Jun 9 2012: Hmm...
No 5 things I have learned *have* ever changed my life in a meaningful way (at least not for more than a few hours; afterwards I just forget and go back to being my good ol' self).
Nor do I believe such instantaneous life-changing events can occur. It's like when you were a kid: did you wake up one day and really understand that you were a boy and not a girl? I don't think so; such discoveries are progressive in nature, since they are multifaceted and vague. Today you know what gender you are for x reasons, and maybe tomorrow you will have more reasons (specific knowledge of genetic variance between the sexes for example), but can you distinctly draw the line between knowing/understanding your gender and not?
As with this example so with all knowledge that we accumulate in our lives. Knowledge is not sterile, quarantined and pure. It is always tainted with association. Life changing? I think not.
Mar 26 2012: Oh boy, here we go...
I'm pretty sure he's heard about Aubrey De Grey, but inferred in his talk that he considers such people to be deluded idiots. In any case, if "1 in 8 think they are immortal", it's probably not all down to Aubrey. It's just in our nature -- we are healthy and strong; why should that change?
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A reply on Talk: Mark Forsyth: What’s a snollygoster? A short lesson in political speak
A comment on Conversation: What are 5 things you have learned that has completely changed your life?
No 5 things I have learned *have* ever changed my life in a meaningful way (at least not for more than a few hours; afterwards I just forget and go back to being my good ol' self).
Nor do I believe such instantaneous life-changing events can occur. It's like when you were a kid: did you wake up one day and really understand that you were a boy and not a girl? I don't think so; such discoveries are progressive in nature, since they are multifaceted and vague. Today you know what gender you are for x reasons, and maybe tomorrow you will have more reasons (specific knowledge of genetic variance between the sexes for example), but can you distinctly draw the line between knowing/understanding your gender and not?
As with this example so with all knowledge that we accumulate in our lives. Knowledge is not sterile, quarantined and pure. It is always tainted with association. Life changing? I think not.
A reply on Talk: Peter Saul: Let’s talk about dying
I'm pretty sure he's heard about Aubrey De Grey, but inferred in his talk that he considers such people to be deluded idiots. In any case, if "1 in 8 think they are immortal", it's probably not all down to Aubrey. It's just in our nature -- we are healthy and strong; why should that change?
A comment on Conversation: Comparative study with China?