dream_weaver

meta- prefix meaning 1. "after, behind," 2. "changed, altered," 3. "higher, beyond," from Gk. meta (prep.) "in the midst of, in common with, by means of, in pursuit or quest of," from PIE *me- "in the middle" (cf. Goth. miþ, O.E. mið "with, together with, among;" see mid). Notion of "changing places with" probably led to senses "change of place, order, or nature," which was a principal meaning of the Greek word when used as a prefix (but also denoting "community, participation; in common with; pursuing"). Segregated for emphasis: Third sense, "higher than, transcending, overarching, dealing with the most fundamental matters of," is due to misinterpretation of metaphysics as "science of that which transcends the physical." This has led to a prodigious erroneous extension in modern usage, with meta- affixed to the names of other sciences and disciplines, especially in the academic jargon of literary criticism, which affixes it to just about anything that moves and much that doesn't.

New Buddha, there is only one set of evidence to appeal to. I don't see it as the selection from the available evidence, but the ability to distinguish between the designed and the natural within it. The I.D. proponents see patterns that exist naturally and point those patterns out as being similar to a designers use of patterns in developing man-made objects and conflate the two. Geometry, a man derived science, permits the development of gears, springs, circles, square and triangles that are seldom seen directly in nature, allowing the development of a watch. As we continue to identify patterns in nature (causal connections) such as electrons, protons, neutrons making up a multitude of different atoms - which further interact to become a greater multitude of compounds and so on, the issue becomes one of interpretation of the evidence: is it simply discovering the nature of eternal existence, or do we apply the fundamental alternative of life (existence or non-existence) to inanimate indestructible matter and try to force fit an explanation that more or less aligns with the I.D. proponents (unchallengeable?) premise in this case.

Reality is objective?

"No good deed goes unpunished." Clare Boothe Luce, The Women (1936), Meaning: Life is inherently unfair, those who help others are doomed to suffer as a result of their being helpful. Malevolent universe premise.

Heaven forbid we assume a rational audience. Otherwise, what's the point? A broader understanding of irrationality?

The bigger the star, the larger the potential audience of people with whom they can discuss the latest tidbit with. Tying this in with the recent thread on small talk, it can provide fodder for the socialites to discuss a popular celebrity or two of mutual interest, in many cases, as an ice-breaker, Providing small-talk about others serves the broadest audience. To the average person, this is probably just a stepping stone to talking about things in general.

Speaking of holidays, it just would not do to have Groundhog's Day cast a shadow over Ayn Rand's Birthday, now would it. That being said. what is being discussed here is more than just communication studies with an emphasis on relational communications, which is available in curricula today.

Meteorites Reveal Another Way to Make Life's Components In the laboratory, FTT reactions produce amino acids, and can show a preference for making straight-chain molecules. "In almost all of the 14 meteorites we analyzed, we found that most of the amino acids had these straight chains, suggesting FTT reactions could have made them," said Burton.

Alain de Botton is missing the point. It is not that there is a lack of moral guidance. Rather the moral guidance being put forth by contemporary philosophy is what man is practicing today. The morality they are being taught to practice is bringing about the results of which we are seeing manifest around us. Even after listening to his presentation again, all I could identify is that there need be method and structure to disseminating what? what code of morality was he advocating? Right/wrong, based on what? Even religious institutions cloak altruism in the garb of right/wrong speech. The morality man is being taught to practice today permeates our culture through news, theatric entertainment, the music, the educational system. A morality of reason based on the mind's apprehension of reality is available to be discovered.

"To arrive at a contradiction is to confess an error in one's thinking; to maintain a contradiction is to abdicate one's mind and to evict oneself from the realm of reality." What are you going to do with the contradictions that you arrive at?

Fellowship of Reason is one such approach, if you happen to be in the Atlanta, Georgia area.

In "Atlas Shrugged", "For The New Intellectual" and "Philosophy: Who Needs It", where Miss Rand identifies this as part of "the nature, the base, and the proof of" her morality: "Whoever you are, you who are hearing me now, I am speaking to whatever living remnant is left uncorrupted within you, to the remnant of the human, to your mind, and I say: There is a morality of reason, a morality proper to man, and Man's Life is its standard of value." Is it essentially correct to break this down as follows: I am speaking to whatever living remnant is left uncorrupted within you. I am speaking to the remnant of the human. I am speaking to your mind. or am I missing something obvious. To break it down as inquired about, the sense that these are three subtly different ways of repeating a similar point. If this is the case, I do not get how: "whatever living remnant is left uncorrupted within you" is similar to: "the remnant of the human" and how these would be similar to: "your [the] mind."

The yeast "evolved" into multicellular clusters that work together cooperatively, reproduce and adapt to their environment -- in essence, precursors to life on Earth as it is today. The crux is how the multicellular clusters act.

