Interesting. I suppose that in verbal communication tone will indicate which connotation is intended, but in text a person would be required to examine context, which may fail to provide clarity. I'm cool with ambiguity though.Hermit wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:16 amLet me assure you that 'quite' is indeed used to denote 'somewhat' as well as 'definitely' down here, but since I quite like ambiguity sometimes, let's leave it at that, shall we?L'Emmerdeur wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:36 pmIs that the British 'quite' as in somewhat, or the American 'quite' as in definitely? I enquired which of these is common in Australia, and the reply was ambiguous.
Feet of Clay
- L'Emmerdeur
- Posts: 5700
- Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:04 pm
- About me: Yuh wust nightmaya!
- Contact:
Re: Feet of Clay
- Hermit
- Posts: 25806
- Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:44 am
- About me: Cantankerous grump
- Location: Ignore lithpt
- Contact:
Re: Feet of Clay
Yes, quite.L'Emmerdeur wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:41 amInteresting. I suppose that in verbal communication tone will indicate which connotation is intended, but in text a person would be required to examine context, which may fail to provide clarity. I'm cool with ambiguity though.Hermit wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:16 amLet me assure you that 'quite' is indeed used to denote 'somewhat' as well as 'definitely' down here, but since I quite like ambiguity sometimes, let's leave it at that, shall we?L'Emmerdeur wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:36 pmIs that the British 'quite' as in somewhat, or the American 'quite' as in definitely? I enquired which of these is common in Australia, and the reply was ambiguous.
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein’s brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops. - Stephen J. Gould
- JimC
- The sentimental bloke
- Posts: 73016
- Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 7:58 am
- About me: To be serious about gin requires years of dedicated research.
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Re: Feet of Clay
Sure, we agree on that (the bit of my post you coloured red), and many of the directions espoused by the "new atheists" , particularly the political elements, had major faults. No problem. But, I still stand by my view that developing an atheist stance has more complexities than saying that "atheism is the absence of belief, end of story"Hermit wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:39 amMaybe I should have expressed myself more pedantically, but in the context of the Salon article as well as my reaction to it I didn't think there was a need for it. What I thought was understood when I wrote the bit I now coloured blue was what you wrote I now coloured red. Additionally, atheism does not preclude someone being a libertarian, fascist, socialist, communist or a person subscribing to any other political or social view. The only thing an atheist is precluded from being is...JimC wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:41 pmI think atheism is something more than that, at least in terms of the process people go through to become atheists. Simply not believing in the existence of a pink elephant the size of a mountain permanently buried within the gas clouds of Jupiter is rather easy to do. For people immersed in a culture where religion is a real if fading influence, and particularly if you were brought up to believe, is considerably more difficult. Commonly, it involves the exercise of logic, and a willingness to do away with the comfort religion provides, particularly when confronted by your own death, or the death of loved ones. It often involves an exploration of the ways of viewing the universe provided by science, which again requires at least some intellectual effort.
So, in a purely logical sense, atheism is only a lack of belief in a supernatural being, but its ramifications for the cognitive process of anyone who comes to share that lack of belief are important. One thing is clear, though - it lends no particular moral or ethical cachet, and atheists in general are just as liable to personality faults all humans are heirs to...
Nurse, where the fuck's my cardigan?
And my gin!
And my gin!
- Brian Peacock
- Tipping cows since 1946
- Posts: 37956
- Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 11:44 am
- About me: Ablate me:
- Location: Location: Location:
- Contact:
Re: Feet of Clay
Yeah. I guess we're talking about the difference between what atheism is and what it means to be an atheist.
Rationalia relies on voluntary donations. There is no obligation of course, but if you value this place and want to see it continue please consider making a small donation towards the forum's running costs.
Details on how to do that can be found here.
.
"It isn't necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice.
There are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia."
Frank Zappa
"This is how humanity ends; bickering over the irrelevant."
Clinton Huxley » 21 Jun 2012 » 14:10:36 GMT
.
Details on how to do that can be found here.
.
"It isn't necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice.
There are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia."
Frank Zappa
"This is how humanity ends; bickering over the irrelevant."
Clinton Huxley » 21 Jun 2012 » 14:10:36 GMT
- JimC
- The sentimental bloke
- Posts: 73016
- Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 7:58 am
- About me: To be serious about gin requires years of dedicated research.
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Re: Feet of Clay
Yeah, that is close to what I was getting at...
Nurse, where the fuck's my cardigan?
And my gin!
And my gin!
- Hermit
- Posts: 25806
- Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:44 am
- About me: Cantankerous grump
- Location: Ignore lithpt
- Contact:
Re: Feet of Clay
Or what it entails to become an atheist. For many of us developing an atheist stance involves an intellectual struggle. We become skilled at reasoning things out in a logical way and our knowledge and appreciation of things scientific grows more than in those who vegetate contentedly within their theistic mindset and environment. We become "The Brights".Brian Peacock wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 7:24 amYeah. I guess we're talking about the difference between what atheism is and what it means to be an atheist.
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein’s brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops. - Stephen J. Gould
- JimC
- The sentimental bloke
- Posts: 73016
- Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 7:58 am
- About me: To be serious about gin requires years of dedicated research.
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Re: Feet of Clay
Hermit wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 9:55 amOr what it entails to become an atheist. For many of us developing an atheist stance involves an intellectual struggle. We become skilled at reasoning things out in a logical way and our knowledge and appreciation of things scientific grows more than in those who vegetate contentedly within their theistic mindset and environment. We become "The Brights".Brian Peacock wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 7:24 amYeah. I guess we're talking about the difference between what atheism is and what it means to be an atheist.
The sarcasm at the end is not warranted. Yes, I think that becoming an atheist does require some intellectual effort, and for people within deeply religious communities and families, a good deal of courage. But this does not automatically have to result in the sort of egotistical arrogance shown by some "new atheists", with the cringe-worthy self-bestowed label "the brights". I give you Carl Sagan as an example...
Nurse, where the fuck's my cardigan?
And my gin!
And my gin!
- Tero
- Just saying
- Posts: 47202
- Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 9:50 pm
- About me: 15-32-25
- Location: USA
- Contact:
Re: Feet of Clay
The religious people are kind of confused about us. We don't think we are biological robots (well, nice ones if we are) but they treat us as if we deny a rich emotional life by saying there is no god. We must be poor, miserable and depressed because "nothing means anything anymore."
https://esapolitics.blogspot.com
http://esabirdsne.blogspot.com/
Said Peter...what you're requesting just isn't my bag
Said Daemon, who's sorry too, but y'see we didn't have no choice
And our hands they are many and we'd be of one voice
We've come all the way from Wigan to get up and state
Our case for survival before it's too late
Turn stone to bread, said Daemon Duncetan
Turn stone to bread right away...
http://esabirdsne.blogspot.com/
Said Peter...what you're requesting just isn't my bag
Said Daemon, who's sorry too, but y'see we didn't have no choice
And our hands they are many and we'd be of one voice
We've come all the way from Wigan to get up and state
Our case for survival before it's too late
Turn stone to bread, said Daemon Duncetan
Turn stone to bread right away...
- Svartalf
- Offensive Grail Keeper
- Posts: 40340
- Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 12:42 pm
- Location: Paris France
- Contact:
Re: Feet of Clay
The world, such as I've seen it, is proof negative of a loving creator.Sean Hayden wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:12 pmYou will justify yourself or face a wall of angry words sir. --hhmppff!
Embrace the Darkness, it needs a hug
PC stands for "Patronizing Cocksucker" Randy Ping
PC stands for "Patronizing Cocksucker" Randy Ping
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests