gdp's Comments

Godless Business : After the rapture

Sun, 22 May 2011 12:05:32 +0000

Now that was cool. If only it were bloody true!!

Godless Business : Sexist Preacher, Jack Schaap.

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:13:57 +0000

Wow what a tirade of utter bullshit!

Godless Business : William Lane Craig was right!

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 14:17:39 +0000

If you ask me, which of course I know you won't, information mixed with the ability to communicate as a species is the bases for all morality. No god required there.

Godless Business : The Source of Human Morality

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:25:00 +0000

“Your fairies comparison is completely specious. I'm not arguing for transcendental causes - I'm arguing that human consciousness cannot necessarily be reduced 'only' to chemicals within the brain. Sadly you've just demonstrated by that statement that you have a very distorted view of my argument.”

You can argue all you like that consciousness cannot be necessarily reduced to only chemicals within the brain, however we do not fully 100% understand the brain. It is one of if not the most complex forms that we know of. And until you can fully understand it, then your assertions that something transcendental could be the cause is currently just wishful thinking.

“Regarding your comments about vehicular capability - I do understand what you're saying, it's just that I think you're comparing apples and oranges. (your distinction may well be 'simple' but it's a flawed comparison). If the question was about why some minds are 'smarter' than others, then your comparison might be apt. But I'm not talking about how fast the car gets from point A to B, but that it has the ability to do the 'getting' in the first place. It doesn't matter if you have a Ferrari or a VW, if the crank shaft is connected to the piston(s) etc. then it will move - how fast is irrelevant.”

I think it does matter how fast the car gets from A to B and this would relate to how fast we achieve results when we take actions that require the use of our brains to take out those actions. For example, you have two people tied to a chair, about to be set a light. Both subjects are conscious, however one is mentally retarded the other your normal coherent person. Both subjects able to talk if needed(not gagged). Now chances are only one will object out aloud to being set a light. The other, well who knows, they might just sit there smiling at you and not making any attempt or effort to stop you burning them to death. You can argue that both have brains, both have consciousness and both are functioning as brains would function, however one is a Ferrari saying please don't burn me and the other is a slow tractor not saying anything at all. In fact I am sure the tractor brain could easily scream out, but chances are it won't happen until the subject is on fire, it still gets there in the end, albeit rather slowly.

“So my question remains - if we have two brains that you agree are basically the same stuff (in the same way that a VW and a Ferrari are basically the same thing - chassis, engine, wheels, with different capacities but same essential ability) then why can one 'go' and the other not? Why does one brain have the 'ability' and the other not? (again, nothing to do with the speed at which they 'go'). If you have a chassis, engine, wheels and the crank shaft to connect it all - it will 'go'. So then why doesn't a brain 'guarantee' consciousness?”

As mentioned above with my analogy, both brains are functioning, both capable but not both able to complete the task in the relatively same time period. Also much like a brain car engines are complicated. They are full of wiring and components that have to work together. The brain works in the same way, it has neural pathways and electrical currents that work together in order to make perform a range of actions, and these actions in part perform an end result. As in my analogy above they yell out to stop being set a light. In the case of the car, the Ferrari takes of at a roaring speed, the tractor takes off at a lumbering slower speed or not at all. And in some cases all the wiring is there all the components are there but for some reason the vehicle goes no where. Why? Because these things happens within the brain and we do not always fully understand why. Sometimes it is obvious because of damage to the brain. Sometimes it is a degenerative disease like rust or putting the wrong fuel in your car that can cause it to stop functioning correctly.

“In fact, the real problem is that I don't think there really is anything analogous to consciousness - apart from the fact that there is still so much we don't know about how it works, and to what extent it's emergence is connected to the brain etc.”

Nice to see that you do acknowledge that although I have to wonder how honest you are about it.

“The question is, then, why doesn't a brain guarantee consciousness? What is the difference between a brain that gives consciousness and one that doesn't? If it is reducible to the brain ('capacity' for 'speed' is irrelevant as I showed), why doesn't a brain always give us consciousness? To say it doesn't guarantee it seems to betray the point that there's something else in the mix regarding consciousness, which isn't necessarily reducible to physics and chemistry.”

I think here you fail to realise the complexity of being conscious in the first place, that there are certain levels of consciousness and not all consciousness is at the same level. Much like a Ferrari is a car but not all cars are Ferraris. And again this hint toward the assertion that there is something else in the mix seems a little futile in the face of a lack of understanding of the brain and how it really does work.

