The Philosophy Discussion Forum

A principle by definition is not susceptible of variation. That would be the logical answer, don’t you think? Application of ‘principles’, it seems, is where variability enters in. But Phyllo, you are better off trying to locate a “principle” that we can talk about in tangible ways. You can have pr...

But these patterns only exist when they have a physical manifestation. Well, that is likely why, overall, I tend to views that are theistic. And that of course places me on a similar side of these discussions as the one beloved IC stands on. It is a question of intuitional orientation. If "met...

"Principles" exist without "intelligent biological beings"? Platonic forms? Are they floating around in the vacuum of space? A question serves a marvelous function, doesn’t it? It opens the door to an ‘answer’. It should be obvious that I cannot answer your questions (the last o...

"Principles" exist without "intelligent biological beings"?

Platonic forms?

Are they floating around in the vacuum of space?

Of course, IC believes that the universe "is" exactly as he "imagines" it to be.

When I said "other states" I did not have in mind "other planets with life" etc. Well I used "planets" because I think it's less abstract and easier to understand than "states". But you are referring to actual existence and I am saying "state" does ...

When I said "other states" I did not have in mind "other planets with life" etc.

Well I used "planets" because I think it's less abstract and easier to understand than "states".

If there is a countably infinite number of planets in the universe, the probability of ideal conditions for life on at least one of them, is high.

First, in the Garden story, God doesn't actually ORDER them not to eat the fruit of that tree. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainl...

The only argument I make is that within ecological systems the very nature and structure of these systems is that, to live and exist, creatures are forced to kill and eat other creatures. It is a frighteningly bizarre, but amazing indeed wondrous “world”. I guess you could say that such beings are ...

So if ‘the World’ was good prior to that Event, there could certainly have been no ‘creatures killing and feeding on other creatures” which, in our discussion, became emblemized by the shark killing and eating the seal. So what world was it that was deathless and non-predatorial? The story of The F...

BTW -- from the Jewish perspective, not about sin at all. When Eve eats the fruit, does not yet have knowledge of good and evil (so cannot "sin"). When Adam eats thee fruit, same thing. We are now left with Eve giving the fruit to Adam. Here the "comparative evil" rule comes int...

The curse is that thinkers are convinced that their thoughts are knowledge.

Or you don't "do" death even once. Only the living have experiences. The dead don't "do" anything.

Imp will chime in about the dead decomposing?

There is a part after birth and before death.

That's the important bit.