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A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

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Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He makes a great point. How can we get the internet to be more useful and less clickbait?

Ban online advertising? No, this is not a serious proposal, but I am afraid that nothing less will help. When you have a strong financial incentive to do something, saying "but it's not nice" is not going to convince many people; in best case, those convinced by the argument will change their business, and someone else will take their place.

I think advertising is great. It allows people in need of a product/service to be able to purchase it, and it allows people providing said product/service to be known and deliver the value. As always, the problem is not the concept itself, but to what degree you allow it to grow.

A civilized society has laws and rules limiting individual freedoms so that things don't get out of control. Different societies have different values and put laws in place to enforce those values on the people.

About advertising, did you know that in France, the law literally says "The dental profession may not be practised as a business.", which means no direct or indirect advertising ? This is a consequence of the belief that citizens health is more important than private gains (that doesn't stop French dentists to earn very good money compared to the rest of the population).

On the other end of the spectrum, you have all these insane marketing tactics who use known human psychological mechanisms to push products/services into their mouth until they swallow it. In other words, people create a need from nothing in their own interest, at the expense of other people. I believe that is bad, and we should have laws preventing that.

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#62
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the existence happens to be a perfect construct. Nihilism is not a pass to spew pseudo science.

Define "perfect construct" if you could please; take your time, I'll wait. We're in agreement about nihilism, but neither is willful blindness.

Look around you... the fact that earth is habitable...the gases of the atmosphere are ideal for humans...the rotation of the planet allow for day and night...the distance from the sun(a little bit closer or further away and we would have been in trouble)...the human body in all its intricacies.

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#63
post #52
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh how I wish we all weren't trying to abuse human psychological weaknesses to get cheap clicks and views. At this point I'm tempted to dump the entire Internet just like I dumped TV... Then I remember you can't live without it nowadays. Then it swallows me back.

You must be really fun at parties

Parent's point is absolutely valid, and my killjoy-meter registers nothing.

The web did not use to be like this. There were banner-ads (oh, take me back!) and there were sensible headlines, and it isn't all that much more than ten years ago.

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#65
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Define "perfect construct" if you could please; take your time, I'll wait. We're in agreement about nihilism, but neither is willful blindness.

Look around you... the fact that earth is habitable...the gases of the atmosphere are ideal for humans...the rotation of the planet allow for day and night...the distance from the sun(a little bit closer or further away and we would have been in trouble)...the human body in all its intricacies.

Did your god intentionally design the system so that the sun sometimes gives people skin cancer? And is it intended that this cancer causes them to die slow and painful deaths?

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#66
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look around you... the fact that earth is habitable...the gases of the atmosphere are ideal for humans...the rotation of the planet allow for day and night...the distance from the sun(a little bit closer or further away and we would have been in trouble)...the human body in all its intricacies.

Did your god intentionally design the system so that the sun sometimes gives people skin cancer? And is it intended that this cancer causes them to die slow and painful deaths?

And we have finally come to the first line of defence for atheists...why do bad things happen. I could go on for hours but I would suggest to maybe take this off YN if you are really interested in my answer?

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#67
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did your god intentionally design the system so that the sun sometimes gives people skin cancer? And is it intended that this cancer causes them to die slow and painful deaths?

And we have finally come to the first line of defence for atheists...why do bad things happen. I could go on for hours but I would suggest to maybe take this off YN if you are really interested in my answer?

Did you not say the system was "a perfect construct"? The side effect where it kills people prematurely doesn't seem very perfect. Anyways, nice programmed deflection you have there.
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