Comments for http://misconceptions.us Tue, 15 May 2012 21:57:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Did Henry Ford Invent The Car Or The Assembly Line? by Lilly http://misconceptions.us/did-henry-ford-invent-the-car-or-the-assembly-line/comment-page-1/#comment-1796 Lilly Tue, 15 May 2012 21:57:58 +0000 http://misconceptions.us/?p=482#comment-1796 Henry DID invent the assembly line not a automobile because that is so true and everyone knows it! Henry DID invent the assembly line not a automobile because that is so true and everyone knows it!

]]> Comment on How Much Can We Trust The Media? by mercy http://misconceptions.us/how-much-is-the-news-that-we-watch-and-read-influenced-by-editors-and-producers/comment-page-1/#comment-1793 mercy Tue, 08 May 2012 06:30:47 +0000 http://misconceptions.us/?p=1215#comment-1793 The only way that I know of that will allow you to get even a little bit close to the “truth” is to read several different newspapers that have different slants and to watch different news channels. The only way that I know of that will allow you to get even a little bit close to the “truth” is to read several different newspapers that have different slants and to watch different news channels.

]]> Comment on Does Any Diet Really Work? And If So, Then Which One? by Steve http://misconceptions.us/does-any-diet-really-work-and-if-so-then-which-one/comment-page-1/#comment-1792 Steve Tue, 08 May 2012 04:04:09 +0000 http://misconceptions.us/?p=1704#comment-1792 Living an active lifestyle requires me to consume protein and healthy carbs. I go easy on sweets and junk food. Vegetables and fruits makes me feel full but not bloated and heavy. Though I haven't tried a specific diet, I think it's okay following them as long as you can sustain it. Living an active lifestyle requires me to consume protein and healthy carbs. I go easy on sweets and junk food. Vegetables and fruits makes me feel full but not bloated and heavy. Though I haven’t tried a specific diet, I think it’s okay following them as long as you can sustain it.

]]> Comment on Do We Really Have Free Will? Or Is Everything Predetermined? by Eric http://misconceptions.us/do-we-really-have-free-will-or-is-everything-predetermined/comment-page-1/#comment-1790 Eric Tue, 01 May 2012 19:04:41 +0000 http://misconceptions.us/?p=1182#comment-1790 We have free will. Those aspects of life may lead our sub conscious to influence or dictate our choice in a situation are a sum unique to that individual. In such as every person has different experiences. The sub conscious is not calibrated and identical in every person. To compare a human life to a calibrated robot is a bit simplistic aswell. While I can avidly agree that the sum total of our sub and conscious states influence our choices they are still ours to own. While God may know all that is laid out before us we do not. So the illusion of free will is in fact free will for the human life. We have free will. Those aspects of life may lead our sub conscious to influence or dictate our choice in a situation are a sum unique to that individual. In such as every person has different experiences. The sub conscious is not calibrated and identical in every person. To compare a human life to a calibrated robot is a bit simplistic aswell. While I can avidly agree that the sum total of our sub and conscious states influence our choices they are still ours to own. While God may know all that is laid out before us we do not. So the illusion of free will is in fact free will for the human life.

]]> Comment on Do We Really Have Free Will? Or Is Everything Predetermined? by HeartLander http://misconceptions.us/do-we-really-have-free-will-or-is-everything-predetermined/comment-page-1/#comment-1789 HeartLander Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:01:26 +0000 http://misconceptions.us/?p=1182#comment-1789 Talkbacks tend to shift and drift but.... Some of the best known Christians in history have taught there is no free will, including St. Augustine , Martin Luther, and John Calvin. The Christian Bible states in many places that God creates our future and decides our fates. It constantly denies that we have free will. If God knows exactly what will happen, (Being omnipotent and omniscient of course) the status of choices as free, is questionable. Talkbacks tend to shift and drift but….

Some of the best known Christians in history have taught there is no free will, including St. Augustine , Martin Luther, and John Calvin.

The Christian Bible states in many places that God creates our future and decides our fates.

It constantly denies that we have free will.

If God knows exactly what will happen, (Being omnipotent and omniscient of course) the status of choices as free, is questionable.

]]> Comment on Do We Really Have Free Will? Or Is Everything Predetermined? by liza http://misconceptions.us/do-we-really-have-free-will-or-is-everything-predetermined/comment-page-1/#comment-1788 liza Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:32:43 +0000 http://misconceptions.us/?p=1182#comment-1788 i thought we were talking about having free will as a gift from G-d. not at all the same topic now. i thought we were talking about having free will as a gift from G-d. not at all the same topic now.

]]> Comment on Do We Really Have Free Will? Or Is Everything Predetermined? by Michael Redbourn http://misconceptions.us/do-we-really-have-free-will-or-is-everything-predetermined/comment-page-1/#comment-1787 Michael Redbourn Mon, 30 Apr 2012 05:57:27 +0000 http://misconceptions.us/?p=1182#comment-1787 Thank you very much for your well thought out response. I shall reread it a couple more times, but the thought that I took away after a first reading was, "It is 'reason' itself that locks us in to doing whatever it is we are programmed to do by the sub-conscious". Thank you very much for your well thought out response.

I shall reread it a couple more times, but the thought that I took away after a first reading was, “It is ‘reason’ itself that locks us in to doing whatever it is we are programmed to do by the sub-conscious”.

