Philosophy Discussion Forums | A Humans-Only Philosophy Club

Philosophy Discussion Forums
A Humans-Only Philosophy Club

The Philosophy Forums at OnlinePhilosophyClub.com aim to be an oasis of intelligent in-depth civil debate and discussion. Topics discussed extend far beyond philosophy and philosophers. What makes us a philosophy forum is more about our approach to the discussions than what subject is being debated. Common topics include but are absolutely not limited to neuroscience, psychology, sociology, cosmology, religion, political theory, ethics, and so much more.

This is a humans-only philosophy club. We strictly prohibit bots and AIs from joining.


Discuss the November 2022 Philosophy Book of the Month, In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes.

To post in this forum, you must buy and read the book. After buying the book, please upload a screenshot of your receipt or proof or purchase via OnlineBookClub. Once the moderators approve your purchase at OnlineBookClub, you will then also automatically be given access to post in this forum.
Forum rules: This forum is for discussing the book In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All. Anyone can view the forum and read the post, but only people who purchased the book can post in the forum.

If your purchase has not already been verified (i.e. if you don't already have access to post in this forum), then please upload a screenshot of your receipt or proof or purchase via OnlineBookClub. Once the moderators approve your purchase at OnlineBookClub, you will then also automatically be given access to post in this forum.
#465245
First of all, I want to thank you for making this website. It is one of the best websites where talent and hard work get noticed. My question to you is, how did this idea of onlinebookclub.com emerge? I'm curious to know.
Once again, thank you for this.
#465246
I have started a new business of wood carving figurines and more. It falls in the niche category and I have done a few sales here in India but I have a feeling that this might do well in the international market so I have already set up the business.
Question: What do I do, to scale up and get more customers from outside, maybe the US and UK? Also, I do plan to read the book "Niching up" in the near future but in the meantime, I just had this question.
In It Together review: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewt ... p?t=506967
#465279
Sandeep Moses wrote: July 16th, 2024, 11:17 pm First of all, I want to thank you for making this website. It is one of the best websites where talent and hard work get noticed. My question to you is, how did this idea of onlinebookclub.com emerge? I'm curious to know.
Once again, thank you for this.
Hi, Sandeep Moses,

That question was already asked and answered earlier in the Q&A:

What was your motivation for creating OnlineBookClub?


Moving forward, please do make sure to read all the previous Q&As before asking a new question to make sure the question hasn't already been asked and answered.


With love,
Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
a.k.a. Scott
Favorite Philosopher: Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
#465280
If you haven't already, you can sign up to be personally mentored by Scott "Eckhart Aurelius" Hughes at this link.

Eagle Adastra wrote: July 12th, 2024, 8:11 am What formed your belief about good and evil, explain with life experiences.
Hi, Eagle Adastra,

Thank you for your question! :)

As I use, define, and interpret the word "evil", it is simply an exact synonym for "should-not-have-ness".
 
For instance, as I use, define, and interpret the words, to say, "That hurricane that happened yesterday is evil", would mean the exact same thing as saying, "That hurricane that happened yesterday should not have happened."
 
As anyone who read my book already knows, I believe should-not-have-ness (a.k.a. "evil") doesn't exist. In other words, I believe there are no shoulds and no oughts. I believe reality is right, always. I believe truth is right, always. They are right, by definition. The universe doesn't miscalculate. If there is an all-knowing all-powerful all-wise all-loving God, either figuratively or literally, then I believe it is obviously true that that God does not make mistakes. He or she (or it) does not miscalculate.
 
The above paragraph might seem like a list of a whole bunch of different beliefs, but it's really just one belief worded in a bunch of different ways, repeated with purposeful redundancy for clarity.
 
Moreover, it is a belief with which you (and anyone else posting on this topic) agree, since you have already stated that you agree with every single sentence in the book.
 
