A revolution in thought

[Doctor X]

Originally Posted by thedoc

It has also been said that every 'silver lining' (sounds too good to be true), has a big dark cloud with it (realty).

Al Sleet, Meteorologist

--J. "Tonight's Forecast: Dark" D.

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by peacegirl

You keep forgetting that his astute observations were valid, where many empirical tests are not.

Interestingly enough, even though this is a psychological law of man's nature, it is not theoretical. It's factual.

Lessans 'astute observations' have no validation, as there is nothing to back them up. Empirical tests are validated by additional tests that repeat the test and the results. Tests results that are not reproducable are discarded, and those that can be succesfully repeated will be retained in the body of scientific knowledge.

There is no 'Psychological Law' of human nature that is based in fact, it is all theory, and a lot of it is false including Lessans ideas.

[Doctor X]

She resembles a Scientologist trying to claim L Fraud "did science!"

--J.D.

[LadyShea]

You keep forgetting that his astute observations were valid, where many empirical tests are not.

Facts supporting this not in evidence. I call assertion.

[peacegirl]

Originally Posted by peacegirl

How can that be true if he never talked to his pool buddies about his discovery. He never used big language. He was just one of the guys. They did see him writing his manuscript, but he never boasted or mentioned what he was writing about.

Originally Posted by thedoc

I did not say he talked to his pool buddies in his imaginary conversations, only the educated people that he envied and desperately wanted to be like. Try reading posts when you are not so upset.

I'm not upset. I just can't believe that this whole thread is about demeaning my father, when you're so off in your characterization. Does it make you feel better to make up stories about who he was so you can feel you pegged me correctly? Wuzzup with this?

[peacegirl]

Originally Posted by Angakuk

You spent pages insisting on that. All the while ignoring the fact that it's easily demonstrated that this is not the case.

Until you realized that this wasn't what Lessans had said. At which point you immediately switched positions.

I'm not switching positions. I'm trying to answer intelligently, but sometimes I myself have to extend the principles in relation to the question posed. This in itself has nothing to do with the validity of these principles. It has more to do with my inability to answer satisfactorily.

Originally Posted by Angakuk

There, you did it again. That was The Lone Ranger, not me. Once again I am not insulted by the false attribution, as I agree with TLR wholeheartedly. I do, however, consider your continued failure to proofread and check your attributions to be an insult to everyone posting in or reading this thread.

I apologize. I'm trying hard to attribute the posts to the right person.

Originally Posted by Angakuk

So you claim, while repeating the same mis-attribution. I think your definition of trying hard and my definition must be very different.

At least I'm not ruining the whole thread by mis-attributing a name to someone else, which I can't say for all of you.

I said I came here because I needed people who had the intellectual capacity to understand this work.

Originally Posted by Angakuk

The problem, for you, is that you found those people. You need to start aiming a little lower if you want to get any traction.

You're giving yourself too much credit.

Originally Posted by Angakuk

And you are claiming way to much credit for Lessans.

No way.

And you don't believe this has anything to do with a group mentality? It's so obvious to me.

Originally Posted by Angakuk

I don't think what has anything to do with group mentality?

This entire thread, and the premature rebuttals.

Originally Posted by Angakuk

I am pretty sure that Lessans' lack of credibility and persuasive argument has nothing to do with group mentality. Unless you mean to suggest that Lessans was not just writing as an individual but as a representative of some kind of hivemind.

Angakuk, you don't know the first thing about this discovery to know whether he had a persuasive argument, or not. There is too much group mentality in here to make any kind of headway. Everyone follows everyone else, and it turns into a big bashing party. And guess who's being bashed?

[peacegirl]

Originally Posted by Angakuk

In our pasture there are two mares, a sorrel and a paint. There is also a mule colt, the offspring of the sorrel mare. The colt was born early in the spring. This afternoon I happened to notice the colt trying to mount the paint mare. I found this behavior kind of funny on several points. First, he is too small for his equipment to reach its intended target. Second, he is too young to accomplish anything useful even were he able to reach the target. Third, he is a mule. That is to say that, even if he were not too small and too immature it remains the case that he is infertile and the effort, even should he be successful, would ultimately prove futile, at least as far as producing any offspring is concerned. So, one may well ask, why is he engaging in this frustrating and ultimately futile endeavor? I assume that he is getting some benefit from the behavior, even if it is only the satisfaction of doing that which comes naturally to him and to which he is compelled by his very nature.

Consideration of my participation in this thread leads to a feeling of deep and profound sympathy for that mule colt. Although it is highly unlikely that anything I say to peacegirl will produce a measurable or useful result, I find that I am unwilling to resist the urge to screw with her.

I suppose that those who are just lurkin in this thread are in much the same position that I was this afternoon as I watched that colt repeatedly attempt, and fail, to achieve the impossible. That is to say, they are likely to be sympathizing with us in our futile attempts to achieve the impossible and laughing at the absurdity of the entire enterprize.

You are too funny Angaguk, but you don't have to feel sorry for me because I'm not a mule, and I am not engaging in futile behavior, even if one person gets it. Will someone come forward to tell me they got even a little from all of these pages of discussion? That will spur me on to new heights.

Originally Posted by Angakuk

Peacegirl, your powers of miscomprehension are truly astonishing. While it is true that you share certain characteristics in common with mules, this parable is not about you and it is not about feeling sorry for anyone, you least of all. It is about me and the others who have made the effort to communicate with you. We are the mules who are engaged in a futile and absurd enterprize.

So you didn't designate me the mule colt?

