Author Topic: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag  (Read 20816 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline apis

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1667
  • Country: se
  • Hobbyist
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #25 on: June 12, 2016, 07:34:33 pm »
I believe the problem isn't religion in itself but rather that religion is considered a valid excuse for being irrational. Normally when we do things that affect others we need to explain why it's necessary/beneficial in a rational manner, based on empirical evidence and formal logic. There is one exception though: religion.

If you ask a doctor to chop of pieces of your kids, the doctor would typically say no and report you to the authorities (unless there's a good medical reason for doing so). Except if you say "religion" then all logic is suddenly thrown out the door and the hospital happily assist you mutilating the poor kid. Want to kill someone? that's a no-no, unless of course: religion! Then religious people cheer as you chop of the head of the infidels. Want to brainwash your kids into believing the earth is at most 10000 years old? no way, unless of course: religion! Christians who insist being gay is a sin have obviously not even read the bible, they just scream religion! as if that justifies them being bigots.

Insisting on reason, logic, critical thinking and empirical evidence should be minimum standard everywhere. "God told me so" should never be a valid excuse for anything. Then we might have a chance against the stupidity.
 

Offline Fungus

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 16560
  • Country: 00
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #26 on: June 12, 2016, 09:02:18 pm »
Then we might have a chance against the stupidity.

Why do they print "In God We Trust" on their banknotes, but don't allow "God told me to..." as a legal defense?

 :-//
« Last Edit: June 12, 2016, 09:18:22 pm by Fungus »
 

Offline bitslice

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • !
  • Posts: 493
  • Country: gb
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #27 on: June 12, 2016, 09:47:44 pm »
Insisting on reason, logic, critical thinking and empirical evidence should be minimum standard everywhere.

There is empirical evidence that my cat sees an open door as a wormhole, because he always stops before going through.

There is a lot of solid reasons to curtail typical male behaviour, the downside is a feminised male who is deeply unhappy with his new role in society. Evolution is sometimes a better decider of what works than a gender studies group.
 

Offline Donziboy2

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 16
  • Country: us
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #28 on: June 12, 2016, 10:30:45 pm »
Hey Dave, is there a formula for figuring out how large the Ballast/balance resistors need to be?

Im working on a high power/compact CC Dummy Load and I want to keep my high sense resistance so I have less issues with amplifying noise.
Would adding small <=0.01R resistors work?

 

Offline Fungus

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 16560
  • Country: 00
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #29 on: June 13, 2016, 01:16:13 am »
There is a lot of solid reasons to curtail typical male behaviour, the downside is a feminised male who is deeply unhappy with his new role in society.

Is the choice between:
a) Him being unhappy,
or
b) Other people being unhappy as a result of his behavior?

That's an easy choice to make.
 

Offline bitslice

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • !
  • Posts: 493
  • Country: gb
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #30 on: June 13, 2016, 01:36:06 am »
Is the choice between:
a) Him being unhappy,
or
b) Other people being unhappy as a result of his behavior?

That's an easy choice to make.

Is it?

Remember the film "Invasion of the Body Snatchers",
the aliens replacing the humans, offering them a world where submission to reason, logic, critical thinking would rid them of war.

Progressive liberal thinking is really just totalitarianism with better PR
 

Online tszaboo

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 7307
  • Country: nl
  • Current job: ATEX product design
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #31 on: June 13, 2016, 08:44:57 am »
Me? When I see stuff like that happening then I speak up (and I don't understand why you just shrug).
Yep. There should be freedom of religion. Also there it should be illegal to teach children religion (with prison time). Everyone is free to choose which religion they want to believe in, after they are adults, can vote, drink alcohol and drive a car.
But no, look at all the mayor religions. They are mandatory starting at an early stage, when children are gullible. They believe in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, God or the Monster under the bed, if you tell them.
 

Offline apis

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1667
  • Country: se
  • Hobbyist
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #32 on: June 13, 2016, 10:55:37 am »
Why do they print "In God We Trust" on their banknotes, but don't allow "God told me to..." as a legal defense?

 :-//
Yeah, makes no sense in a country that is supposed to separate state and church. :-//
 

Offline Fungus

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 16560
  • Country: 00
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #33 on: June 13, 2016, 11:07:38 am »
Remember the film "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", the aliens replacing the humans, offering them a world where submission to reason, logic, critical thinking would rid them of war.

Yep. Putting people in giant pea-pods and replacing them with clones is totally what would happen if Atheists ever got power.
 

Offline apis

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1667
  • Country: se
  • Hobbyist
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #34 on: June 13, 2016, 11:33:27 am »
There is a lot of solid reasons to curtail typical male behaviour, the downside is a feminised male who is deeply unhappy with his new role in society. Evolution is sometimes a better decider of what works than a gender studies group.
Not sure what your point is. Isn't curtailing typical male behaviour what the church is most interested in (men in skirts preaching celibacy and taking 10% in tax)?

Evolution isn't a good decider though, it's just an explanation of how the species evolved. Unless you wan't to submit to the mosquitoes and cockroaches (who appear to be much more evolutionary successful than us humans for example). Evolution just is, it's neither something good nor bad and it has no purpose.
 

Offline bitslice

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • !
  • Posts: 493
  • Country: gb
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #35 on: June 13, 2016, 11:57:30 am »
Yep. Putting people in giant pea-pods and replacing them with clones is totally what would happen if Atheists ever got power.
As a metaphor it's close enough. You do understand that a painting is not simply a really bad photograph right?

There are lots of good reasons not to drive at more than 56mph, hands up who wants to live in a society where everyone wants that idea enforced.

Not sure what your point is.
Simply that basic humanity is absent from a lot of atheist thinking.

Quote
Evolution just is, it's neither something good nor bad and it has no purpose.

It's advantage is that it takes into account the entirety of the nature of an organism, it does not seek to suppress traits simply in a desire to conform to a spurious ideal.

 

Offline Fungus

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 16560
  • Country: 00
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #36 on: June 13, 2016, 12:13:28 pm »
Yep. There should be freedom of religion. Also there it should be illegal to teach children religion (with prison time). Everyone is free to choose which religion they want to believe in, after they are adults, can vote, drink alcohol and drive a car.
But no, look at all the mayor religions. They are mandatory starting at an early stage, when children are gullible. They believe in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, God or the Monster under the bed, if you tell them.

I like the cut of your jib.

Children is where it's at. I'm not sure it should be jail-worthy (lids need their parents) but schools could have a lot more "religion isn't true" teaching.

What does that mean? Stuff like opening up the Quran and reading them the exact same stories as they heard in the Bible.

When the parents come to school to complain, sit them down read it to them, too. I'm sure it would make them even angrier.

(nb. This^ is the sort of things I'd do if I was king - plant seeds of doubt, not lock people up in pea-pods...)
 

Offline Fungus

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 16560
  • Country: 00
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #37 on: June 13, 2016, 12:44:21 pm »
There are lots of good reasons not to drive at more than 56mph, hands up who wants to live in a society where everyone wants that idea enforced.

I'll go with the German system: In Germany you can drive past a Police car as fast as you like and they'll just admire your car.

Tailgate? Change lanes without indicating? Eat? Talk on your cellphone while driving? They'll be down on you like a ton of bricks.

I've driven in the USA, I've driven in Germany, I know which felt safer (it's the German speeders)

The Autobahns have plenty of police cars but they're there to remind you that there's other people on the road, not just you. They make you drive considerately, not slowly.

Consideration of others is the real key. Countries like Germany prove that the right sort of government can nudge people in the right direction.

At night, when the autobahns are empty of commuters? That's when the real speeders come out to play. Can your car do 200mph? Let's find out...

 

Offline Fungus

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 16560
  • Country: 00
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #38 on: June 13, 2016, 12:50:50 pm »
Not sure what your point is.
Simply that basic humanity is absent from a lot of atheist thinking.

Do you have evidence for that...?  :popcorn:

How would it be less harmful than making (eg.) abortion and pornography illegal just because it offends some religious people?
 

Offline HeywoodFloyd

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 13
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #39 on: June 14, 2016, 03:03:32 pm »
Ah, just what we needed, another atheist vs religion thread...  ::)

Back (almost) on topic, I guess logically one has to put a small item into a very large box before sending it off, and then perhaps it gets selected. Just fill up the box with a lightweight filler and you'd stay below the 500 grams.

