Sidewalker's avatar

Sidewalker

Member since

Sidewalker


SergeantLynch wrote:
There is currently no proof of an afterlife.


Yes, there is currently no proof that consciousness exists after death, but there no proof that consciousness exists before death either.


Consequently, your statement has no explanatory value, it doesn't address the subject, it only pretends to.


If you believe consciousness does exist, what proof do you have?

Sidewalker

That's a strong argument, but I wonder if it is excessively influenced by the fact that it is pretty much the theme of about a third of the science fiction movies in the last 60 years.


AI is clearly goal oriented, but the goals are set by humans, this analysis assumes AI develops a conscious intent independent of human direction, and I don't think we will ever develop artificial consciousness. i believe the hard problem of consciousness is insurmountable by physical science. It also assumes AI will develop an adversarial relationship with humans and would conclude elimination of humans is in AI's interest. That seems far-fetched as I can't imagine a scenario where AI could survive the elimination of humans. It's a thinking machine, but it's a machine operated by humans.


But then again, the past is an increasingly poor guide to the future, consequently, when it comes to predicting things, I'm wrong much more than I'm right.


“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future!” - Niels Bohr

Sidewalker


fauxlaw wrote:
About a month ago, I ordered a pair of Nike Revolution 8 slip-ons, $75. I returned them because although I did purchase my size [actually went 1/2 size larger] the widest part of my foot is at the base of my toes, and the shoe was too narrow to accomodate that width at the foot entry point. Went another half-size larger, and still too narrow. Several other people had the same complaint. Should have read reviews before buying.


Do you think this error occurred because of "woke values" in their advertising campaigns?

Sidewalker


GajarMooli wrote:
My college life is tough, and it keeps on getting tougher
To maintain my sanity I use Social Media and entertainment
Youtube, Anime, Chess, Debate Craft.
Each of these platforms requires some energy from me, to be used.
Debate Craft particularly takes quite a lot of time, to check it again and again.
And then there's no activity. No votes, nobody's accepting my debates.
I did one debate, and my opponent was very stupid.
It isn't just worth the effort for me.
It's an apology statement, you can say. For Ghosting my current going on debates.
I hope this site gains more members in the future and becomes a better place


Aww man, I was hoping you'd stay, I'd appreciate another point of view like yours.


I'm sorry I haven't voted on your debate yet, I read it, you clearly won, but they expect a thesis explaining your vote and I just haven't found the time.


Stop back in from time to time, maybe you will find the time for it.


Sidewalker


Debby wrote:
Why did Americans vote for Trump twice and narrowly missed a third attempt?


A lot of people vote based on tribalism, he's not a Republican by any stretch of the imagination but he ran as one, so he got those tribal votes. Obama showed us the way to win is get people who normally don't vote to vote, Trump got the White Supremacists to come out in force, that's what put him over the top.


It's either that, or we are trapped in a Fellini movie.


or...it could just be a bad dream, I pray that's it and I'm going to wake up soon.

Sidewalker


FLRW wrote:
The statement that neural activity is generated by thoughts is considered incorrect or a reversal of causality in neuroscience.  


Then why did you argue otherwise?


I don’t think this assertion came from studying neuroscience, it appears to be a statement of faith.


Thoughts are the subjective experience or emergent property of electrochemical neural activity, not the external cause that initiates it. 


Thoughts are an external cause? Where do they come from then? Are you saying there is some kind of external entity that is doing the thinking?


Neural Activity Precedes Thought: Every neuron’s activity is the result of inputs from other cells, sensory stimuli,


That would be an internal cause, not an external cause.


or spontaneous internal processes.


Are you saying you have no volitional control over your thoughts? They just happen?


Are you making an arguing for determinism?


These electrochemical signals are the thoughts, rather than being caused by them. 


Our state of conscious awareness is a feature that trumps all others in the matter of epistemic authority, and we are intrinsically aware that consciousness is an active force that we can exert upon the universe.


Consciousness has this causal influence due to its content, not solely because of the physical aspects of its neural correlates. A continuous conscious state includes desires or intentions; it includes the ability to envision a future state and establish a strategy for attaining that state. That makes it more than a purely physical state, it is a conscious state with reference to a future possibility, and no such reference is part of any purely physical state. The self can exert the force of consciousness to some effect in the material world; such conscious states can have causal effects to bring about further states for the sake of values and purposes. Intents, values, and purposes are not reducible to a purely physical state unless one attributes consciousness to the constituent matter itself; consequently, they exist as properties of a consciousness which clearly entails a distinct ontological existence apart from its constituent material components.


Emergent Property: Thoughts emerge from the complex interaction of billions of neurons firing in specific patterns. There is no "pure thought" that exists outside of this physical brain activity to trigger it. 


There you go again, placing thought outside somewhere, where exactly?


Spontaneous Activation: A significant portion of brain activity is endogenous (internal)


Brain activity happens in the brain, got it. I suppose that’s why they call it “brain” activity.


and spontaneous,


Whoa, are you saying it’s magic? It just happens spontaneously? Cool.


Correct me if I’m wrong, but I was under the impression that “cause and effect” were kind of a big deal in science. 


driven by the brain's intrinsic functional architecture and memory associations, rather than being solely triggered by conscious thoughts. 


If all you are saying is that thoughts have neural correlates, well duh. I’m not aware of anyone in the field that doesn’t accept that. I’m pretty well studied on the subject, but I’ve never come across this idea that all brain activity is conscious thoughts. Instead, the evidence shows that there is unconscious activity, visceral reactions, background processing, pattern recognition, and learned skills (Can you walk, ride a bike, did you learn your multiplication tables?).


There are older brain systems whose activity occurs well below the level of awareness which are directly involved in the orientation of the thinking processes, they are known to exhort the brain to think in certain ways.


I think your argument is confusing at best, and even if it wasn't, I don't see what it has to do with the question of “Evidence of the afterlife”.



Sidewalker


FLRW wrote:

At the core, thoughts are generated by neural activity.


Neural activity is generated by thoughts.


When you think, neurons in your brain fire, sending electrical impulses along axons and releasing neurotransmitters that transmit signals between cells.


Your next sentence stated it in reverse order, your claim here is that thinking results in neural activity.


Repeating a thought strengthens the connections (synapses) between neurons, creating neural pathways. This is called neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to physically change its structure in response to thought patterns Over time, these strengthened pathways make certain thoughts easier to generate, much like a well-worn road.


You are still stating that neural activity is generated by thought.


There is no Afterlife, when you are dead you don't exist.


How on Earth does that follow from the argument that preceded it? If there is a chain of reasoning, I don’t see it, it looks like you answered your argument with a non-sequitur. Please explain how that conclusion is logically connected to your argument.

Sidewalker


SergeantLynch wrote:
Hey just saying Side.

But no attempt to swing the argument will alter the fact that ritual circumcision is abuse of a minor...Sexually motivated by religious stupidity and of absolutely no health benefit to the vast majority of those abused.

But such is human society...The concepts of morality and ethics, are actually meaningless concepts that will be ignored in a heartbeat.


That's a creepy way of looking at it, but hey, whatever floats your boat.

Sidewalker


SatanLucy wrote:
I guess age differences don't matter, wannabe rapists like you and Remy really stick together no matter what.

I am a virgin, actually.


If you don't know what a word like "wannabe" means, maybe you should look it up, you know, so you don't look so stupid.

Sidewalker


SergeantLynch wrote:
Well, I was referring to the sexually motivated ritual circumcision of minors.


Hey, if you get off on it then eewwww.


Typically human to classify child abuse as either good or bad relative to nonsensical and contradictory ideology.


Typically, humans classify child abuse as bad, those who classify child abuse as good, eeewwww.


But hey, whatever floats your boat, but eewwww,

Sidewalker


SatanLucy wrote:
you would need a conscience to understand, sociopath.

I asked whats in it for Remy. Got answer: nothing.


You and Remy aren't really for "free speech" anyway, you are both for "worthless speech", and that's way different.


When what you have to say has absolutely no value, that doesn't mean it is "free speech", it's just valueless speech.


Worthless speech isn't protected. it's just ignored.

Sidewalker

Topic 1

Sidewalker · 13 days ago


SatanLucy wrote:

66.666% of voters support Remy. Censorship is over. Free speech won. Those that dont like it can complain about it thanks to free speech.


Woohoo, time for Rapists, Pedophiles, and anti-Semites to celebrate..

Sidewalker

Topic 1

Sidewalker · 13 days ago


RemyBrown wrote:
Your post is inaccurate RageBait, but the thing is I know you don't care, so anything you post from here on out, I'm hopefully going to ignore.


Maybe you can learn to ignore your obsession with raping women next.



Sidewalker


SatanLucy wrote:
Free speech is sacred

Well, duh. I dont really see how you build a site where people express themselves, while banning freedom of expression.

I also dont see how you maximize expression while reducing freedom of expression for arbitrary reasons.

Maybe sometimes, reducing some forms of expression can yield higher expression overall, but I really dont see what logic person uses to calculate that.

Also, I am all for reciprocity principle. Remy Brown didnt take away anyone's free speech, so trying to take his free speech away is not only grand injustice, but clearly not eye for eye which is basis of moral justice.


Don't worry, you will be back to advocating pedophilia soon.


Sidewalker


Savant wrote:

1) First, last, and always, invoke your divine right to "Free Speech", you aren't accountable because you were compelled by Free Speech.
2) It was ragebait, a parody, a joke, or all three.
3) Piss off BITCH, this isn't your site to moderate, it's ours.
4)Tell them this is undemocratic, invoke your right to have a moderator attorney appointed, and demand a vote.
5) Free speech free speech, free speach.

This only worked for Remy because the mods agreed his content was a gray area and the community actually voted to acquit him. Neither of those is going to be true in most situations.


Good point, I need to add another one to the excuse list.


6) It's a gray area.

Sidewalker


GreatfulGoy wrote:
this website will end up under FBI investigation some day, mark my words.


I'd bet we are already being monitored by several law enforcement agencies and advocate organizations. Our management group seems to think that whether or not Remy Brown's posts are dangerous or illegal is debatable, what they don't seem to understand is that law enforcement, the various advocate groups, and the web hosting platform, they don't debate.


If they are monitoring us, they just saw us vote that Remy Brown represents what this site is about.