Aren't all our actions predetermined by a combination of the genetic code that made up our brain's biochemical balance, and the sequence of events that brought us to our current status? Aren't all our so-called choices defined by these factors? This would mean that imprisonment isn't a punishment for previous wrongdoings, as the wrongdoer's illegal actions were predetermined, but it is an event that may influence the wrongdoer's future choices. I've been thinking about this recently and I can't quite persuade myself that free will isn't a myth.
Mmmkay, while you're oversimplifying the reason for the second world war just a tad, this is not my concern. Nor am I particularly interested in America's desire to fix the world by sending in the troops - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. We're more cautious because we don't have quite so much manpower or money to spare as your government believes you do. My only point is that the US never told us that its price for helping the world is that the world must slavishly agree and support US foreign policy for ever more, even if it looks decidedly unpleasant from our perspective. I keep hearing US posters say "huh, Europeans have no gratitude for us saving their butts" and I'm trying to point out, gratitude is one thing, but we still have the right to hold our own opinion about whatever the heck it is you're doing.
Well, y'see, the thing is, while we appreciated the help and all, back then your government wasn't quite so scary. You've helped us out in the past, yes, but now we have reason to be concerned about what you're going to do in the future. The current regime seems to be cheerfully sticking its oar into world affairs without actually being particularly worried about the world. So our gratitude to America's previous assistance doesn't extend to us automatically supporting your future activities when your government starts to look rather malevolent.
Well, I've never seen a woman work for 60 hours non-stop and completely rewrite the core of your software to run twice as fast. Unlike guys, they have a hard time managing to forget to, like, shower and stuff.
The thing is, even this kind of thing is heavily influenced by social gender expectations:
Imagine a man, John, is a fantastic genius coder but has a week's stubble and hasn't changed his clothes in three days and frankly he's starting to whiff a bit.
Now put a woman, Jane, in John's place. Isn't the idea of a scruffy, smelly, unkempt woman so much more shocking than a man in the same situation? Most people could put up with John in their office, perhaps even admire his dedication, but Jane would be shunned, ridiculed and scorned.
So yes, a woman is less likely to forego showering and grooming because the social stigma is much, much higher.
But if touring's such a mug's game then how come a good sized city will have a hundred or more bands playing on a weekend? Seems a little crazy for so many bands to be doing all that just to generally lose money. They must really, really love what they're doing to be so willing to waste money on it.
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Aren't all our actions predetermined by a combination of the genetic code that made up our brain's biochemical balance, and the sequence of events that brought us to our current status? Aren't all our so-called choices defined by these factors? This would mean that imprisonment isn't a punishment for previous wrongdoings, as the wrongdoer's illegal actions were predetermined, but it is an event that may influence the wrongdoer's future choices. I've been thinking about this recently and I can't quite persuade myself that free will isn't a myth.
Mmmkay, while you're oversimplifying the reason for the second world war just a tad, this is not my concern. Nor am I particularly interested in America's desire to fix the world by sending in the troops - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. We're more cautious because we don't have quite so much manpower or money to spare as your government believes you do. My only point is that the US never told us that its price for helping the world is that the world must slavishly agree and support US foreign policy for ever more, even if it looks decidedly unpleasant from our perspective. I keep hearing US posters say "huh, Europeans have no gratitude for us saving their butts" and I'm trying to point out, gratitude is one thing, but we still have the right to hold our own opinion about whatever the heck it is you're doing.
Well, y'see, the thing is, while we appreciated the help and all, back then your government wasn't quite so scary. You've helped us out in the past, yes, but now we have reason to be concerned about what you're going to do in the future. The current regime seems to be cheerfully sticking its oar into world affairs without actually being particularly worried about the world. So our gratitude to America's previous assistance doesn't extend to us automatically supporting your future activities when your government starts to look rather malevolent.
Well, I've never seen a woman work for 60 hours non-stop and completely rewrite the core of your software to run twice as fast. Unlike guys, they have a hard time managing to forget to, like, shower and stuff. The thing is, even this kind of thing is heavily influenced by social gender expectations: Imagine a man, John, is a fantastic genius coder but has a week's stubble and hasn't changed his clothes in three days and frankly he's starting to whiff a bit. Now put a woman, Jane, in John's place. Isn't the idea of a scruffy, smelly, unkempt woman so much more shocking than a man in the same situation? Most people could put up with John in their office, perhaps even admire his dedication, but Jane would be shunned, ridiculed and scorned. So yes, a woman is less likely to forego showering and grooming because the social stigma is much, much higher.
Heh, whereas I viewed the comparison as a compliment to Esperanto...
But if touring's such a mug's game then how come a good sized city will have a hundred or more bands playing on a weekend? Seems a little crazy for so many bands to be doing all that just to generally lose money. They must really, really love what they're doing to be so willing to waste money on it.