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weird phenomenon, looking for confirmation

Thanks. It seems it's possibly due to low blood pressure, as my nearly fruitless googling would have me believe. It doesn't stop (it's even going a little bit as I'm sitting in this chair), so I don't think it's due to changing blood pressure (unless you mean three times a second--I'm a bit...
- dogooder
- Post #9
- Mar 15, 2007
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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weird phenomenon, looking for confirmation

I've noticed this over the last 5 years or so and was wondering if others have the same experience or have an explanation of it. I lie down in bed, completely still, but the bed starts gently rocking a few millimeters this way, then that, at a high frequency--or so it seems. It's sort of like...
- dogooder
- Thread
- Mar 15, 2007
- Replies: 13
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Intelligent Design vs Evolution

On the whole, you're right, but there are some aspects from ID (which usually just refers to the design of life, not the universe) which I would say are scientific. For example, the idea of irreducible complexity. If a thing cannot be broken up into parts which have functions of their own...
- dogooder
- Post #398
- Feb 22, 2007
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Math Problem

I don't understand your answer. How does it answer the question? Anyway... The answer should depend on (x,y), shouldn't it? That is, you figure out the two gradient vectors, then see when their span has dimension 0. Then, see when their span has dimension 1. Then, the remainder of the time...
- dogooder
- Post #7
- Jan 28, 2007
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Math Problem

What is the gradient of f at (x,y)? What is the gradient of g at (x,y)? What is the dimension of the span of these two vectors? Seems straightforward to me.
- dogooder
- Post #5
- Jan 28, 2007
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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For those what are good at math

I added parentheses, but it's correct.
- dogooder
- Post #8
- Jan 22, 2007
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Dawkins' "The God Delusion": One of the best books I've read in a while.

I find this hard to believe. I would guess that the majority of atheists came from at least a moderately religious background. At some point they realized that the claims of their religion didn't match up with reality, so they abandoned it. They became atheists exactly because there was no data...
- dogooder
- Post #373
- Jan 22, 2007
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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IND, 2006 AFC Champs, SUPERBOWL XLI, congrats!

Hmm. From here: Therefore, Manning's representation in our database at a salary of $668,520 discounts the $34.5 million signing bonus given him in 2004 when he signed a seven-year deal worth $98 million. The low base in the second year was to benefit the Colts' cap.
- dogooder
- Post #339
- Jan 21, 2007
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Dawkins' "The God Delusion": One of the best books I've read in a while.

First, I love how you continue to attack and misrepresent Dawkins, even though you have yet to read his book. It's hilarious. Where are you getting your information? But as to the quoted remarks, I'll let Dawkins explain himself (from a recent interview): Well, it's not about "proof", but...
- dogooder
- Post #346
- Jan 19, 2007
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Dawkins' "The God Delusion": One of the best books I've read in a while.

Well, it's not quite the same faith, since many of the characters in the Bible actually saw and talked with God or Angels (so it wouldn't qualify as "faith" under jjzelinski's definition). God doesn't talk to most people. I'm not saying faith isn't a part of religion, only that it's grown to an...
- dogooder
- Post #306
- Jan 18, 2007
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Dawkins' "The God Delusion": One of the best books I've read in a while.

No, no--I read too much into your comments. I do want to say that religion used to be respectable. It explained, say, why it rains. It was some god...we danced and sometimes it rained and we forgot when it didn't. But now science explains that phenomenon much better. Of course all reasonable...
- dogooder
- Post #289
- Jan 18, 2007
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Dawkins' "The God Delusion": One of the best books I've read in a while.

Wow. Where have you seen people "treating his word as dogma"? I don't. I don't know of anyone who does. Don't you think there's a difference between reading his arguments and agreeing with (most of) them and "treating his word as dogma"? I'm really interested in why you jump to this...
- dogooder
- Post #243
- Jan 17, 2007
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Dawkins' "The God Delusion": One of the best books I've read in a while.

Oh snap! Dawkins addresses that in the first chapter... But you'd rather call someone without actually understanding anything at all. Try stop constructing strawmen for every atheist you come across! Faith in spite of evidence?! Don't fall for the con! Wake up! To the OP: glad you liked...
- dogooder
- Post #221
- Jan 16, 2007
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

What? Were you being sarcastic in your original post?--because I didn't pick that up. I was being sarcastic, if that wasn't clear. Obviously I believe there's a great bit of difference between how people justify their beliefs. Most atheists are almost certain there is no God for good reasons...
- dogooder
- Post #274
- Dec 19, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

And of course it doesn't matter how they justify their beliefs, by faith or by evidence. Where is that emoticon.. Ah, yes: :roll:
- dogooder
- Post #272
- Dec 19, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

I haven't read this (1400 pages?), but I will soon. This still doesn't change the fact that you are completely misrepresenting Dawkins' position when you say "he argues that a gene is passed on b/c of it's inherent will (or desire, even) to survive" and "[t]he problem, of course, is ascribing...
- dogooder
- Post #271
- Dec 19, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

It's not a war on all of religion, and I think it's important to state that. They don't want to take away the meaning or morality you derive from religion, or the sense of community and peace. What they want to take away is the irrational beliefs, about virgin births and 6,000 year old universes...
- dogooder
- Post #263
- Dec 19, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

To be honest, I haven't read "The Selfish Gene", although it's been on my list for quite a while. However, I have read a few exerpts from it, many of his other works, and listened to a lot of his talks. Your argument only seems to be "look at the freaking title", just as BoberFett's argument...
- dogooder
- Post #262
- Dec 19, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