“There's plenty of accounts of people have NDEs and OBEs while clinically dead, with no brain activity. See here & here. (I'm not saying I necessarily accept that they are actual out-of-body experiences, I'm merely pointing out the difficulty such apparent consciousness - memories made while lacking brain activity - raises for your position).”

And there is also reason to believe that these OBE's and NDE's happen within the brain in a compressed time period. i.e what seems like a long time for the patient is in fact mere seconds inside their brains. We all have dreams that seem to go on forever when in fact we just dozed off on the couch for fifteen short minutes.

“I suppose, assuming you don't just dismiss it out of hand, that you might argue that there is brain activity, the machines just didn't pick it up - possible, but pretty much a circular argument until you can show otherwise. I think, though, that it's reason to question reductionist assumptions - combined with the fact that, as I've said, there is so much we don't know about consciousness and how it works and how it emerges from the brain etc.”

A reductionist argument can only go so far when in relation to how the brain works. Why? Because we simple do now know yet fully how the brain works however just because we can only go so far with our argument does not mean that this hints toward there being something transcendental that is the ultimate cause. And I doubt very much that consciousness emerges from the brain, that is like saying exhaust emerge from the cars exhaust pipe as a result of the inner workings of the engine, however once they emerge, they do not stick around

Godless Business : 2.6 - Election time!

Sun, 1 Aug 2010 16:21:44 +0000

Firstly, you are slack for not letting me skype in to say hello. Very sorry to all our listeners for not getting to throw in my opinion about some issue about something that I am sure I would have an opinion about. Secondly, read briefly over the Secular Party website, and I think one of us ought to stand for election. I would do it, but I get stage fright, or at least that is my excuse to get out of it. Besides who would vote for me anyway. As for the same sex marriage deal. For those of you who do not understand the same sex marriage thing. First what Jim said is correct. Secondly no one really gives a shit about marriage, especially when referred to within the same meaning and confines of the traditional sense of the word. However as mentioned what the G&L community wants is the rights that are afforded a heterosexual couple, not the marriage part. Penny Wong isn't being week I do not think, I think it is a gradual thing, especially in politics where not much happens over night, I think it will happen. The government already recognises same sex couples for payments and the like. Oh and lastly Sydney is Sydney and I don't really recommend it. Apologies to all who have to live in this place. Ollie :) PS: May 22nd next year, I am busy that day.

Godless Business : 1.7 - We Have Earned Our Explicit Rating

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 05:47:56 +0000

Yup I am reading that list now. There are a LOT of them. Going to take a while for them all to sink in and also to know when they pop up and how to associate them easily.

Godless Business : Countering Atheism

Mon, 5 Apr 2010 13:04:07 +0000

Wow you really are either completely ignorant of the facts and the reality of the situation or you have the inability to accept that which to most people needs no further explaination or perhaps you are just fucking stupid. I am going to go with all three for you sir. Let me point it out for you to read over and HOPEFULLY read and take in. ATHEISM is NOT a FAITH and does NOT require the BELIEF in something. It is the position of those that do NOT accept the claims of the FAITHFUL and therefore REJECT FAITH and all its claims as NON-VERYFIABLE or lacking in EVIDENCE. If you can't even remotely grasp the basic meaning of the words themselves, how do you expect anyone at all to take you seriously. And as for name calling? Well if you didn't come across as a complete fucking tool with seems to be awefully clueless about every word that you utter, then perhaps you wouldn't be such an easy target. On the upside, if you stick around and read some of the articles as well as do a little research yourself, you might actually learn something and then, and here is the big THEN, you might become something more than just a pile of atoms that were unlucky enough to get stuck with each other to live out your current existence. Then again, maybe this is the best you can do in life?

Godless Business : Dawkins Exposed Exposed

Mon, 5 Apr 2010 01:58:37 +0000

That might take a bit. You may need several chapters for it. You may even need to put it into verses as well. I know why not get say 12 odd people to write a chapter each? hmm you know despite my awesome sense of humour, this is actually not a bad idea. I wonder if it has been done before? The Science Bible. Or The Reality Book. Yeah I like that. I copyright that title and the idea behind it. Now to get people to write chapters and versus for it.

