An Idea

[labelwench]

Not sure if I've explained this here, but I don't consider people I discuss things as being opponents, rather they are fellow students of the Universe.

I'm not arguing to be right, I'm just trying to obtain a better understanding of various points, and when I see misinformation I am somewhat compelled to attack it.

Based on some of the research that I have read, recently and in the past, it is part of a chemical process that determines whether we react from logic or emotion to a situation or a communication.

The information that we have assimilated and by which we continually test ourselves and our very existence becomes very important to us, and to attack that information becomes tantamount to attacking the person, even when it is not intended as such.

It is sometimes better to allow the person to 'discover' new truths for themselves, and allow the natural replacement process of the individual to assess and integrate the new data, than to pull the carpet out from under.

And yet, as much as I understand this, I can be as guilty as any of going on a 'witch hunt' where I perceive (and that's all it is) misinformation.

Knowing when it matters and when to just smile and say 'That's good to know', and walk away..........That's what I am still working on.......

[Max™]

Same here, but as I state often: I'd rather be right, than popular.

[labelwench]

Max you are the 3rd recipient of my mosquito "GOD YOU ARE ANNOYING AWARD"

LOL, and no doubt, I'm in line for the fourth?

Surely I deserve a really scary insect analogy, like perhaps a hornet? Or a Black Widow Spider?

Sorry, Prof, it just struck me as funny.........

You have a very well established and admired thread, no doubt at least partially attributable to the human predilection for the enjoyment of drama, as provided by the recipients of your Mosquito Awards, I'm guessing?

Life could get boring if we all just 'bugged off'.....

[labelwench]

Same here, but as I state often: I'd rather be right, than popular.

And why does it matter if you are 'right' and such designation is arbitrary, unless assigned to a measurable entity? Even measurements are subject to error.

I highly admire accuracy and pursue it to extremes myself, but usually in a manner that does not require a subjective determination, merely accurate or inaccurate.

You are in error Max. You have just contradicted your remarks in post #7777 by the statement above.

And I just pointed it out.

See what an aspect of human nature it is, this give and take?

[Max™]

I mean right in the sense of accuracy regarding facts, not right in the sense of winning an argument.

[labelwench]

I mean right in the sense of accuracy regarding facts, not right in the sense of winning an argument.

Thank you for the clarification.

Perhaps one should not apply the terms 'right' and 'wrong' to facts.

In discussing objective information we need to utilize objective language, as in accurate and inaccurate.

When we introduce subjective language, we sway the discussion toward the subjective and the emotive.

One cannot argue with numbers, data and facts, save to perform their own experiment and see what evidence is derived.

[Max™]

If I make a statement about a fact which is inaccurate, then my statement was wrong, wasn't it? It couldn't have been a true statement, I couldn't be right for saying it, that's my logic there, though it does lead to a sense of vagary due to the ability to interpret right/wrong in a moral sense, or correctness sense.

I purely meant the accuracy metric though.

[labelwench]

If I make a statement about a fact which is inaccurate, then my statement was wrong, wasn't it? It couldn't have been a true statement, I couldn't be right for saying it, that's my logic there, though it does lead to a sense of vagary due to the ability to interpret right/wrong in a moral sense, or correctness sense.

I purely meant the accuracy metric though.

Understood.

[Profpat]

LOL, and no doubt, I'm in line for the fourth?

Surely I deserve a really scary insect analogy, like perhaps a hornet? Or a Black Widow Spider?

Sorry, Prof, it just struck me as funny.........

You have a very well established and admired thread, no doubt at least partially attributable to the human predilection for the enjoyment of drama, as provided by the recipients of your Mosquito Awards, I'm guessing?

Life could get boring if we all just 'bugged off'.....

Hi lw;

A mosquito is the most annoying creature I've encountered in my lifetime. You'll really have to work hard and be as annoying as one of those critters to receive one. I've only awarded 3 in my 3 years of being on this forum, so it's sort of like an annual award. I have to admit you do have the potential to get one, but than you're too sweet and nice and helpful.

Best,

Pat

[austintorn@aol.com]

ACCEPTANCE

I accept almost everything,
Except maybe mosquitos,
Although they are probably
A necessary part of the food chain,
Because the world is perfect
Just the way it is
For the evolutionary stage it is at.

Of course, any one thing on Earth
Probably has a mixture
Of good and bad uses,
But, if we were to take it away,
The whole balance of the earth might collapse

Yes, we have crazy emotions sometimes,
Some of which are rather useless now,
Or almost so,
That are still forced upon us,
Very much uninvited,
Such as jealousy and anger,
And, too, children’s emotions are not mature
And teenagers have wild hormones
And holes in their brains,
And both apparently
Bring great suffering to all,
Not to mention what the deviants
And low-lifes of the world
Do to us and each other—
But all this is just a stage
That the very primitive
And mostly infantile human race
Is floundering through.
I accept even death,
For without death I wouldn’t even be here,
For my human ancestors evolved because of it
And if they would have lived forever
Then not much DNA would have ever changed.

I accept the natural world
And even the humans mentioned above
That are just as much a part of natural world
As anything, crazy as they are,
For, without the beast in us, for example,
There would have been no zest for life.

We have probably survived
Not in spite of being brutal,
But because of it, and at least it may have led
To cooperation for the hunt and for war.

I accept bacteria
And all the diseases they bring,
For they also ferment the soil
And aid digestion.

I accept bugs and worms,
Although I am still working on
Accepting mosquitos.

Worms, for example,
Aerate 400 tons of soil per day.
No worms, no life;
So, please give a worm a hug today.

The same with flood and drought,
For the universe has our well being at stake
Only in the most general sense,
But not in the specific sense.
A farmer’s crops may dry up
Or get washed out, but, again,
If there is no water, then there is no life.

Well, anyway, it’s warm here,
But there are no mosquitos,
So, I’m really extra happy about that.