Scientifically Investigating Human Belief

Good god man! John, you have been given these instructions many times now. Pay attention.To make a quote section type this ... [quote] ...... [/quote]Example: [quote] How many times do you need instruction in this?[/quote]becomes:

quote:

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How many times do you need instruction in this?

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Note the square brackets "[ ]" around quote and /quote. On most QWERTY keyboards these appear just to the right of the "P" key, non-shifted. Use them.To make a quote square use ... [qs] ...... [/qs]Example: [qs] If you cannot learn this then I question your ability to participate on this forum at all.[/qs]becomes:

OK. I'll play. No problem. Depends on floor plan, construction , price , location, the usual. Whenever I play the lottery (once a decade or so) I always go Quick Pick (computer generated). I'm to lazy to fill in all the little slots on the form. Don't know that it makes a difference. In fact, it doesn't, really. Sure, let's bet. Sure. No qualms. I've actually done something similar but wasn't paid for it. No problem. Squeemishly, but yes. You do realize that a thousand pounds in dollars (assuming $1 bills) is $453,514? I'll do just about anything you want, Straggler! I'm an atheist, remember? I eat babies.Throwing darts at a picture of one in exchang for $453,514 is a no brainer. Bring it on! You got the money, I got the time. Been there, done that. Was not paid. I look forward to doing business with you.So are these going to be personal or certified checks?

No, I wasn't directing any comments to him. I was just ... uhh ... using a random phrase I thunked up to illustrate the use of the feature?Edited by AZPaul3, : No reason given.

But you said a thousand pounds in dollars. At .002205 lbs per bill that's 453,514 bills. I don't mind taking One's. Is it? (well, yes it is) But in this case there is some logic to it if not a whole lot.The house is a house is a house. It doesn't affect me because the house is not the killer. What may have happened there is out of time, invisible to me and is of no affect. Nothing immediate, nothing personal.The urinal drink, however, even clean, even knowing it is no different than a sink faucet, is going into my mouth. That is both immediate and personal. And disgusting.But, for you, Straggler (and for $453,514) I think I could stomach it once.

That I can understand. If they missed a corpse under the floorboards that would be disturbing. And having the cops come out every couple months to dig a hole in the yard would have been too much.Is the same true in the West case? Did they dispose of their victims on premises? Have I made an error in my purchasing decision?I'm thinking that, in these kinds of cases, we humans often attach our disgust for a person's crimes to anything and everything about them. Their cars, their homes, their easy chair, their kids, their in-laws, etc. The memory of the crime is linked to the name and the name is linked to these other items.Is that irrational or overly sensitive? We hear the name Dahmer and we cringe. The irrational part is when we impart blame for the crime onto and then shun these other items, especially the kids, grandkids, in-laws, brothers ... houses.Why we would do this I do not know. A throw back to the "evil spirit" days? We don't want to get contaminated? It would have been advantageous for a cave man to avoid and shun the evil plants, evil caves, evil animals where death and disease occurred and by extension anything that was made of, associated with or came from the evil things. I could see where this could expand to other things considered evil.But if the house is clean and the bad guys did their dirty work elsewhere, well, then, this means you can take advantage of the irrational and pick up a maybe nice place for a steal!Edited by AZPaul3, : No reason given.Edited by AZPaul3, : clarityEdited by AZPaul3, : more clarity

I cannot form an emotional attachment to a specific set of atoms that form a symbolic item. The symbolic item is the seat of my attachment. If someone swapped my ring for an identical one without my knowledge it would make no difference. If it were truly identical then there would be no way to discern any difference. The emotion remains. So, to me, if I purposely swapped out an identical ring, emotionally, nothing has changed.Straggler, I'm not so sure I am the right one to answer these types of questions. I don't think we will gain any insights into the OP questions by my answers since I am not the typical emotional creature that could represent the human norm.I'm abnormal. Not good evidence.

Actually my heart is of muscular tissue and my spirit is more along the cabernet line. As I said, "So, to me, if I purposely swapped out an identical ring, emotionally, nothing has changed." Whether I did it or someone else did it, the emotion is not in the thing but in the symbol.Truthfully, I would be pissed as all get out, but only because that would mean someone was rifling through all my personal stuff. Throwing pots and pans tantrum time.Sorry, Straggler. I know it's not normal to not have these kinds of feelings or lack of feelings. In my case seeming uber-rational is indeed illogical and irrational. But, here I am.

No. Really. I was born on this planet to non-mechanical biological beings. I have no special affinity for other electro-mechanical use-ware nor any bio-tritarian-based life forms.Ha, Ha, you are funny.Oh, BTW ... ... the answer is yes in both cases.