• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!
  • Welcome to our archives. No new posts are allowed here.

I reject Humanism

Science does not exist without physical evidence. Physical evidence is the basis of science.

My existence does not depend on philosophical argument, but on physical reality. Without that physical reality, philosophy does not exist as a human construct of the imagination. Lets start with the basics. Do you exist physically in a physical universe? If not, then philosophy doesn't exist and this forum doesn't exist. If you don't argue from a solid basis, you have nothing but idle philosophical speculation. I did not get argued into existence. I was physically born. How about you?

This is just gibberish, philosophically speaking. Whether or not we are only physical or material beings is what is in dispute between the dualist and materialist. You are just question begging. Well done.
 
Why? Where is the mind without the physical brain and nervous system in a physical being? There is nothing to settle about the mind as it is simply a word that was created to describe the feeling we get from the use of our brains and nervous systems. The mind is not a thing separate from our physical existence. Nothing can ever be settled philosophically if philosophy ignores the need for physical evidence that is independently testable and verifiable.

Again, this is just asserting a materialist account of the mind. Well done. Despite the lack if evidence I will get a sensible response I have said I will make a positive care for dualism in the next few days, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't point out random assertions and fallacies from atheists here.

Please show your claim about what can be physically tested can be physically tested.
 
That's a little better. You are groping for a proper epistemology, if a flawed one.

Still, there are clear problems with your claims. Firstly, metaphysics does usually start in some sense with experience. It just often starts with basic experiences and analyses them. Arguments about qualia, for example, start with our phenomenological experience of qualia, as well as our understanding of material things, and analyse whether qualia can be reduced to the material. There's a different kind of interaction with experience here, but it is wrong to say there isn't one.

Secondly, it is hard to see why not being empirically testable is enough to rule out philosophical claims. For a start, that claim, like your whole argument here, is not empirically testable, so it seems self-defesting. Also, the same forms of inference and reasoning (deductive, inductive) are used in philosophy and in natural science. You will really have to spell out your position in more depth, and avoid it being self-defeating.

Problem is that there is no agreed upon definition of what "qualia" actually is. It is a made up term with no way to physically test.
 
Problem is that there is no agreed upon definition of what "qualia" actually is. It is a made up term with no way to physically test.

There is an agreement in fact, amongst most philosophers. There is a dispute, though, about how to account for them. Are you advocating eliminative materialism? That is a fringe position, even amongst materialists.
 
Again, this is just asserting a materialist account of the mind. Well done.

Please show your claim about what can be physically tested can be physically tested.

No, there really is no such thing as the mind as a thing separate from the being who uses a brain and nervous system. It is not an actual thing at all. Show me a mind and I'll show you a brain and nervous system.
 
There is an agreement in fact, amongst most philosophers. There is a dispute, though, about how to account for them. Are you advocating eliminative materialism? That is a fringe position, even amongst materialists.

This suggests you are wrong about philosophical agreement. But again, qualia is merely a philosophical term which is dependent on physical sensations. The physical is still the basis for everything, including the ability to create this thing we call philosophy.

Qualia have traditionally been thought to be intrinsic qualities of experience that are directly available to introspection. However, some philosophers offer theories of qualia that deny one or both of those features.

Qualia | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
 
There is an agreement in fact, amongst most philosophers. There is a dispute, though, about how to account for them. Are you advocating eliminative materialism? That is a fringe position, even amongst materialists.
Then produce your immaterial and please don't tell me I can feel the wind but not see it or such like.
 
Given that the starting dogma of said poster is that we are 'gnus' and 'snowflake New Atheists' I figured it wouldn't go much further than bald assertions with nothing but apologetics to back them up coming from him.

It's not just a trend I have noticed on this forum either. I have noticed other forums having a string of theists using dualism as an apologetic tool. Must be a 'New Theist' it 'alt-Theist' thing.

It actually is a revival of of an older philosophy whose argument had fallen out of favor. There are whole books written on that 'dualism as evidence for God', and the arguments he mentioned as promoting dualism. It is very sophomoric.
 
It actually is a revival of of an older philosophy whose argument had fallen out of favor. There are whole books written on that 'dualism as evidence for God', and the arguments he mentioned as promoting dualism. It is very sophomoric.

Dualism and gods are both inventions of mankind.
 
Dualism and gods are both inventions of mankind.

I do not see any evidence otherwise. I don't see any evidence that the mind has a component that is not based on the biochemical interactions of the brain.
 
I do not see any evidence otherwise. I don't see any evidence that the mind has a component that is not based on the biochemical interactions of the brain.

Mind altering drugs demonstrate a strong connection between the mind and the physical.
 
Do you understand what the word 'secularism' means?
What amazes me about William Rea is that all of those symbols in his Avatar denote Communism, the ultimate in secular humanism. And we all see the death and destruction Communism/Socialism brings.
 
What amazes me about William Rea is that all of those symbols in his Avatar denote Communism, the ultimate in secular humanism. And we all see the death and destruction Communism/Socialism brings.

My avatar acts as a filter, you failed the test.
 
What amazes me about William Rea is that all of those symbols in his Avatar denote Communism, the ultimate in secular humanism. And we all see the death and destruction Communism/Socialism brings.

Communism is not the ultimate in secular humanism. Death and destruction were quite rampant long before Communism was even invented.
 
That is simply who I hear generally using the term. You ask someone if they are a feminist, and they say that they are a humanist as if to imply feminism is selfish for focusing only on women. ...

Oh, I finally get what the heck the OP was about, Thanks.
 
...The physical is still the basis for everything, including the ability to create this thing we call philosophy.
...

Ah, that's what the materialists are saying. I finally get it.
I was confused just reading the definition.
 
Note, you started the generalised attacks on forum members as part of your concern troll for your 'pure philosophy' so, don't rush to quickly to that moral high ground lest you be considered a hypocrite.

Look up the threads in which a poster named Angel tried to pull this crap.
Your obsession is showing. And if anyone bothers to look back at our exchanges, the true taffy-puller here will be outed.
 
Your obsession is showing. And if anyone bothers to look back at our exchanges, the true taffy-puller here will be outed.

Enjoy your break after being busted did you? Nothing changed while you were away.
 
Back
Top Bottom