state level). In governments that have proportional representation smaller parties form and they almost invariably must rule together through compromise. That means a small party with a single issue can…[Read more]

We apply rational principles to almost every aspect of our lives. If someone claims you did something wrong you demand evidence. If someone claims a person pulled off an incredible accomplishment you ask for the evidence. And we use technology all the time which is the result of a fierce application of these rational/scientific principles…[Read more]

I have a friend who had her son when she was 42 at which point the father (who had wanted a child) upped and left leaving her as a single mom. Her son is very disruptive   She enrolled him in a Tai Kwan Doh class and it seems to have made a huge difference. He’s not perfect, by any means.  I know it’s an expense. What isn’t, these days?!  Howeve…[Read more]

Additionally i argue that gender roles are highly flexible and we ought to seek equality and self actualization for all.

An entirely obvious statement that seems to fly over a lot of people’s heads.

Unseen don’t be fucking ridiculous. Nobody is left alone to their natural inclinations. Every day we face countless pressures to conform to cultural norms, gender roles from our parents (who faces pressures from their parents and so on and so on and so on), not to mention at work, among friends, in public, at functions and so on. Many of these…[Read more]

Those differences, unseen, become trivial once we’ve overcome the need to spend all our day surviving from predators and feeding ourselves and most especially once we are self-aware and able to use reason. The physical differences are obvious but irrelevant. Our psychological differences are easily overcome if there is a willingness to do it. It’s…[Read more]

Those differences are heavily culturally enforced unseen. As women’s rights increase, women insist on making their own choices, challenging gender norms, living as they see fit and fighting the biases that keep gender differences so ingrained in our culture…miraculously we find all of those “fundamental” differences slowly disappearing. It would…[Read more]

Indeed +1 for Ivy

The only current swing states with a Republican trifecta is Florida. Ohio, Iowa and Arizona. I’ve taken a look at all four states and:Florida has the slimmest majority in the Senate. It’s unlikely a super contentious bill like that would pass there…especially in a state with a serious history of voting supression and electoral disaster. In Iowa…[Read more]

It’s preposterous to claim to know the result of an election six weeks before it happens (and with three presidential debates in between). Americans are obsessed with “already calling things” well before anything is clear. And they have total amnesia about it every single time they are wrong. Clinton was a totally obvious sure thing, except for…[Read more]