PLEASE put intelligent design proponents in a lab! If they had anything they could test to prove the validity of their theory, I would welcome it.
Unfortunately, ID doesn't make any predictions that are testable. Maybe irreducible complexity, but that has been prove an incorrect way of thinking as well.
ID is purely based on "thought" and what is "common sense". But common sense is not a very good descriptor of how things actually are... especially if your common sense is completely based on a two thousand year old book.
Please, go into the lab. Experimentation is the thing that helps you prove or disprove a theory. The fact that intelligent design has no experimental data is very telling. The fact that they don't even try should be damning.
I personally think that this is the exact reason why watson is pretty amazing. We get really caught up in WORDS... but words themselves are only representations of IDEAS.
That's the interesting thing about Jeopardy... it often phrases "answers" in such a way as the words themselves don't matter, it's the ideas behind the "questions" that really matter. When watson goes through it's numerical manipulation of the words... it seems that the computer is trying to numerical understand concepts and ideas and not just words themselves.
They're not even saying that there's rape in the game... they're saying that (from TFA):
"The increase in rapes can be attributed in large part to the playing out of [sexual] scenes in video games."
They're saying that playing sexual situations in games is the cause of the "increase" (actually, over the last 10 years incidents of rape are on decline) of rape.
You've just demonstrated the REAL danger of ID and teaching it to impressionable students.
Instead of searching for explanations for the examples above... you are content to accept that science "will never" be able to answer those inquiries.
It MAY actually be true that science cannot answer how the 4 chamber heart evolved. But does that mean that we should simple stop searching for the answer?
You'll find that science is great for this kind of thing. The 4 chamber heart is just the next example in the long line of the bacteria flagellum, the blood clotting mechanism and a multitude of other so called example of IC that have been debunked. Please though... come up with more... The more research we do, the greater our knowledge becomes. The moment we stop questioning (which is what ID would have us do) is the day we lose.
I posted something similar above but I can't find it.
I guess it would be like this. There are tax breaks for small businesses. If that business is a Christian Book store, does that immediately negate any tax breaks that other small businesses would be entitled to?
I hate creationism as much as the next guy, but it seems to me that this is perfectly legal.
As I understand it, these are tax breaks that are offered to any tourism attraction. As much as I hate to admit it, I think they are entitled.
If someone were going to start a small business, there are a number of tax incentives for them to do so. Should/would they be denied the tax breaks if they were opening a Christian book store?
Don't forget that stereoscopic 3D has been around since the 50s.
The thing that really bugs me is not that it's new amazing technology. It's OLD crap that's never caught on that they're marketing differently/forcing down our throats.
Many states have tried to pass laws that restrict the sale of games to minors. So if the California law is upheld, all the other states will follow suit and craft laws based on the California one.
In reference to why people would leave the industry... It's not because they wouldn't want to make games, it's because the ability to express creativity would become limited. Any depiction of violence could potentially cause your game to be restricted by the law and not get carried by any of the large retailers (not being in Walmart destroys any sales potential of your game). Thus publishers will always "play it safe" to protect their investment.
In regards to stifling creativity. Here's a comparison - When was the last time you saw any porn that had real artistic merit? That really told a great story or carried political, cultural themes? Stanley Kubrick, one of the greatest directors to ever live, had his last movie Eyes Wide Shut significantly censored so as not to be labeled porn so that it could be released in theaters in the US. If this law were passed, you'd only have one type of violent game... brutally graphic and heinous. Just as we pretty much only have one type of movie/magazine/etc that contains sex... porn.
There are many MANY works that are considered appropriate for minors although they contain graphic depictions of violence. Lord of the Flies, Ovid Metamorphosis, The Iliad, the Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood... hell... the BIBLE!
However, (with the exception of the Bible) there are few (if any) depictions of sex that are in adolescent literature. American history itself is filled with a lot of violence. But you'd be hard pressed to see any documented record of detailed sex.
For all those people that say we're already doing the same for porn, I've got a good example for you. When was the last time you saw any porn that had real artistic merit? That really told a great story. I think it's telling that Stanley Kubrick, one of the greatest directors to ever live had his last movie Eyes Wide Shut significantly censored so as not to be labeled porn just so that it could be released in theaters is indicative of the type of censorship that would arise.
You would cease to have games that have graphic violence in them just as mainstream movies don't depict sex even when it's part of the story because people wouldn't make them. Imagine Dead Space without graphic violence... not quite as effective a game, is it?
I dunno... some of quantum mechanics border on being magic (and definitely in the "changing of events in accordance with one's will" kind). Just look at wave particle duality.
I think the real problem is that when one invokes God, it ends all exploration in that direction.
If we actually ask the question what "created" gravity, we can theorize and research what the origins of gravity may be. It could be that gravity WAS indeed always there.
To say that "God created it" and to accept that as a valid explanation is to end the potential knowledge to be gained in exploring the phenomenon. It is ALSO possible that in trying to find out what created/caused gravity (or any other topic) we may actually find evidence for God's existence... wouldn't that be something?
The first (ever) Road & Track's Need for Speed (before they changed it to be an arcade racer) Star Control II Super Wing Commander Shockwave Gex Road Rash
It was actually a pretty good system... anyone who says different never really played it a lot.
Whenever you start segregating into groups, you'll find that it results in an us and them mentality. Often that will result in appreciation of anything that makes "them" look bad and "us" better.
I'm sure that the same results would have been observed if the groups were conservatives reading negative stories about liberals or vice versa.
Ultimately, the private sector will find ways to circumvent public organizations to make money. Which is exactly what UPS and Fedex have done.
I find it hilarious when people argue that the government will put private companies out of business... barring any seriously crazy legislation, the private sector is ingenious enough to come up with new and better ways of making money.
When the government passed that credit card bill a while ago, the companies had already figured out ways around 9 of the 11 provisions before it was even signed.
That's really because of a change in the environment and therefore a change in the fitness of the organism (or population of organisms) for that environment.
If a nuclear war broke out tomorrow, the human race would no longer be fit for the environment. Instead, the cockroach would be significantly more fit and therefore selected for (or cockroach-like features).
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PLEASE put intelligent design proponents in a lab! If they had anything they could test to prove the validity of their theory, I would welcome it.
Unfortunately, ID doesn't make any predictions that are testable. Maybe irreducible complexity, but that has been prove an incorrect way of thinking as well.
ID is purely based on "thought" and what is "common sense". But common sense is not a very good descriptor of how things actually are... especially if your common sense is completely based on a two thousand year old book.
Please, go into the lab. Experimentation is the thing that helps you prove or disprove a theory. The fact that intelligent design has no experimental data is very telling. The fact that they don't even try should be damning.
I personally think that this is the exact reason why watson is pretty amazing. We get really caught up in WORDS... but words themselves are only representations of IDEAS.
That's the interesting thing about Jeopardy... it often phrases "answers" in such a way as the words themselves don't matter, it's the ideas behind the "questions" that really matter. When watson goes through it's numerical manipulation of the words... it seems that the computer is trying to numerical understand concepts and ideas and not just words themselves.
They're not even saying that there's rape in the game... they're saying that (from TFA):
"The increase in rapes can be attributed in large part to the playing out of [sexual] scenes in video games."
They're saying that playing sexual situations in games is the cause of the "increase" (actually, over the last 10 years incidents of rape are on decline) of rape.
You've just demonstrated the REAL danger of ID and teaching it to impressionable students.
Instead of searching for explanations for the examples above... you are content to accept that science "will never" be able to answer those inquiries.
It MAY actually be true that science cannot answer how the 4 chamber heart evolved. But does that mean that we should simple stop searching for the answer?
You'll find that science is great for this kind of thing. The 4 chamber heart is just the next example in the long line of the bacteria flagellum, the blood clotting mechanism and a multitude of other so called example of IC that have been debunked. Please though... come up with more... The more research we do, the greater our knowledge becomes. The moment we stop questioning (which is what ID would have us do) is the day we lose.
If Jobs dies, they'll just string him up and move him around "Weekend at Bernie's" like
The kid wasn't banned. They just deleted his ill gotten achievements and branded him a cheater with a tag. The kid can still play.
As long as we don't let ourselves be directed by those that forcefully try to be our moral compasses, we'll be fine.
You could also build a house without a hammer. Point is... the best tool for putting a nail into something is arguably a hammer.
A gun (again arguably) is the best available tool to kill people.
Indeed... but it would be incredibly difficult to shoot someone without a gun.
I was being facetious, but seriously... hammers don't build houses, people do. But try doing it without a hammer.
Although, the new discovery of bacteria with arsenic based DNA will require a fundamentally reexamination of the theory of common descent.
But creationists don't know enough about biology to be able to use that argument in their favor.
I posted something similar above but I can't find it.
I guess it would be like this. There are tax breaks for small businesses. If that business is a Christian Book store, does that immediately negate any tax breaks that other small businesses would be entitled to?
I hate creationism as much as the next guy, but it seems to me that this is perfectly legal.
As I understand it, these are tax breaks that are offered to any tourism attraction. As much as I hate to admit it, I think they are entitled.
If someone were going to start a small business, there are a number of tax incentives for them to do so. Should/would they be denied the tax breaks if they were opening a Christian book store?
Don't forget that stereoscopic 3D has been around since the 50s.
The thing that really bugs me is not that it's new amazing technology. It's OLD crap that's never caught on that they're marketing differently/forcing down our throats.
Many states have tried to pass laws that restrict the sale of games to minors. So if the California law is upheld, all the other states will follow suit and craft laws based on the California one.
In reference to why people would leave the industry... It's not because they wouldn't want to make games, it's because the ability to express creativity would become limited. Any depiction of violence could potentially cause your game to be restricted by the law and not get carried by any of the large retailers (not being in Walmart destroys any sales potential of your game). Thus publishers will always "play it safe" to protect their investment.
In regards to stifling creativity. Here's a comparison - When was the last time you saw any porn that had real artistic merit? That really told a great story or carried political, cultural themes? Stanley Kubrick, one of the greatest directors to ever live, had his last movie Eyes Wide Shut significantly censored so as not to be labeled porn so that it could be released in theaters in the US. If this law were passed, you'd only have one type of violent game... brutally graphic and heinous. Just as we pretty much only have one type of movie/magazine/etc that contains sex... porn.
I'll bite.
There are many MANY works that are considered appropriate for minors although they contain graphic depictions of violence. Lord of the Flies, Ovid Metamorphosis, The Iliad, the Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood... hell... the BIBLE!
However, (with the exception of the Bible) there are few (if any) depictions of sex that are in adolescent literature. American history itself is filled with a lot of violence. But you'd be hard pressed to see any documented record of detailed sex.
For all those people that say we're already doing the same for porn, I've got a good example for you. When was the last time you saw any porn that had real artistic merit? That really told a great story. I think it's telling that Stanley Kubrick, one of the greatest directors to ever live had his last movie Eyes Wide Shut significantly censored so as not to be labeled porn just so that it could be released in theaters is indicative of the type of censorship that would arise.
You would cease to have games that have graphic violence in them just as mainstream movies don't depict sex even when it's part of the story because people wouldn't make them. Imagine Dead Space without graphic violence... not quite as effective a game, is it?
But then... does that mean that a bunch of terrorists can BUY a plane and carry whatever they want on it and fly it (into) where ever they want?
It IS their own property afterall...
I dunno... some of quantum mechanics border on being magic (and definitely in the "changing of events in accordance with one's will" kind). Just look at wave particle duality.
I wonder what would happen if a soldier (god forbid) got killed going off base to buy the game from somewhere else?
The real problem with the concept of God in science is that you cannot prove that he doesn't exist.
Short of God coming down and telling everyone that he doesn't exist, what evidence could possibly disprove his existence?
(yes, the irony is on purpose. I'm not THAT stupid)
I think the real problem is that when one invokes God, it ends all exploration in that direction.
If we actually ask the question what "created" gravity, we can theorize and research what the origins of gravity may be. It could be that gravity WAS indeed always there.
To say that "God created it" and to accept that as a valid explanation is to end the potential knowledge to be gained in exploring the phenomenon. It is ALSO possible that in trying to find out what created/caused gravity (or any other topic) we may actually find evidence for God's existence... wouldn't that be something?
Return Fire was AWESOME! Nothing like mass destruction set to classical music.
Lots of good stuff on 3DO.
The first (ever) Road & Track's Need for Speed (before they changed it to be an arcade racer)
Star Control II
Super Wing Commander
Shockwave
Gex
Road Rash
It was actually a pretty good system... anyone who says different never really played it a lot.
Whenever you start segregating into groups, you'll find that it results in an us and them mentality. Often that will result in appreciation of anything that makes "them" look bad and "us" better.
I'm sure that the same results would have been observed if the groups were conservatives reading negative stories about liberals or vice versa.
Ultimately, the private sector will find ways to circumvent public organizations to make money. Which is exactly what UPS and Fedex have done.
I find it hilarious when people argue that the government will put private companies out of business... barring any seriously crazy legislation, the private sector is ingenious enough to come up with new and better ways of making money.
When the government passed that credit card bill a while ago, the companies had already figured out ways around 9 of the 11 provisions before it was even signed.
That's really because of a change in the environment and therefore a change in the fitness of the organism (or population of organisms) for that environment.
If a nuclear war broke out tomorrow, the human race would no longer be fit for the environment. Instead, the cockroach would be significantly more fit and therefore selected for (or cockroach-like features).