25 Jul '14 15:33>
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28464009
Oh dear.
Please say this is a wind up.
Oh dear.
Please say this is a wind up.
Originally posted by DeepThoughtI know what you mean, but I am not convinced that astrology even as a bit of fun is fine. It may have a placebo effect which may be benign or even positive, but I have seen just as many people discouraged from taking action to remedy something in their lives either because their stars say it isn't going to happen, or because it says it is and so they sit back and just wait for it.
The logical flaw in all this is that just because some herbal remedies are useful, it doesn't mean astrology is anything other than hogwash. There is some link between the time of year on is born and health and psychological outcomes just because of the weather when one is young. This doesn't make astrology any use. The problem is the guy is on ...[text shortened]... in medicine, so one may as well save some money on an astrologer and give the patient a placebo.
Originally posted by Rank outsiderA future president may press the red button for thermal nuclear world war on the bases of the star signs.
I know what you mean, but I am not convinced that astrology even as a bit of fun is fine. It may have a placebo effect which may be benign or even positive, but I have seen just as many people discouraged from taking action to remedy something in their lives either because their stars say it isn't going to happen, or because it says it is and so they ...[text shortened]... s less tolerant to allowing such specious claptrap getting any kind of mainstream acceptability.
Originally posted by Rank outsiderNationalism is another bastion of irrationality that is still not nearly frowned upon enough. People support "their" football teams and Olympic athlethes without questioning why, and if quizzed, will say it's harmless and "just a bit of fun." But only when people stop supporting "their" teams and "their" country and the Olympics are abolished can we be sure there will not be another world war.
I know what you mean, but I am not convinced that astrology even as a bit of fun is fine. It may have a placebo effect which may be benign or even positive, but I have seen just as many people discouraged from taking action to remedy something in their lives either because their stars say it isn't going to happen, or because it says it is and so they ...[text shortened]... s less tolerant to allowing such specious claptrap getting any kind of mainstream acceptability.
Originally posted by KazetNagorraWrong! Competition is the backbone of progress. A united world is a doomed world until such a time comes when we must unite against another species from a distant solar system... which is highly unlikely.
Nationalism is another bastion of irrationality that is still not nearly frowned upon enough. People support "their" football teams and Olympic athlethes without questioning why, and if quizzed, will say it's harmless and "just a bit of fun." But only when people stop supporting "their" teams and "their" country and the Olympics are abolished can we be sure there will not be another world war.
Originally posted by KazetNagorraI agree with most of that. Although I don't think abolishing the Olympics would literally help prevent another war, I think I know what you really mean -it is the ruthless selfish competitive attitude that must somehow be 'abolished'.
Nationalism is another bastion of irrationality that is still not nearly frowned upon enough. People support "their" football teams and Olympic athlethes without questioning why, and if quizzed, will say it's harmless and "just a bit of fun." But only when people stop supporting "their" teams and "their" country and the Olympics are abolished can we be sure there will not be another world war.
Originally posted by iChopWoodForFree
Wrong! Competition is the backbone of progress. A united world is a doomed world until such a time comes when we must unite against another species from a distant solar system... which is highly unlikely.
Competition is the backbone of progress.
A united world is a doomed world
Originally posted by iChopWoodForFreeActually what determines the projects one can take on is the level of accumulated capital. Competition makes it harder as there are several groups duplicating effort. For smallish projects this can be an advantage as they can go in different directions, but for larger projects it introduces artificial limits. No individual country could have taken on a project as expensive as LHC (the US cancelled SSC on cost grounds).
Wrong! Competition is the backbone of progress. A united world is a doomed world until such a time comes when we must unite against another species from a distant solar system... which is highly unlikely.