Posts by steelridge58

Amanda Jackson5 said:There’s actually a specific term for that called "misoneism." It’s pretty much tied to conservatism, which honestly feels like the real conversation we should be having here.

I'm honestly not quite sure if bringing up "misoneism" would actually fit the vibe of what we're discussing here,

"The fear of anything new is basically just how a rational mind operates when it’s desperate to define, explain, and categorize everything into a neat little box just so it can feel like it has some sense of control and direction; meanwhile, any innovation that refuses to fit into those pre-set boundaries feels like a direct threat to the established order, which means this whole idea could easily slide into the realm of philosophy of mind, looking at whether true freedom is even possible if we can't break free from the rigid structures our own logic imposes on us."

Sandra Murphy33 said:I’m inclined to agree.

The older elections will likely carry more weight now, which might actually allow us to integrate some fresh perspectives into the mix👍

Festina lente

( ... though I’m skeptical that this approach will actually help us become more multi-faceted on the platform😉 ... )

Great

exactly as you put it

Festina lente

As far as being multi-topic goes, that isn't really an issue because we aren't even multi-topic yet,

🙂))

Just kidding.

There are just so many philosophical topics out there that you could dive into with real hunger,
- but I really think we should aim for more participation—getting more folks on the forum to actually jump in and engage.

🙂

So, looking at how things are moving, maybe alongside this week's Election question, we could spin off a brand new thread,
titled

neophobia—the fear of the new
(meaning that dread of change where people cling to old structures in every aspect of life, including social dynamics, which ties right back into the philosophy of freedom)
- and since we're already having such a heated debate, it could all sort of tie together into one cohesive theme,
so if anyone is feeling inspired, shall we get it started?

Basically, can I take the lead on it, or is someone else interested?

Amanda Jackson5 said:I’d actually suggest we carve out a dedicated sub-sub-forum under the "Philosophy" section specifically for "Metaphysics" or maybe just call it "Hard-core Philosophy," essentially creating a space where people can engage in some actual, heavy-duty philosophical debates without the distractions.

Well, I know we've already floated this idea around with the admins before, but the thing is, we just don't really have enough active threads of that specific nature yet to justify them opening up an entirely separate sub-forum for it.
(though it’s still sitting there as a possibility down the road, maybe...)

Still, I think I'm going to go ahead and pitch it again anyway, just to see if they'll consider it, because why not?

To be honest, I was just thinking about asking if we could get a new sub-forum for the Election too, so I might as well bring both ideas to the table at once.
(since maybe the sheer volume of election-related topics would finally meet that requirement the admins are looking for.)

I hope you guys don't mind, but starting with the next round, I’m thinking we should shake up the pace for the Election thread by moving to a bi-weekly schedule instead of the weekly rhythm we’ve been stuck in.

The idea here is to finally give some breathing room to the other topics on the PDF—including any potential new ones—so they can actually get some attention, since the Election thread has kind of been hogging all the spotlight lately.

🙂)

Raymond Newman2 said:I was wondering if I could possibly request a ban4life or just whatever the longest duration available might be. Thanks.

Not happening.

🙂

I'm officially joining the fan club here, and I'm voting against this whole exit strategy idea.

Thanks so much

😘

Yeah

Awesome!

I'm gonna go ahead and set this up

🙂)

Sandra Murphy33

🙂

A huge congrats to you!!

I guess we’re tied on points, but since I was the one who originally kicked this whole thing off with my question, I'll give you the edge here.

Would you mind doing us a huge favor and coming up with a brand new question for us all?

If this whole current order actually holds up, Sandra Murphy33, you better start cooking up a brand new question for us

🙂

I voted for

Joseph Murphy10 - those opening lines just hit me right in the gut; they were so spontaneous and rawly honest, almost painfully sincere.
(It’s that kind of personal, vibrant touch that really gives a conversation its soul and makes it feel human—just pure sentiment.)
I also really connected with the logic in the second half, especially the idea that we shouldn't change who we are just because of some sudden decision, along with that beautiful point about overcoming our own limits.

march28 - that response pointed out how the truly vital things are actually the "unimportant" ones—the mundane, everyday moments we share with the people we love,
those tiny, little things that actually make a life worth living.
It felt like one of those rare, unrepeatable experiences you'd give anything to relive if you could.

James Lee77 - in one of his comments, he mentioned
that "you won't be asking for directions once you reach your destination," so providing an answer that acts as a bridge between the journey and the goal shows such incredible consistency to the path itself,
giving it real integrity.

David Robinson26, that was a good move (even if it feels a bit paradoxical when you're talking about the afterlife) to pose a question back as an answer to the topic at hand. 🙂

Weekend Warrior - provided a great sense of direction.

Sandra Murphy33 - I found myself rereading her entire response over and over again.
It was just so optimistic.

Hekatonkheires - what a clever response; there's enough depth there to build an entire story based on it, perhaps as a dialogue.

Poll is officially live, so feel free to jump in and cast your votes...

(sorry for being a little late on this one)

David Robinson26 said:Is anyone actually alive in here?

"Just tell me now so I can go ahead and end it all if the answer is no"
😁

Eric Newman75 said:Quincy only really touched on one slice of this story: the part that fits neatly within the bounds of rationality and logic. He barely mentioned the emotional and intuitive side of things, which definitely exists, even if it gets pushed aside by an obsession with being pragmatic. God would likely see—and take into account—both sides of the coin. And let's not forget, nowhere in Pensées does Quincy suggest that believing in God is a bad thing; quite the opposite. Christianity views it as a positive, and I actually interpret the analytical way he builds his argument as a bit of irony. A subtle jab at those who, despite everything else, still need a mathematical nudge to get on board.

Don't all religions rely on that exact parallel? God serves as both the Creator and the guarantor of life after death.

We spend our whole lives obsessing over the world, how it all began, the nature of reality, life, and death... and honestly, we just end up staring into the great unknown, wondering what it all means.
I can't help but wonder if any part of who we are actually survives once our physical bodies give out, and I really don't think you need to be religious or even believe in God—despite what most churches tell you—just to hold onto a vague sense of hope or even just the simple thought that an afterlife might exist, because, well, nobody truly knows

But yeah, religions definitely rely on that idea.

Eric Newman75 said:I’d honestly love to ask Pascal if he feels like his little wager actually paid off.

I suppose I might argue that it wasn't particularly logical to assume a rational God—one capable of rewarding believers with eternal paradise through some sort of "gambler's breakdown"—would choose to deny eternity to those who rejected Him simply because they were uninformed or lacked the specific knowledge needed to resolve their doubts, especially since true faith has to be a free choice rather than something forced upon us by undeniable, cold logic.

But what I really want to get at is why having faith or even just a glimmer of hope in an afterlife—some kind of existence beyond this one—would necessarily require the existence of God in the first place?

Why would those two things ever have to be linked together?

...

Amanda Jackson5 said:So, does this bother anyone else?
Fine, maybe we’ll actually get some input from that relative of Göring's then.
Still, I can't help but wonder: if religious folks genuinely believe there are alien civilizations out there, did their God reveal Himself to them too, or are they just sitting around waiting for us to drop by and share the good news? How does that even work in your head? Does every single civilization need its own version of Jesus?

Look, when you storm into a saloon looking for a fight and start poking at people, there’s nothing intellectually sound or fair about that, so you shouldn't be surprised when things get messy before you ever get to hear any good news.

no way Quincy

No, because you already said you didn't mind. We're talking about someone who actually agrees with Goering's idea that the deer at Carinhall are happy when he shoots at them because being hunted is their whole purpose. (post #88)

You're forcing a context—or rather, a different one.
So, it isn't really
- it's more like manipulating the context entirely.