Thus, your question, as I understand it, is the following:
 
"What formed your belief that should-not-have-ness doesn't exist (i.e. that there are no shoulds)?"
 
 
That question is analogous to the following questions one could also ask me:
 
1. What formed your belief that Big Foot doesn't exist?
 
2. What formed your belief that Santa Claus doesn't exist?
 
3. What formed your belief that fire-breathing dragons don't exist?
 
4. What formed your belief that telepathy doesn't exist?
 
5. What formed your belief that Russell's Teapot doesn't really exist?
 
6. What formed your belief that no alien abductions have occurred on Earth?
 
7. What formed your disbelief in the Flying Spaghetti Monster?
 
8. What formed your disbelief in other superstitions, such as the claim that breaking a mirror causes seven years of bad luck?
 
 
The answer to all eight of those questions, as well as the original question, is the following: lack of sufficient empirical evidence.
 
 
For more on that topic, I suggest checking out these old topics of mine about default positions and standards of belief:
 
How much evidence does it take to believe or to know?
 
Default positions and the increased burden of proof
 

The superstitious claim that this seemingly magical, paranormal, invisible thing called 'should-not-have-ness' exists seems to be a way to reject the logical law of the excluded middle, as if to believe there objectively is some kind of alternate or dual reality in which things that are true are not true and in which some things that are false are true. People who believe in that superstition can then say something is right (i.e. true) and wrong (i.e. untrue) at the same time, which can be phrased by saying things like the following:
 
1. That hurricane that happened yesterday was wrong!
 
2. That hurricane that happened yesterday shouldn't have happened!
 
3. It is wrong that 2 + 2 equals four!
 
4. 2 + 2 shouldn't equal 4.
 
5. 2 + 2 equals 4, but it shouldn't!
 
 
Logically, it seems all of the above statements are either clearly (1) meaningless contradictory nonsense (i.e. meaningless gibberish), or (2) superstitions and/or hallucinations.
 
I believe things can be real or fictional.
 
I believe propositions (i.e. alleged facts) can be true or false. I see no evidence of this seemingly ghostly magical extra quality of so-called should-not-have-ness, and thus I don't believe it exists. In other words, I don't believe in that superstition.
 
I don't believe in the superstitious notion that there is some seemingly ghostly magical extra quality that real things (e.g. hurricanes) or facts can make right things also be wrong, such that it would make the following statements meaningful:
 
1. That hurricane that happened yesterday was wrong!
 
2. That hurricane that happened yesterday shouldn't have happened!
 
3. It is wrong that 2 + 2 equals four!
 
4. 2 + 2 shouldn't equal 4.
 
5. 2 + 2 equals 4, but it shouldn't!
 
 
 
The reason I don't believe in that seemingly ghostly magical extra quality is because I have seen no empirical evidence for it, let alone sufficiently convincing empirical evidence that would meet my standard of belief.
 
I'd quicker believe that Big Foot exists and that alleged alien abductions are real and true than believe that should-not-have-ness exists.
 
In other words, I find it far more believable that UFO sightings are actually aliens from outer space than believe that anything ever happens that shouldn't happen. I'd quicker believe in aliens visiting Earth than believe that something that is right and true is somehow also magically wrong.



Thank you,
Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
a.k.a. Scott



should-not-have-ness doesn't exist.png
should-not-have-ness doesn't exist.png (1.02 MiB) Viewed 21155 times



In addition to having authored his book, In It Together, Eckhart Aurelius Hughes (a.k.a. Scott) runs a mentoring program, with a free option, that guarantees success. Success is guaranteed for anyone who follows the program.
Favorite Philosopher: Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
#465340
Ezeakor Oliver wrote: July 19th, 2024, 5:34 pm What daily habits or routines do you find most essential for maintaining your productivity and well-being?
Hi, Ezeakor Oliver,

That question was already asked and answered earlier in the Q&A:

You are so productive and successful in so many different tasks. What is your daily routine that makes you so productive?


