 |
 |
Rick, this why Ii wish I didn't have double vision so I could read, my favorite activity Ray ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick McGirr" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 8:24 AM Subject: Re: Moral certainty > Thank you, Ray, > > My li'l attempt at being a profound ponderer was blown away by your > few words that say it all. > > Life does seem just that transitory. > > In 'Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (Douglas Adams), without notice, > the earth is bulldozed to make way for a new, intergalactic > superhighway. > > The mystery keeps me going. Things we don't know. After you've been > around awhile, it ceases to be about looking pretty, being successful, > comfortable, fame, fortune, power. Those things we know about. They > are more transitory than life itself. It's the unknown that attracts > people of every belief. And we've only scratched the surface. > > Have a good day. > Rick > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "rayilynlee" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 1:40 PM > Subject: Re: Moral certainty > > >> Rick >> I like the medieval mystic Meister Eckhardt's little story about > life >> being like a bird flying into a room from where we don't know and > out the >> window to we don't know where either >> Ray >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Rick McGirr" <[log in to unmask]> >> To: <[log in to unmask]> >> Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 6:44 AM >> Subject: Re: Moral certainty >> >> >> > Well... >> > >> > In the times when John's Revelation was written, man had no idea > that >> > we are flying thru space on a tiny speck of dust, on the outer arm > of >> > a spiral galaxy, in a universe that has uncounted millions of >> > galaxies. Further, his prediction of a fiery conflagration as the >> > last chapter of earth's history will only come true if enough of > us >> > believe the story. But if it happens, WWIII on earth will be an >> > indiscernable blip on the energy scope for most of the universe. >> > >> > Science doesn't know much more than John about the end of the >> > universe. We are like travelers who woke up in the middle of a > bus >> > trip to find our bus has busted the guardrail and is airborne. > We're >> > trying to figure out what happened. But at least we are not > jumping >> > to conclusions. >> > >> > Is science uncommon? It's becoming moreso in these days of > religious >> > fervor. But it shouldn't be. People don't know it, but we all > use >> > the scientific method several times a day. But there's a point at >> > which people's beliefs get in the way, and the scientific method > is >> > abandoned, in order to avoid the pain of discovery. >> > >> > I think it is wise to have assumptions, rather than set-in-stone >> > beliefs. I try, humbly, to live each day based on the > preponderance >> > of evidence, to put it clumsily. >> > >> > That's a little of what I think. What do you think? >> > >> > Enjoy! >> > Rick McGirr >> > Email: [log in to unmask] >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> > From: "Ned Gardner" <[log in to unmask]> >> > To: <[log in to unmask]> >> > Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 5:46 PM >> > Subject: Re: Moral certainty >> > >> > >> >> Rick: >> >> >> >> What is scientific about common sense? >> >> >> >> By definition it is only common. >> >> >> >> Science and religion do agree that the >> >> end of the "she-bang" will be rather warm. >> >> >> >> What do you think? >> >> >> >> Ned >> >> >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> >> From: "Rick McGirr" <[log in to unmask]> >> >> To: <[log in to unmask]> >> >> Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 2:13 PM >> >> Subject: Re: Moral certainty >> >> >> >> >> >> > As a matter of fact, I take great comfort in the fact that my >> > beliefs >> >> > are verifiable, and refutable, through the scientific method > (also >> >> > known as common sense). There is nothing truly permanent in > the >> >> > universe, including the whole she-"bang" itself. And that is > the >> > true >> >> > source of humility. >> >> > >> >> > Rick >> >> > >> >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> >> > From: "Ned Gardner" <[log in to unmask]> >> >> > To: <[log in to unmask]> >> >> > Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 1:59 PM >> >> > Subject: Re: Moral certainty >> >> > >> >> > >> >> >> Ray: >> >> >> >> >> >> Reasonable doubt; moral certainty >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> When one is "beyond doubt" or an issue has been settled > "beyond >> >> > doubt," it >> >> >> means that certainty has been established to such a degree > that >> >> > there can be >> >> >> no question whatsoever of the truth. On almost every question, >> > the >> >> > only >> >> >> people who claim to be 100% beyond doubt are gods, egotists, > and >> >> > fanatics. >> >> >> Mature people generally allow for the possibility, however > slim, >> >> > that what >> >> >> they Know for Certain may be disproved. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> REASONABLE DOUBT -- ".refers to the degree of certainty > required >> > of >> >> > a juror >> >> >> before he or she can make a legally valid determination of the >> > guilt >> >> > of a >> >> >> criminal defendant.The term doesn't require that the evidence > be >> > so >> >> > clear >> >> >> that no possibility of error exists; it means that the > evidence >> > must >> >> > be so >> >> >> conclusive that all reasonable doubts are removed from the > mind >> > of >> >> > the >> >> >> ordinary person. See also moral certainty." >> >> >> >> >> >> "MORAL CERTAINTY -- certainty beyond a reasonable doubt; a >> >> > conviction based >> >> >> on persuasive reasons and excluding doubts that a contrary >> >> > conclusion can >> >> >> exit. A juror is said to be morally certain of a fact when he > or >> > she >> >> > would >> >> >> act in reliance upon its truth in matters of greatest > importance >> > to >> >> > himself >> >> >> or herself." >> >> >> >> >> >> "REASONABLE MAN (OR PERSON) -- a phrase used to denote a >> >> > hypothetical person >> >> >> who exercises qualities of attention, knowledge, intelligence > and >> >> > judgment >> >> >> that society requires of its members for the protection of > their >> > own >> >> >> interests and the interests of others." >> >> >> >> >> >> Ned >> >> >> >> >> >> From http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_ >> >> >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> >> >> From: "rayilynlee" <[log in to unmask]> >> >> >> To: <[log in to unmask]> >> >> >> Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 12:11 PM >> >> >> Subject: Re: Moral certainty >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > Moral certainty is the cause of wars, bigotry, > intolerance >> > and >> >> > much >> >> >> > suffering. The person who is certain he is right about > as >> > yet >> >> >> > unanswerable questions is a tremendous obstacle to > progress. >> >> > Education >> >> >> > teaches you how much you don't know and defines the >> >> > boundaries of >> >> >> > your >> >> >> > knowledge. >> >> >> > >> >> >> > My education tells me a cell is a cell and there is good >> > reason >> >> > to call >> >> >> > it a cell, not a person. I need to hear some good reasons >> > why >> >> > a cell >> >> >> > is >> >> >> > a person to change my mind, not ooh don't name-call. >> >> >> > >> >> >> > Rayilyn Brown, MA major History. minor Philosophy, UCLA >> >> >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> >> >> > From: "Ned Gardner" <[log in to unmask]> >> >> >> > To: <[log in to unmask]> >> >> >> > Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 7:25 PM >> >> >> > Subject: Re: Souls in limbo >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> >> Don: >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Moral certainty is always a sign of cultural inferiority. > The >> >> > more >> >> >> >> uncivilized the man, the surer he is that he knows > precisely >> > what >> >> > is >> >> >> >> right >> >> >> >> and what is wrong. All human progress, even in morals, has >> > been >> >> > the work >> >> >> >> of >> >> >> >> men who have doubted the current moral values, not of men > who >> >> > have >> >> >> >> whooped >> >> >> >> them up and tried to enforce them. The truly civilized man > is >> >> > always >> >> >> >> skeptical and tolerant. >> >> >> >> -- H. L. Mencken, Minority Report (1956) >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Ned >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> >> >> >> From: "Don Mckinley" <[log in to unmask]> >> >> >> >> To: <[log in to unmask]> >> >> >> >> Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 2:32 PM >> >> >> >> Subject: Re: Souls in limbo >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------ > - >> > - >> >> > -- >> >> >> To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: >> >> > mailto:[log in to unmask] >> >> >> In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn >> >> >> >> >> > >> >> >> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------- > - >> > -- >> >> > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: >> >> > mailto:[log in to unmask] >> >> > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn >> >> >> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------- > - >> > -- >> >> To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: >> > mailto:[log in to unmask] >> >> In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn >> >> >> > >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- > -- >> > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: >> > mailto:[log in to unmask] >> > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- > -- >> To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] >> In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn