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I have transcended Earthly reality. I still have to pay my rent, though. Facebook and Quora make this place unnecessary for me. That, and the way this place seems like a wasteland. I hope that you are all flourishing, or doing at least reasonably well. eudaimonia, Mark

I don't see how that is "directly supported by logic". That is certainly not how I "navigate existence". Please explain to me how a supernatural entity that performs miracles allows one to make predictable interactions with the physical world. Predictability is a function of naturalism, in...

No, I wouldn't. I can't imagine why I would. I'm not saying that I approve of such acts, since I value excellence of character. However, I don't see such imperfections as justifications for punishment. Yes, in the case of murder, rape, kidnapping, torture, etc, I can see some justification...

They apply. They are inventions! However, they are designed in recognition of facts of human existence. They are not pure inventions in the sense of flights of fancy. Even a rocket, while an invention, is designed with reality in mind -- or else it wouldn't fly. I'd say objective. At...

Yes, I do agree. Life is an art. A happy relationship is not automatic. It takes effort from both parties. I'm assuming here that one actually values the relationship. If not, I wonder why one is there. If one has a toxic relationship, I can understand why one wouldn't want to put in any...

If you stare into an inkblot long enough, the inkblot stares back into you. eudaimonia, Mark

Good, actually. I don't see faith as something worthwhile. It's like being happy that I don't believe in astrology any more, as I did when I was a naive teenager. eudaimonia, Mark

It seems to me that this sense of "entitlement" comes from the nature of marriage itself. Marriage feels like a trade off. If one promises not to be sexually involved with others, it is natural to expect that one's partner will be sexually available. One loses something, and then gains...

Life is its own purpose. You can have purpose in this life because life is worthwhile in itself. One doesn't need "ultimate purpose" for one's life to have value for oneself. The position they have is that one had a great life, and the other had a horrible life. The comparison of...

It's as certain as that there are no leprechauns. The question, however, is faulty. Certainty simply has no meaning when it comes to such questions. There is no degree of certainty or uncertainty possible when asking about unfalsifiable claims with vague standards of evidence. The issue of...

So? Meet more atheists. ;) eudaimonia, Mark

I love dystopian fiction, but that certainly isn't my evaluation of what it actually is. Dystopian fiction isn't about "fear of change", and it does NOT claim that change is inevitably bad. I can't think of even a single dystopian novel that makes that claim, or even implies this. Indeed, the...

I have never needed counselors. But if you need them, I hope that you get the help that you need. eudaimonia, Mark

Then I'm happy that you believe that you have that friendship. I don't need it to avoid that terrible fate. eudaimonia, Mark

Way to destroy any credibility you might have had as an honest discussion partner. eudaimonia, Mark

True, but at all stages I am fundamentally human. The sort of change involved with not finding eternity boring is not of the same sort. No, those aren't the sort of changes I'm talking about. It would be more like choosing to become a cat. I recommend reading this article to get a deeper...

That's like Odysseus choosing between Scylla and Charybdis. The alternative is this: 1) You have a fully human mind. And you are faced with eternal repetition of events which leads to great boredom. Eternity isn't just living for a trillion or so years. A trillion years is an infinitesimal...

I doubt that a single experience would be enough. There would have to be a pattern of experiences that are best explained in a theistic context. It's a tall order when my entire life to date parsimoniously leads to a non-theistic and naturalistic viewpoint. That's an odd question. I would...

I am the ultimate authority regarding my mental contents. If you ask me: "what is the state capital of New York State?", I could mistakenly say "New York City", or could correct say "Albany", but whatever my answer is, the set of all statements of knowledge in my mind is for me to tell you, not...

No, what is the problem? Please spell out the problem for me. Take it step by step. Keep in mind that you had claimed that "Atheists know God exists" and that I had said that my experience of my own mind contradicts this claim. Start from there and make your case. eudaimonia, Mark