Moving forward, please do make sure to read all the previous Q&As before asking a new question to make sure the question hasn't already been asked and answered.


With love,
Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
a.k.a. Scott
Favorite Philosopher: Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
#465854
Hi Scott,

Post delivery, after months of not losing weight my gynecologist advised me to have myself tested. It turned out my thyroid levels were way out of the normal range and I was put on medication to control Hypothyroidism. After years of struggling with weight issues, I finally managed to control my diet and in little over a year I have lost a little over 10 kgs/22 pounds. I am glad to say that I'm at my ideal weight according to my height. Now my main focus area is my tummy. Can you suggest some exercises (preferably ones that don't put a strain on the neck) to lose my stomach fat?

P.S. Currently, I lead a sedentary lifestyle with the only exercise time scheduled at about 40 minutes/day for a frozen shoulder.
In It Together review: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewt ... p?t=507057
#465866
Eckhart Aurelius Hughes wrote: August 15th, 2023, 7:19 pm If you haven't already, you can sign up to be personally mentored by Scott "Eckhart Aurelius" Hughes at this link.


Hi, Mounce574,

"Thank you for your question! :)

Mounce574 wrote: August 11th, 2023, 12:02 am With AI taking over a lot of roles, there still has to be a person to create the algorithms to allow AI to work. 
I don't think that's true.
 
For one thing, AIs aren't programmed like traditional algorithms are. Instead, AIs are trained.
 
AIs are no more algorithmic than dogs, cats, or dolphins. Likewise, the behavior of AIs is no more predictable, controllable, or algorithmic than the behavior of a dog, a cat, or a dolphin.
 
Moreover, AIs can be programmed by other AIs.
 
Mounce574 wrote: August 11th, 2023, 12:02 am Do you think there is a way, beyond ReCaptcha to stop AI from infiltrating OBC?
ReCaptcha definitely won't work. AIs can already beat ReCaptcha and other CAPTCHA tests and pass the Turing Test. They have been able to do that for a long time now.
 
The most effective way to keep out bots and AIs is to close down registration and new signups entirely. AIs and bots cannot get in if nobody can.
 
However, another issue that needs to be resolved is the AIs and bots that are already inside, including the ones that are using sleeper or hacked accounts. For instance, you can have a dormant account that was originally made by a real human and was used years ago, but AIs and bots will often have taken over those.
 
For instance, I just saw a post in the queue here that was from an old member who used to be very active but hadn't posted in months. The post appears to be a spam post written by a bot or AI. Presumably, the bot/AI obtained access to the user's email account and then used it to gain access to this website. The person was an active real human in the past but now is a bot.
 
That is why I like the analogy of a zombie apocalypse.
 
It's not just a matter of how well we board up the windows and barricade the doors. If the inside is already too compromised, it's too late.


With love,
Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
a.k.a. Scott




stop AI.png




In addition to having authored his book, In It Together, Eckhart Aurelius Hughes (a.k.a. Scott) runs a mentoring program, with a free option, that guarantees success. Success is guaranteed for anyone who follows the program.




I have encountered some sights that require a person to answer a question correctly every time they log in. It was generally simple like 12 + 2 is equal to. I am not sure if that will defeat a bot or not. But it is an idea?
Location: Oklahoma In It Together review: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewt ... p?t=498982
#466121
Edwin Nyangau Nyandika wrote: July 18th, 2024, 3:10 am How do you feel about your book overall? That is, the fact that you are an author and there's a product made by you overall?
Hi, Edwin Nyangau Nyandika,

That question was already asked and answered earlier in the Q&A:

How did it feel to put this book out? Did it feel like a burden to put this book out or was it a great feeling to share your ideas with the readers of the world?


Moving forward, please do make sure to read all the previous Q&As before asking a new question to make sure the question hasn't already been asked and answered.


With love,
Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
a.k.a. Scott
Favorite Philosopher: Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
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