Scientists Create Tiny RNA Molecule With Big Implications for Life's Origins "In this paper the Yarus group has made the amazing discovery that even an extremely tiny RNA can by itself catalyze a key reaction that would be needed to synthesize proteins," Blumenthal said. "Nobody expected an RNA molecule this small and simple to be able to do such a complicated thing as that."

Chemists Synthesize Artificial Cell Membrane Although other scientists recently announced the creation of a "synthetic cell," only its genome was artificial. The rest was a hijacked bacterial cell. Fully artificial life will require the union of both an information-carrying genome and a three-dimensional structure to house it.

Volcanoes May Have Provided Sparks Of First Life "Miller's classic "primordial soup" experiment, published in Science in 1953, is still widely used today in high school chemistry labs to mimic chemical reactions that occur in vapor-rich volcanic eruptions. The experiment circulated methane, ammonia, water vapor and hydrogen in a closed experiment, simulating the earth's early atmosphere and sent a lightning-like spark through it. Over a series of days, organic compounds formed in the mixture, demonstrating how Earth's primitive atmosphere may have given rise to life."

Studying the Evolution of Life's Building Blocks "I study molecular complementarity mainly because I'm a pattern seeker, even when I was an undergraduate," Root-Bernstein said. "I hope to help answer how life evolved to take advantage of molecular complementarity so that the two concepts are virtually synonymous."

You do not identify what is at the root of the moral standard you are embracing here. Teaching math by repetition is a recipe for forgetting it. Memorization is not a method for imparting understanding and comprehension. John Ridpath identifies religion as a set of mystical views about the supernatural origins of, workings of, and purposes of reality, and what that implies about the living of human life. He spends several hours developing what observations led to this conclusion in his presentation "Religion Vs. Man". For either a government or any other institution to be evaluated as good or evil, you must use either an explicit or implicit standard to make that determination. I'm not sure if your comments were in reference to RhondaW specifically or not, but you appear to have brushed off an excellent concretization of a tenet of morality that many biblical institutions adhere to. Far from a debate and hate fest, the replies so far are simply based on a recognition that ideas have consequences, Christianity's moral code is based on altruism. It would be merely one aspect of its philosophy. It is precisely because morality is important that it should be based on objective reality. Even the methods of how it is to be taught and thought about are important. You claim to have defined your terms very clearly, but I am still having difficulty ascertaining what you consider morality to be.

I consider myself to be driven by greed. I am not okay with stealing or cheating.

I usually grab a cart from the parking lot while heading into the store. I know it does not shave much off the price of grocery shopping, but it is one less cart the 'cart-boy' has to retrieve. As to ethical 'duty' - ha, I recognize no such animal. Sometimes the cart I grab is not in the cart corral. Sometimes I'll take a cart not in the corral, return it to a corral, and take the size cart from the corral I prefer. Often times, if I do not bring a cart in from the parking lot, I do not get the smaller size cart I prefer to use. Returning the cart after shopping to a corral prevents the cart from being blown by the wind into another vehicle. I do it because I know the cart I leave in the corral will not inflict damage on another shoppers vehicle. I would just consider this as common courtesy.

How is acting without respect for the rights of others demonstrating a rational concern with one's own interest? An individual acting in concert with their own rational self-interest, recognizes the role that rights play in all of his interactions with others.

Proverbs was always inspiring to me along the lines of seeking knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. My father, a Baptist minister at the time when I was leaving home, presented me with the following: "Always remember that education is really about learning how to learn." Does it specifically state: "Think for yourself, and understand the world through reason?" No. From Proverbs 15 1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright : but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. 3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. 4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. 5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. 6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble . 7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so. 8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. 9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. 10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die. 11 Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? 12 A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise. 13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. 14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. 15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. 16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith. 17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. 18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. 19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain . 20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother. 21 Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly. 22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed : but in the multitude of counsellors they are established . 23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! 24 The way of life is above to the wise , that he may depart from hell beneath. 25 The LORD will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow. 26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words. 27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live . 28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer : but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things. 29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. 30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat . 31 The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. 32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. 33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility. While the word "reason" was not applied specifically in the KJV, the terms reproof and correction are forms of identifying error, a means of "refining" and "purifying" ones knowledge and understanding.

eminent: standing out so as to be readily perceived or noted imminent: ready to take place; especially : hanging threateningly over one's head <was in imminent danger of being run over> I view Islam as an eminent threat, rather than imminent. Eminent has the potential to become imminent.

Harriman wraps up his book, "The Logical Leap", touching on some of the errors encompassed in the approach to Quantam Mechanics, Big Bang, and String Theory. Evolution, as posited by Darwin is quite a read, as he seeks to integrate his observations of various plant and animal phenomenon. National Geographic did a study recently on the domestication of foxes done in what appears to be a similar vein. The theory of relativity simply asks to shift the readers persepective and describes the different appearances given from the different perspectives of the same phenomenon. It really doesn't explain the phenomenon, just how it appears. Einstein's errors are in his treatment of space, according to one of Harriman's lectures given on physics, "Physicist, Lost in Space."