]]> Comment on Do We Really Have Free Will? Or Is Everything Predetermined? by Alan http://misconceptions.us/do-we-really-have-free-will-or-is-everything-predetermined/comment-page-1/#comment-1786 Alan Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:38:18 +0000 http://misconceptions.us/?p=1182#comment-1786 Randomness is nothing more than lack of information. What event appears to be random to one person might not be random at all to another because they simply have differing amounts of crucial information about the event in question. So the argument that free will exists because randomness exists holds no weight whatsoever. Randomness is not absolute. It depends on how much information you have. To see this, imagine I tossed a coin with a programmed mechanical arm and the result is "heads" (say). Now, if I toss the coin again with EXACTLY the same conditions (i.e. same starting position, with the same force, same environmental conditions etc..), we know the result will be the same. For someone who only just walked into the room, the second toss would appear random. The fact that it is impractical to set up this thought experiment with perfect accuracy is irrelevant - it just shows that randomness in the truest sense of the word (how most people understand it) does not exist. In order to address the question of whether we have free will or not, we need to imagine a situation where we feel like we are in full control of our actions e.g. deciding whether to have a cup of tea or coffee at a particular time (assuming that both are equally preferable). People who advocate 'free will' might say that the choice is made without conscious thought i.e. spuriously or dare I say it, randomly! To me, the fact that we are unaware of our thought process on this occasion serves to delude us that we are in control of our actions. The fact that we choose tea (say) has to have a reason behind it, however tiny the preference is. It might be that we (subconsciously) feel that we drank too much coffee for one day or we saw a TV programme on bad coffee habits 3 weeks ago etc.., even though that information doesn't come to the conscious mind at decision time. The sub-conscious mind is a remarkable machine at weighing up options at speed, most of which are hidden from the conscious mind. 'Free will' people usually say at this point "Yes, but aren't we free to make a conscious choice?". It appears free, but when you look at it closely, again there's a reason behind it. The sub-conscious has made the decision. The 'consciousness' or awareness comes AFTER the decision has been made by the sub-conscious mind. This has been well documented scientifically using fMRI imaging of the brain. It is 'reason' itself that locks us in to doing whatever it is we are programmed to do by the sub-conscious. People generally are reticent to accept this idea (similar to the dispelling of the geocentric universe). When presented with information that threatens people's importance, people will go to extraordinary lengths to show how autonomous they are - all of it delusional in my view. We are nothing more than the product of our genes and our environment, neither of which we have control over. If you "choose" a different environment, the reason behind it is just a more complicated version of the tea/coffee example - the same principle applies (just more factors to weigh up). There is a reason for everything :-) Randomness is nothing more than lack of information. What event appears to be random to one person might not be random at all to another because they simply have differing amounts of crucial information about the event in question. So the argument that free will exists because randomness exists holds no weight whatsoever. Randomness is not absolute. It depends on how much information you have. To see this, imagine I tossed a coin with a programmed mechanical arm and the result is “heads” (say). Now, if I toss the coin again with EXACTLY the same conditions (i.e. same starting position, with the same force, same environmental conditions etc..), we know the result will be the same. For someone who only just walked into the room, the second toss would appear random. The fact that it is impractical to set up this thought experiment with perfect accuracy is irrelevant – it just shows that randomness in the truest sense of the word (how most people understand it) does not exist. In order to address the question of whether we have free will or not, we need to imagine a situation where we feel like we are in full control of our actions e.g. deciding whether to have a cup of tea or coffee at a particular time (assuming that both are equally preferable). People who advocate ‘free will’ might say that the choice is made without conscious thought i.e. spuriously or dare I say it, randomly! To me, the fact that we are unaware of our thought process on this occasion serves to delude us that we are in control of our actions. The fact that we choose tea (say) has to have a reason behind it, however tiny the preference is. It might be that we (subconsciously) feel that we drank too much coffee for one day or we saw a TV programme on bad coffee habits 3 weeks ago etc.., even though that information doesn’t come to the conscious mind at decision time. The sub-conscious mind is a remarkable machine at weighing up options at speed, most of which are hidden from the conscious mind. ‘Free will’ people usually say at this point “Yes, but aren’t we free to make a conscious choice?”. It appears free, but when you look at it closely, again there’s a reason behind it. The sub-conscious has made the decision. The ‘consciousness’ or awareness comes AFTER the decision has been made by the sub-conscious mind. This has been well documented scientifically using fMRI imaging of the brain. It is ‘reason’ itself that locks us in to doing whatever it is we are programmed to do by the sub-conscious. People generally are reticent to accept this idea (similar to the dispelling of the geocentric universe). When presented with information that threatens people’s importance, people will go to extraordinary lengths to show how autonomous they are – all of it delusional in my view. We are nothing more than the product of our genes and our environment, neither of which we have control over. If you “choose” a different environment, the reason behind it is just a more complicated version of the tea/coffee example – the same principle applies (just more factors to weigh up). There is a reason for everything :-)

]]> Comment on What motivates a spy? Patriotism, money, s**, adrenalin? by Richard http://misconceptions.us/what-motivates-a-spy-patriotism-money-sex-adrenalin/comment-page-1/#comment-1785 Richard Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:42:26 +0000 http://misconceptions.us/?p=1232#comment-1785 I'm not sure many people know they want to be a Spy from age 10 or whatever, a lot of them probably end up there via a military career and most people who agree to do this job probably have their fear sensors turned down or they are psychotic. I’m not sure many people know they want to be a Spy from age 10 or whatever, a lot of them probably end up there via a military career and most people who agree to do this job probably have their fear sensors turned down or they are psychotic.

]]> Comment on How Much Can We Trust The Media? by Richard http://misconceptions.us/how-much-is-the-news-that-we-watch-and-read-influenced-by-editors-and-producers/comment-page-1/#comment-1784 Richard Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:35:12 +0000 http://misconceptions.us/?p=1215#comment-1784 In the words of Heath Ledgers Joker "Not. . . One. . . BIT!" In the words of Heath Ledgers Joker “Not. . . One. . . BIT!”

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