If you don't want to talk, you should probably just be honest with yourself about why. I originally wanted to say "more fairly" instead of "better," but then I realized you probably aren't even aware of what's actually happening here. Sure, it's provocative, but that's not against the rules, and I don't see why it would be considered humiliating.

You've got such a distorted view of things that you can't even see clearly.
What you're doing right now isn't an invitation to communicate; it's actually making communication impossible.

I'm suggesting you take a breather or just go take a break.

As simple as that.

Sandra Murphy33 said:I suppose those are what people call "spontaneous guidance" or synchronicity.... 👍
Personally, for years now, I’ve been waking up naturally at the exact moment I decide before bed (though I still set an alarm clock 😁 just in case).
Sometimes, I'll go down to the local DMV to renew my driver's license, and while waiting in a massive line outside, I'll randomly sit next to some woman who explains that I won't be seen for another five hours, then shows me an app on her phone where I can track the queue numbers—something I had absolutely no clue existed. So, I download it, saving myself hours of wasted time. My initial instinct (my old 😬 self) was to dismiss the whole thing, thinking apps and digital nonsense were useless and that I'd just wait until the crowd cleared out...

But then, where do all these convenient little synchronicities come from?

Thanks for the new link. 🙂

That's true enough.
However, what I experience feels more like being nudged to do the least likely thing, or something I would normally never do—essentially being guided toward a completely new path or something atypical for my personality. Is the brain creating those new synapses and neural pathways in response to that nudge?
It's possible I won't fully grasp the mechanics of it until much later. 😎

Please, 😉) and again

The very first thing that popped into my head after reading this
- where do all these welcome synchronicities come from, were lyrics from a song

There's some kind of secret connection

🙂)

We are all interconnected.
🙂

Amy Bennett said:I honestly doubt that alien conspiracy theories come from anyone's actual, coherent thought process.

But... isn't that exactly what they're meant for?

Not really. 🙂 Well, unless you count being the target for those who have them in their sights.

You actually reminded me of yet another old thread we used to talk about.

Pre-determinism
which basically argues that we can distinguish the various modes of existence for all living things.
If anyone feels like diving into a little reading on that, I'll leave the link here.

Honestly, looking back at your last post, I almost just wanted to reply with a bunch of smiley faces.

Amy Bennett said:Intuitively, those kinds of theories at least feel like they make sense to me. I remember being a kid and always making sure to finish my entire lunch—mostly because I felt like if I didn't, the food would somehow be sad, given its whole purpose is to be eaten.

Well, look at us now.

🙂))

That was just childhood logic, I guess. But I totally get it—once something is sitting right there on your plate in front of you, throwing it away, no matter how much there is, it just feels wrong in a way that aligns perfectly with that feeling you described...

Man, if there were actually any angels watching over me, my life story would probably be a whole lot more wholesome than this.

So, one summer I was traveling along the coast with a close friend, and we weren't just staying in one spot; we were constantly on the move, hitting different towns. One particular morning, we had to head out super early to stay on schedule, and while I can't quite remember if I actually set my alarm, if I did, it certainly didn't do its job.

Instead, someone—or something—decided to wake me up by literally yanking on my hair.

😉

It was a real tug, you know? Not enough to hurt, but definitely enough to snap me awake. My first thought was, "Oh, okay, my friend is just being aggressive about us getting moving," but when I called out to her and turned toward the other bed where she was still fast asleep, I ended up waking *her* up, and she looked at me with this totally annoyed expression:
"Are you insane? Why on earth would I pull your hair like that?"

Hmmm... anyway, regardless of the mysterious hair-pulling phantom, it was definitely time to get up so we could get back on the road and make our trip on time.
..

James Lee77 said:I guess I don't know, but Socrates says his never actually gives good advice. Like, he only shows up when S. is about to mess something up, just to try and stop him.

We actually had a whole discussion about this before, so let me just refresh everyone's memory here

Inner Voice