Ignorance FTW. You honestly believe he thinks the genes actually have "wants"? It's convenient shorthand. I am completely dumbfounded. Are you sure? Please explain to me because I'm at a total loss. I cannot reconcile this with your previous comments.
- dogooder
- Post #228
- Dec 18, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

Okay. I'll leave now.
- dogooder
- Post #217
- Dec 18, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

Of course no one can prove such a thing--that's beside the point. It's about evidence. There is no evidence for God (as far as I'm aware), but plenty of evidence against his existence. One small example: prayer studies.
- dogooder
- Post #213
- Dec 18, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

LOL. Okay, you hooked me, I can't resist. As I quoted, you claimed that "[the message is] going to be preached as though it were a religion." Please back this claim up!
- dogooder
- Post #196
- Dec 18, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

You have completely failed to provide any evidence for this. Atheists communicate their message, passionately at times, but that is as far as the similarity goes to religious sermonizing. The key difference is that atheists (including Dawkins, Harris, etc.) always appeal to evidence, reason...
- dogooder
- Post #190
- Dec 18, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

Yes, I shouldn't have said "the media" in this case, although it does apply to many of the headlines and book titles you come across. But now, what are you arguing against? Is it his message or his "delivery"? Because I thought we were discussing the message. If you are now changing the...
- dogooder
- Post #174
- Dec 18, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

Keep in mind that the media has a tendency to be sensational. Thus the title may not tell the whole story. Here is part of what Harris concludes: It seems like he is explicitly trying to save meaning and morality, while wanting only to destroy the beliefs that lack evidence--this is what he...
- dogooder
- Post #160
- Dec 18, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

Well, yes, I'm sure there are such people. However, I don't think I've seen any in this thread. Was it only that quote "I want to rid the world of religion, and I hope I see it in my lifetime," or were there others? Can you give me an example of an evangelical or extremist atheist, by your...
- dogooder
- Post #142
- Dec 18, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Deny God and win a free DVD

Amen brothers or sisters. It's about time that people jump on these fundamentalist atheists. Who do they think they are, asking people to state their beliefs? They should be ashamed of themselves, trying to spread "reason" and "doubt". And their ever demanding of "evidence" for beliefs, it's...
- dogooder
- Post #136
- Dec 18, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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If it's Ohio State vs Flordia Will All the Flordia People Eat Humble Pie When Flordia Gets Slaughtered

Oy, Florida #2 in the AP poll, too (by 3 points).
- dogooder
- Post #73
- Dec 3, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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If it's Ohio State vs Flordia Will All the Flordia People Eat Humble Pie When Flordia Gets Slaughtered

Florida is #2 in the coaches' poll. What's interesting is Wisconsin is #5, and yet they can't play in any of the 5 BCS games. Scandalous.
- dogooder
- Post #66
- Dec 3, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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*Official* #2 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES vs #1 OHIO ST BUCKEYES thread

QFT, from a UM guy. That was The Game, we had our shot. OSU/UM are the best two teams, and a rematch would be an absolutely great game, but I agree that it shouldn't take place. Hopefully, USC or Florida will win out and make it a moot point.
- dogooder
- Post #371
- Nov 20, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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(Probability) Problem

P(A doesn't work given that the circuit works) = P(A doesn't work and the circuit works) / P(the circuit works) = .3 * .8^3 / .75112
- dogooder
- Post #5
- Sep 17, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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YAZT

Maybe this is in another thread already (I can only search so much), if so my apologies. Hilarity
- dogooder
- Thread
- Jul 12, 2006
- Replies: 1
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Stupid Warnings

Gruesome stuff They dropped the charge against the brother, but I haven't been able to find out what happened with the lawsuit. Edit: Lawsuit still active.
- dogooder
- Post #34
- Jul 10, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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The Secret

Shh...
- dogooder
- Post #8
- Jul 7, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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The Secret

What do you think, real or bs? The Secret I'll try a poll. Edit: Okay, a summary. Basically argues that by thinking about things you attract them (this is "The Secret"). If you want something, simply think about it, and in time it will come to you. It gives many examples of areas...
- dogooder
- Thread
- Jul 7, 2006
- Replies: 21
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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A question for atheists/etc

For example, it can explain why we tend to value our blood relatives more than strangers (since they share some of our genes); it can explain love, as a way of tying our hands to guarantee commitment; it can explain altruism, because often the sum is greater than the parts. I think one of the...
- dogooder
- Post #245
- Jul 3, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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A question for atheists/etc

I think it is one of the most remarkable and satisfying things that evolutionary psychology can explain our sense of meaning. (I'm sorry if this is the "internal programming" or "instinct" argument.) I think my understanding of this was one of the main reasons why I finally abandoned religion.
- dogooder
- Post #211
- Jul 3, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Why do people hate on Christians so much?

I don't think I'm being close-minded. Faith is used to stop questioning and thus can be very effective, but at the same time it's quite dangerous. Trying to reason with a person with faith is like playing chicken with someone who's tossed his steering wheel out the window. When a person refuses...
- dogooder
- Post #97
- Jul 2, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Why do people hate on Christians so much?

I agree. In my opinion, faith is poisonous.
- dogooder
- Post #84
- Jul 2, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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A woman found guilty in the drownings of two family pets could spend up to ten years behind bars.

Physically, they're the same, but our relationships with them differ greatly. The pig raised as livestock is worth its price at market, but the pig raised as a pet is invaluable to its owners. It's a matter of perspective, and I think it's reasonable for us, and the courts, to distinguish...
- dogooder
- Post #116
- Jul 1, 2006
- Forum: OT Discussion Club

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