Originally Posted by Angakuk

Consideration of my participation in this thread leads to a feeling of deep and profound sympathy for that mule colt.

[peacegirl]

Originally Posted by Stephen Maturin

What SharonDee said. Also, I hadn't paid significant attention to modal logic for over thirty years before this thread came along.

And that's just the serious stuff. Don't even get me started on rumpeh pumpeh, davidm's The Golden Age in Smilies masterpieces, Vivisectus' revolution in ornithological thought, efferent smelling, Your Most Humble and Obedient Servant's new-found status as the agenda-driven guardian/keeper of all knowledge, the treasure trove of epic custom user titles, and a host of others.

You and David have been masterminds at making this discovery look like something it's not. So since there's a moratorium on any criticism, why not use your creative energy to repair what you did. I'm sure you'd be just as successful as when you were a son of a bitch, and we could make up a whole new list of custom user titles.

[peacegirl]

Since there's so much animosity in here, I decided that we should make up and have a group hug.

YouTube - ‪Hallelujah (Free...

[davidm]

Originally Posted by peacegirl

David, you're just full of hot air.

Why have you not read The Lone Ranger's essay, derper?

[davidm]

Originally Posted by peacegirl

Nobody can make him look like an idiot. They will be the ones to look like an idiot for even uttering anything demeaning about this man.

[davidm]

Originally Posted by peacegirl

Okay, so I didn't use the right word David. Go ahead and crucify me.

What are you talking about, "the right word"?

I'm not taking you to task for using the wrong word. I'm taking you to task for utter and complete ignorance of simple and well-established science, and for your hypocrisy and dishonesty in refusing to read The Lone Ranger's essay, 35 easy-to-understand pages that demolish all your father's pretensions to knowledge about light and vision.

[davidm]

Originally Posted by peacegirl

I'm not sure what you mean by this "arrow of time". Are you saying that the arrow of time, according to Bolzmann, can go forward or backward?

Holy shit.

Did you even go to school when you were a kid?

[davidm]

Originally Posted by Stephen Maturin

The study is clearly flawed because dogs can do no such thing. After all, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

Indeed, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

[Angakuk]

Originally Posted by peacegirl

The one I was referring to was the test on dogs being able to see their masters from a picture. I believe they are trying to test for quality, but that doesn't mean the test is accurate especially when the first order of business was training dogs to push a lever. I am not sure what tests would be accurate. I have to give it some thought. As far as which authority do I feel trustworthy, any group of individuals who are knowledgeable as to how to determine whether the variables were isolated, and that there wasn't any contamination. Sometimes these so-called accurate tests can be misleading.

Originally Posted by peacegirl

So you didn't designate me the mule colt?

No I did not designate you the mule colt. Go back and read it again. I said that I had a profound and deep sympathy for the mule colt because I too am engaged in an equally futile and absurd enterprize. Do you get it now? I identify with the mule colt and that generates a deep and profound sympathy for him. I have precious little sympathy for you.

What is your native language? It sure as hell ain't English.

[Angakuk]

Originally Posted by davidm

Indeed, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

You can eat Lessans' pudding until the cows come home and you will still die from the effects of malnutrition. You can take that to the bank.

[davidm]

A penny saved is a penny earned.

[Stephen Maturin]

Originally Posted by peacegirl

You and David have been masterminds at making this discovery look like something it's not.

davidm me

Originally Posted by peacegirl

So since there's a moratorium on any criticism, ...

Not true at all! I am operating under a self-imposed "personal moratorium" on insulting you. That's personal, as in I have no control or influence over what anyone else says or does. Further, I think even we can agree that a moratorium on personal insults certainly doesn't foreclose criticism.

Originally Posted by peacegirl

why not use your creative energy to repair what you did.

Again, you're ascribing to me a measure of influence that I simply don't have. Just out of curiosity, though, what "repairs" do you consider warranted?

Originally Posted by peacegirl

...we could make up a whole new list of custom user titles.

I am all for that!

Originally Posted by Angakuk

You can take that to the bank and smoke it.

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by Doctor X

Al Sleet, Meteorologist

--J. "Tonight's Forecast: Dark" D.

YouTube - ‪George Carlin 'The Hippy...

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by davidm

A penny saved is a penny earned.

? ? ? Then tell me why, when I go to the store and save money on all the bargans I buy, Why don't I have more money, when I come out, than when I went in? ? ? ?

[thedoc]

Lessans Economics?

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by peacegirl

I'm not upset. I just can't believe that this whole thread is about demeaning my father,

Not really demeaning, but it is confusing that he idealized academics, and vilified them at the same time.

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by peacegirl

Everyone follows everyone else, and it turns into a big bashing party. And guess who's being bashed?

Ahhhh, - - Charlie Sheen ? ?

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by peacegirl

I just can't believe that this whole thread is about demeaning my father, when you're so off in your characterization.

Are you saying he did not want to be considered an educated man.

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by peacegirl

How can that be true if he never talked to his pool buddies about his discovery. He was just one of the guys. They did see him writing his manuscript, but he never boasted or mentioned what he was writing about.

Perhaps he should have, they could probably have helped him with some of his errors in reasoning. And just why didn't he tell his 'pool buddies' about his discovery, didn't he want to share something so wonderful with them, or didn't he like them all that much. After all they weren't the academic intellictuals that Lessans wanted to be, just a bunch of pool hall bums. I guess he was aiming higher then their level of achievement. But more likely they would have laughed him out of the hall, really they are a lot more down to earth with some practical wisdom.