Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Monday, August 20. 2007

Is existence just one of God's dreams?

Physicists ask whether existence is a virtual reality. Neurophilosophy. Of course it is. I think, therefore I am a confused SOB.

But existence sure feels real when you have a sore hip, or when you are 21 and your girlfriend dumps you, or when you can't pay your bills. No need to drop a little acid before reading the links: reality is strange enough on its own. 

Posted by The Barrister in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 15:53 | Comments (16) | Trackbacks (0)

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Not to worry. The acid I tried in 1977 never quite left my system.
#1 Art C. on 2007-08-20 17:46 (Reply)
As the metaphysical solipsist, I apologize for thinking all of this nonsense into existence.
#2 Jephnol (Link) on 2007-08-20 18:02 (Reply)
A word of caution which I think you already know but ya gotta watch out for your buds.

If your gett'n into metaphysical solipsism make sure to get some extra napkins and if you've got on one of your favorite retro bowling shirts...man wear a bib..it's worth it.

I was in this meta ..blah..blah fade to black, roll credits.
#2.1 Habu on 2007-08-20 21:00 (Reply)
I think, therefore I am not.
#3 Art C. on 2007-08-20 18:57 (Reply)
I think that I think, therefore, I think that I am.
#4 terrence on 2007-08-20 19:06 (Reply)
Of course, as the metaphysical solipsist, I am only apologizing to myself. Oh well, I'm sensitive that way. Mea culpa. Mea culpa.
#5 Jephnol (Link) on 2007-08-20 19:38 (Reply)
MS is a very popular religion these days. Kinda like Episcopalianism used to be.
#6 BD on 2007-08-20 20:09 (Reply)
I went to René Descartes Philosopher (1596 -1650) and one of the many things his brilliant mind produced.

If you would be a real seeker after truth,
it is necessary that at least once in your life
you doubt, as far as possible, all things

From that thought I have finally decided that Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny will be placed on "skeptics list", nudging very close to actual suspension of belief.

I immediately suspended any sensate or phychological belief that we are living in a computer simulation, my reasoning being buttressed not by Descartes ontological argument of the existence of God, but rather the fact that I once used a Radio Shack TRS-80 to write, after much manipulation, the word "Hi" on a sheet of paper.

Couple that with a healthy belief that a Malthusian exogenous event will overtake mankind and there you have it. A real bonus is that Karl Marx didn't like Malthus, and I don't like Karl Marx, so I win.


Now there's some of yesterdays leftover guacamole and Vienna sausage dip on the back table for those who would like to get a headstatrt on the Malthus deal
#7 Habu on 2007-08-20 20:24 (Reply)
The dip...of course it was left out all night in 85 degree weather ...so what's the deal ..bon appetit.
#8 Habu on 2007-08-20 20:29 (Reply)
O/T

One of Californias congressmen, Bob Filner,Finer (D) whatever was apparently in a schuffle with a United Airlines employee about his baggage. He's been charged with assault and battery.

Now the article did say if he used the old, "Do you know who I am" Mr. Bigshot question on the hapless employee but years ago I heard a story that you can only pray is true.

An aggitated passenger is reaming the gate personel about boarding ..He uses the "Do you know.." Well the gate attendant calmly turns on the microphone and in a booming voice says.
"Ladies and gentlemen we have a passenger up here who doesn't know who he is, can someone please come help identify him?

I hope it was a true story...
#9 Habu on 2007-08-20 21:30 (Reply)
me too. but probably apocryphal.
#10 buddy larsen on 2007-08-20 22:55 (Reply)
"I Yam What I Yam and That's All That I Yam!"
--Popeye the Sailor Man
#11 buddy larsen on 2007-08-20 22:59 (Reply)
"I'll let ya be in my dream if I can be in yours"
--Bob Dylan ("Talkin' WWIII Blues" i think...i think therefore I'm a yam)
#12 buddy larsen on 2007-08-20 23:14 (Reply)
"I could be unraveling wherever I'm traveling"
--Bob Dylan (I think... i'm on the brink therefore I'm a ham?)
#13 Rick Steves on 2007-08-20 23:38 (Reply)
If you ever get charged with animal abuse, give em the old Rene Descartes Defense. They don't think, therefore they are not. No law against kicking your own robot. And indeed, Rene thought the animals were robots, sorta, but really good at putting on an act. My dog Ezra didn't agree with him.
#14 bob on 2007-08-20 23:40 (Reply)
that's why it's bad to put Descartes before de horse
#15 buddy larsen on 2007-08-21 00:49 (Reply)

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