Thanks for the mailbag; I had a jolly good laugh at those pictures of the phone launch.  :)
 

Offline bitslice

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • !
  • Posts: 493
  • Country: gb
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #40 on: June 14, 2016, 10:08:50 pm »
Do you have evidence for that...?  :popcorn:
evidence? that's like asking for evidence of a god.
I can point out that someone in a trench in WWII did not make himself feel better by calculating his odds of survival, but by investing some belief in a sky pixie.
Men are not inherently logical beings, we are a bunch of hormones and instincts designed to reproduce.

Quote
How would it be less harmful than making (eg.) abortion and pornography illegal just because it offends some religious people?

Another Strawman? how interesting
 

Offline Fungus

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 16560
  • Country: 00
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #41 on: June 15, 2016, 01:11:17 pm »
Do you have evidence for that...?  :popcorn:
evidence? that's like asking for evidence of a god.

No, it's like asking for evidence that "basic humanity is absent from a lot of atheist thinking"

(your words, written exactly one line above the part where I asked "Do you have evidence for that...?")

Oh, wait, I get it: You removed that part deliberately, didn't you?  :palm:

In that case it looks like you're done.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2016, 01:14:05 pm by Fungus »
 

Offline bitslice

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • !
  • Posts: 493
  • Country: gb
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #42 on: June 15, 2016, 01:25:34 pm »
Oh, wait, I get it: You removed that part deliberately, didn't you?  :palm:

Err, it's called "quoting a post correctly",
you remove the obviously extraneous information for clarity.

Amazingly you can still read my previous posts if remembering the gist of a thread causes you problems

Quote
In that case it looks like you're done.

Most certainly, you appear to be one of those annoyingly vague posters looking for an argument about their favourite topic.
 

Offline Fungus

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 16560
  • Country: 00
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #43 on: June 15, 2016, 05:16:57 pm »
you remove the obviously extraneous information for clarity.

And yet you left it so unclear that you answered a completely different question than the asked on the line above.  :-//
 

Offline apis

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1667
  • Country: se
  • Hobbyist
Re: EEVblog #888 - Mailbag
« Reply #44 on: June 15, 2016, 10:16:58 pm »
Do you have evidence for that...?  :popcorn:
evidence? that's like asking for evidence of a god.
Actually if God wanted to prove he (she?) exist he could simply reveal himself to everyone and show us a couple of miracles that would convince even the most stubborn atheist. It would be piece of cake for an omnipotent being!
You can not prove God does not exist though. How would you prove God isn't simply hiding in a parallel dimension? Impossible.
So please, some evidence to back up the statement: "basic humanity is absent from a lot of atheist thinking." Shouldn't be too hard, in fact I do not doubt it. Just as it is absent from a lot of religious thinking. Atheists are much more in touch with "basic humanity" than the major religions though, because atheist are forced to rely on rational thinking, empirical evidence and logic, in contrast to faith in what a guy in a fancy skirt tells you.

I can point out that someone in a trench in WWII did not make himself feel better by calculating his odds of survival, but by investing some belief in a sky pixie.
That depends on what type of person it is. Maybe some people like to be comforted by fairy tales, but I would guess most people prefer the truth even if it is not as comforting. I don't really mind if people believe in a sky pixie but: if they start killing people because the sky pixie told them so, or they insist we should teach children the sky pixie created the earth less than 10 000 years ago, or that no-one should be allowed to masturbate because the sky pixie doesn't like it, then we have a problem.

For example, the catholic church doesn't allow contraceptives since they claim it is a sin to have sex unless the purpose is to make babies and in that case you do not need contraceptives. Yet, millions of people have sex for pleasure and get unwanted pregnancies and diseases that could have been prevented if the church was not so out of touch with basic humanity.

Men are not inherently logical beings, we are a bunch of hormones and instincts designed to reproduce.
Almost agree, but we are not designed, evolution has no intent or purpose. Doesn't mean we can't demand rational arguments when people want to do things that affect others.
 


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf