Tag Archives: psychology

Funny Philosophy

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This article reads more like a Douglas Adams story than a work of a philosopher. It’s quite readable, even to the layman, and it’s hilarious. If you’ve ever wondered about mind, body, identity, and other issues in the philosophy of psychology, this is a fun place to start your exploration.

“Where Am I?”
DANIEL C. DENNETT

Now that I’ve won my suit under the Freedom of Information Act, I am at liberty to reveal for the first time a curious episode in my life that may be of interest not only to those engaged in research in the philosophy of mind, artificial intelligence, and neuroscience but also to the general public.

Aping Human Intelligence

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I’m rather skeptical that this fellow will succeed, but more power to him, anyhow. It’s a noble endeavor.

Monkeylike Baby Bot Meets World
By Lakshmi Sandhana

“Pointing at a banana when shown a picture of one is Lucy’s latest triumph. But for Stephen Grand, the proud papa, his orangutan-like bot child has demonstrated just enough intelligence for him to hope he’ll see it through nursery school.”

No Father Sally And No Sister Bob

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Vatican Says Sex Change Operation Does Not Change a Person’s Gender

After years of study, the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation has sent church leaders a confidential document concluding that “sex-change” procedures do not change a person’s gender in the eyes of the church.

Consequently, the document instructs bishops never to alter the sex listed in parish baptismal records and says Catholics who have undergone “sex-change” procedures are not eligible to marry, be ordained to the priesthood or enter religious life, according to a source familiar with the text.

How could this possibly be a surprise to anybody? The idea of transsexual members of the religious community completely contradicts 2000 years of Catholic sexual ethics.

Security Blanket

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"The natural progress of things is for government to gain ground and for liberty to yield."

"Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one."

"When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny."

– Thomas Jefferson

Fighting Terrorism Without Sacrificing Privacy
People submit to invasive technology because it makes them feel safer, but that’s all it’s doing, security expert says.
By Nancy Weil

"LAS VEGAS — In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks people have been willing to accept invasive technological measures officials contend are being used to thwart terrorism not because those technologies will actually accomplish that goal–because they won’t–but because they help us feel safer, author and lawyer Jeffrey Rosen said here Tuesday."

Thoughtcrime

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“Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth more than ruin more even than death. Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man. ” – Bertrand Russell