Any philosophers out there?

[SteveB]

JOA - Just to expound a little on my previous point in light of your recent reply.

Grief makes you vunerable.
Evolution doesn't do vunerable.

Which makes me think that Evolution isn't wholly responsible for the Human condition. What is responsible however, is anyone's guess.

[jackofall]

SteveB, I take your point fully and totally agree. Have you read 'In God We Doubt' by John Humphrys - the radio broadcaster? He comes up with similar points. When it comes to people like Schindler who took terrible risks to hide jews from the Nazis, Dawkins says that such altruism is a misfiring of a basic instinct of 'I'll do you a favour if you do me a favour back later on when I need it'. People like Schindler could never get a favour back, so Dawkins likens it to LUST. Like sex, the desire has been separated from its real 'purpose'  - ie, reproduction. Humphrys is shocked that everything noble and virtuous about humans that makes us different from animals, is reduced to 'lust'. An evolutionary 'mistake' is what makes us moral beings. It doesn't add up for humphrys and I think he has got a point! I've sat on the fence so long about 'the meaning of life' that splinters are a permanent feature of my poor buttocks....    

[Oldrottenhead]

some good debates on evolution here www.venganza.org and here http://psychology.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_evolution_of_altruism

[SteveB]

...I've sat on the fence so long about 'the meaning of life' that splinters are a permanent feature of my poor buttocks....    

JOA - Well it's a very BIG fence because You, Me and most of Humanity is also sat on it because it's the biggest question of all time. And the bare truth of course is: No One Knows.

[Oldrottenhead]

And the bare truth of course is: No One Knows.

problem is a lot of people think they know, i tend not to trust people that are certain about everything, i trust the guy that says "well you know, i'm not quite sure about that"

[SteveB]

problem is a lot of people think they know, i tend not to trust people that are certain about everything, i trust the guy that says "well you know, i'm not quite sure about that"

ORH - Agree with almost all you say, although I'd probably draw the line at including Airline Pilots in the category '...i trust the guy that says "well you know, i'm not quite sure about that" 

SB

[tony]

Grief makes you vunerable.
Evolution doesn't do vunerable.

Which makes me think that Evolution isn't wholly responsible for the Human condition. What is responsible however, is anyone's guess.

Why does evolution not do vulnerable?  What is vulnerable in one circumstance is strength in another.  I slink away from a fight in a bar and I get the girl who likes that I'm honest about my fear.  Whatever, pick they example that you like.

I don't think there are any rules about evolution that don't relate to context.

And the bare truth of course is: No One Knows.

So why don't we accept that and carry on.  I might not know why Emin sounds good after G maj but I'm happy to use the fact that it does.  Not just content, actually happy.  Aren't the big questions just a product of those people going around proposing that they have the big answers?

I advocate sticking with the little questions (How am I going to get through Xmas without getting a loan?). They have a better strike rate than the big questions.

[Oldrottenhead]

I advocate sticking with the little questions (How am I going to get through Xmas without getting a loan?). They have a better strike rate than the big questions.

thats actually quite a big question for me lol.

[jackofall]

That's why Zen is so cool. It doesn't ask questions......you just sit in meditation and let the ego/self fall away. Music is at its best when you get out of the way of yourself. There's a guy at our guitar society who is a brilliant player but he leaves everyone cold because his playing is just a big demonstartion of how good he is. I've seen other players who are just a channel for the music. It flows out of them and communicates something mysterious, beyond anyone playing anything....sorry, I'm addicted to rambling sometimes, especially in such good company as this. Whose round is it?

[tony]

I advocate sticking with the little questions (How am I going to get through Xmas without getting a loan?). They have a better strike rate than the big questions.

thats actually quite a big question for me lol.

I agree.  It's a biggie for me, too, but little in the sense that nobody gives a shit about the answer but me (and the hungry mouths in the other room).