Godless Business : Dawkins Exposed Exposed

Mon, 5 Apr 2010 00:55:36 +0000

There was no sarcasm in my response Dermot, and I wasn't implying anything. I won't reiterate what Andrew said because he answered each point just fine. But I will say this. We as atheist, we as skeptics do not like the idea of preaching what we think. It is not about that for us what so ever. Besides much like when the likes of yourself and your 2billion odd bretheren start to preach to the likes of us, your eye glaze over also when we do it in return, and the conversations lead no where. Our purpose if you will, is to get people like you to question your faith and the way in which you view the world. Why? Because we believe that religion in almost all its forrms has over the centuries lead to the victimisation, torture, segregation and death of millions in its name. Because we believe that telling children they will burn in hell unless they believe in a particular god is paramount to child abuse. The bible has plenty of good stories about morals and how to live a good life, for which anyone can do even without reading it, but it still has them, however it also has a lot of barbaric evil acts within it that completely contradict all the good parts, which to me, as the word of god himself, doesn't put a really good light on a being meant to be infallable and all powerful and all knowing. So you see when one thinks long and hard about ones faith, one can really only come to one conclusion about it, and that is that you can live without it you don't need to believe to be good and that it does do more harm than good. But feel free to counter my argument with some kind of appologists retort.

Godless Business : Dawkins Exposed Exposed

Sat, 3 Apr 2010 15:10:58 +0000

You know sarcasm is the lowest form of witt right?

Godless Business : Dawkins Exposed Exposed

Sat, 3 Apr 2010 03:47:41 +0000

Ok I will start with the very first thing that popped out at me within your post. When you say people like me, and when I say people like me, I get the feeling we are talking about two separate beings, especially when referring to what evidence is. Firstly when I say I wish to see evidence, I am referring to the exact same type of evidence that any scientist worth a grain of salt, would request. I am not referring to myself as someone who is closed minded and will just take what ever you tell me as the truth. The next part I wish to reply to is that of your worldview. If you have a worldview that does not follow and abide by the same worldview that also holds the scientific method for defining evidence within its reality and uses this reality to prove or disprove evidence that is put worth, then your worldview is wrong. You can not live outside reality, I am affraid. And you definitely can't assume that someone outside of reality exists if you are not about to go outside of reality and see it and test it. Unless you can, in which case the JREF have a million dollars for you. So in essense we all live in the same reality. And you can't put forth any evidence that can be tested to show the existence of god. Thirdly, yes I do reject the notion that evidence based on the supernatual et al can not be used. Why? Because it has to be proven within the confines of this reality, and that is something that can't be done. Lastly, I am not closed minded at all. In fact I take on board a rather broad range of views of the world. What I am closed minded about you could say, is that of all my view on things, that the evidence put forth to me by the likes of yourself and others from various backgrounds(not just religion) is tested within the confines of this reality using scientific methods to prove its validity. I don't reject the idea of there being a god, be it yours or one of the thousands of others out there. And I don't reject the possibility of a god, because unlike you I can't really know for 100% for sure that god doesn't exist, and we as atheist can't disprove the existence of god much like we can't disprove the existence of anything. What I do reject however is your claim that your god is real, that your god is the one god out there and that unless I believe in your god, an eternity of fire awaits me on the other side of death. If I do accept your claims, without any evidence, and just accept what you and your book have to say, I am then rejecting all the other claims, and who knows I might be wrong and your god doesn't exist and one of others does. Based on that premise, I would have no choice, at least to save my soul from eternal damnation, to accept all claims for all god, just in case I get it wrong. So you see, the need for proof isn't as easy as saying, here is a book, read it, it will show you the truth. If it were, then I might as well roll a dice and randomly pick the religion and therefore the god that come up trumps.

Godless Business : Dawkins Exposed Exposed

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 06:34:31 +0000

Yes, exactly what Andrew has said. Stop making claims and then refusing to show the evidence you claim to have. Because lets face it, I am not the only one in the world that would like to see it. Every single atheist, skeptical thinkers, free thinkers whatever name you wish to give us, everyone one of us would like to see the evidence you have. And by the very nature of the universe and not that which lives outside of the realms of both the universe that we know or outside reality, all your evidence must past stringent scientific, repeatable tests. Now in all seriousness if you can even come remotely close to making such claims, then you have no choice but to bring them forth and have them tested. You owe it to both the believers and the none believers in the world. You even owe it to the other faiths of the world, that might actually have it wrong. But you know I won't hold my breath for it. Doesn't mean I won't give up on the idea, however you along with so many before you that yet to show one single piece of evidience that has passed even one scientific test. But good luck none the less.

Godless Business : Who am I?

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 11:25:39 +0000

Ahh ok well that makes sense. You had ASKEGG at the end of it and I thought, those were some strange words for you to use. Now to wait for a response for our theistic friends!

Godless Business : Who am I?

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 11:01:18 +0000

Not too sure about the spoken comment at the end of that clip. The rest of it was good. But that last comment came across to me at least like you were saying without god you are no one, so you need god to be someone. Most would argue that they really would prefer to be someone or at least be wanted by someone.

Godless Business : What kind of world?

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 02:51:14 +0000

Well reading over the comments, a vast majority of them condemn both him and the newpaper in their dealings. Don't forget the newspaper as we know it, is pretty much becoming extinct. Even the web based versions of their original counterparts are just not worth reading. So it make sense that they would have to stoop to such lows in order to get readers. Even if the readers tell them they are a bunch of weak minded fucktards who wouldn't know a good story if it jumped up and bit them. Gary is a fucking tool who has fucked up his life since his somewhat amazing football career(I say "somewhat amazing" cause I fucking hate the sport and he wasn't anything special) and now thinks that a sudden move towards be saved by god is his ticket to redemption. As one poster commented on the article, how about he fixes all the fuck ups in his own backyard before trying to fix the fucks up in other peoples backyards.

Godless Business : Dawkins Exposed Exposed

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 02:39:14 +0000

I swear these people are so utterly blind to that which isn't there that they end up believing it actually is there. It is like they are jumping out of a plane with their parachute packs on, that someone else gave to them and told them it will save them on the way down, they just need to trust them and pull the cord. Except their packs aren't filled with anything that will save them and when they do jump out and pull that cord on the way down in some vein hope of being saved, nothing happens and they eventually fall to their death, which is a total waste of their lives. Had they bothered to actually look inside their packs to check for evidence of a parachute they would find out that in fact it wasn't packed properly and it was not filled with anything what so ever to support them on the way down to a safe landing, a happy ending, and had they bothered to investigate they would in fact never jump in the first place. So why do so many take such evidentially baseless arguements and just go with them? Why do you people not ask questions and actually work out if the answers you get back actuallly make sense and are even remotely derived from logical, analytical and evidence based facts.

Godless Business : The Pope IS a Nazi

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:10:23 +0000

Are you intentionally being arrogant and at the same time ignorant? Firstly we do NOT have a belief in evolution, the massive pile of scientific evidence alone puts it far beyond that of a belief. You believe that god exists, we hold no such belief. And as for evolution, go read a little about it, because it is obvious to me that you either know very little about it, or that you are purposely just being a troll and stating false claims against it. So I suggest that you go read up on it and get the correct information rather than some half baked bullshit that you have been reading. As for you not going away and being here for two thousand years and in no hurry to leave. Well the earth has been around for approx 4.5billion years. Which makes your religion but a spec in time. In fact even if you go back to 500bc giving you 2500 odd years, it is only 0.004% of the total time the earth has been around. And we have a LONG way to get before the earth is swallowed up by the sun. So no I do not think you or your kind will be around for much longer, especially not as long as you are hoping. Now as mentioned feel free to make yourself disappear. A vanishing act if you will. Show us some magic, it is magic after all that you believe in right?

Godless Business : Photo Caption Competition

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:31:59 +0000

Sturgess "That there ladies and gentlemen, is the length this man will shove his atheists ways up your theistic butts if you don't stop abusing children with your indoctrinations at such an early age" Dawkins "what? no I was just stretching..... wait that's not a bad idea there Miss Sturgess"

Godless Business : Photo Caption Competition

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:52:13 +0000

Dawkins "Up there, is it a bird? is it a plane? no it's GOD!!" Sturgess "are you dellusional? I don't see anything"

Godless Business : 1.4 - The Nerd Bunker

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:00:00 +0000

So yeah, what did you all think of this weeks podcast? Anyone care to write a review. Just leave out bits where I obviously screwed up what I was trying to say or I didn't get to the point I was trying to make. Have to say it is much easier to write what I want to say than it is saying it live into a mic and trying to remember the right words in the right order according to the right story. But I will get there eventually and until then you will all just have to deal with my somewhat inept abilities at live radio recording.