From Tucson to Changsha
Though I did not dare to penetrate the insurmountable walls of Chinese calligraphy and tones, during a short trip I learned a lot about Chinese people, their country, their culture, and about us.
Archive of entries posted by admin
Why Study Philosophy, Love of Wisdom?
With time you will learn to understand the arguments better. That is the beginning of the trouble. If you are raised as a believer of something you may experience some fear and helplessness in the darkness of the second stage. The density of fear is proportional to the salience of your family values and the degree of your relation with your close family members, and society.
Why philosophy does not prove anything?
I won’t liken philosophers to a gang of blind wannabe zoologists trying to describe an elephant by touching her body from different positions. Philosophers develop and create new perspectives for old problems. As a by-product of their zeal they create many new problems. Nevertheless, each argument, by opening another peephole from a different direction contributes to enlarge our vision. Occasionally, one of those peepholes changes the whole picture.
BigBang
Remember your origin and reflect on the very existence of your mind.
Biology And Law
We cannot imitate human biology; but can we adapt and modify some of its aspects to our political system? Why not?
Seven Questions to Solve the Problem of Evil
I believe you can imagine my argument by thinking on your answers to my seven questions.
A family picture in 2006, San Diego
Family Picture at San Diego, March 2006
Are Rules Futile or Helpful?
A person is not born as a virtuous person. I think that Ariston agrees with this statement. Learning the principle of moral philosophy, discovering the appropriate rules and internalizing them is a long process which require biological growth, analytical brain and time. Hence, how can Ariston expect from a four year old Yahya (my son) to learn by his mere reasoning not to bite his sister? Rules and sanctions are necessary to protect the virtuous people and their daughters from the harms of irrational actions of immature creatures, like Yahya.
My Normal and Paranormal Adventures in Kazakhstan:
Bukhari’s Ghost Dancing with a Hungry Holy Sunni Goat, Misogynistic Dogs Barking at Pigs, Russian Pyrokinesis Burning Holes in Brains and Pockets, Two Extra Letters Correcting Quranic Bismillah, Kazaks Eating Almaty’s Apple and Horse Meat…
Paranormal: Jealous phenomenon, dejavu, ghosts, psychics, UFO..
Five short and interesting articles on paranormal issues such as, Jealous phenomenon, Dejavu, Ghosts, Psychic Reading, and UFOs
Bigger Than Mushroom
A few excerpts from Matine, my youngest son when he was in an infant.
Is Watermelon an Animal?
I cannot summarize the journal. You will love it.
There is No Time For A Frozen Brain: Trimming Mysteries by a Wittgensteinian Slab
There is No Time For A Frozen Brain: Trimming Mysteries by a Wittgensteinian Slab Edip Yuksel www.19.org “Why do they put the word ‘dictionary’ in the dictionary? Ya gotta know what it is if you’re using the dumb thing, dontcha? Besides, it’s written right on the cover what it is and if you don’t know …
Descartes vs. Berkeley: On the Two Corners of the Triangle
Mind, body and God! This is a Bermuda Triangle which philosophers have been struggling with for centuries. They have demonstrated positions ranging on all possible combinations and permutations: All three exist… Only mind exists… Mind and body exist, while God is created by our mind… Body is the essence and mind is a function of the body… Only universal spirit, that is God, exists… Mind is the first… No, body is the first… Neither, God is the first… So on so forth… Here we will demonstrate, compare and contrast the opinions of Descartes and Berkeley on the interaction and relation between the two corners of the triangle: Mind and God.
Popper’s Theory of Epistemology
A scientific hypothesis must provide a logical possibility to be refuted by a probable true observation statement. Therefore, according to Popper, falsifiability is a required characteristic for a scientific theory. Science evolves by shedding its falsified theories. Popper’s falsification model is similar to the notion of “natural selection”. The best theory survives.
Existentialism Versus Coexistentialism
Sartre’s Atheistic Existentialism is a reaction against atheistic or religious absolutism. Atheistic Existentialism as an answer for the basic problems of morality has serious flaws and shortcomings which we can list under seven titles:
The Kangaroo Debate: Can Statements about God be Meaningful?
Since modern atheism frequently employs the arguments of logical positivists, as it is the case in Mr. Raunic’s amusing kangaroo argument, I will argue that metaphysical prepositions can be as meaningful as empirical ones.
The Spiritual Roots of Space Colonies
Our eyes are dazzled with the light of modern scientific blaze. Any argument spiced with a bunch of latest scientific jargon gets a good chance of being treated with high respect. Did science become a goddess with scientists as her gullible worshipers? Or, are we still underestimating the power of science and technology?
Copernican Revolution
Discontent and frustration with the Ptolemaic system, loosing faith in ancient philosophers, practical need for a better calendar, a new scientific attitude preferring qualitative neatness and simplicity, rebellion against the oppression of church, yes, all of these psychological and social factors created a militant intelligentsia and a scientific elite that was ready to put the sun in the center. Putting the sun in the center was similar to raise the flag of revolution. It was the first concrete monument that could express all of the feelings and information accumulated throughout the centuries.