What have you changed your mind about? Why?

[midcan5]

While the focus of the article is on how science has changed you, all answers welcome.

These books make great gifts.

The Edge Annual Question — 2008

"When thinking changes your mind, that's philosophy.
When God changes your mind, that's faith.
When facts change your mind, that's science.

Science is based on evidence. What happens when the data change? How have scientific findings or arguments changed your mind?"

http://www.edge.org/

"Since I wrote my piece on this year's show of scientific humility for the New Year's day paper some big names have added their thoughts to the mix.

Here's evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins on how being a "flip-flopper" is no bad thing in science...

The controversial geneticist Craig Venter has had a change of heart about the capacity of our planet to soak up the punishment humanity is throwing at it...

There are also interesting contributions from Simon Baron-Cohen, the University of Cambridge autism researcher who has changed his mind about equality; psychologist Susan Blackmore, who has gone from embracing the paranormal to debunking it; and artist and composer Brian Eno, who was once seduced by Maoism, but now believes it is a "monstrosity".

Helena Cronin, a philosopher at the London School of Economics, turns her attention to why men appear far more successful than women, by persistently walking off with the top positions and prizes in life — from being heads of state to winning Nobels.

Dr Cronin used to think it was down to sex differences in innate talents, tastes and temperament. But now she believes it has also something to do with the fact that women cluster around a statistical average, whereas men are more likely to be represented at the extreme ends of the normal spectrum — both at the top and the bottom.

Some replies to the Edge question ponder the perennial problem of God. Professor Patrick Bateson of Cambridge University has changed his mind on what to call himself after meeting a virulent creationist. He is no longer an agnostic but an atheist. Meanwhile the actor and writer Alan Alda said that he has changed his mind about God — twice."

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I changed my mind on "civil Unions" I think the US Government and State Governments should get out of the Marriage Business altogether. The current benefits and laws for marriage should be rewritten for " Civil Unions".

Why? Because the Constitution provides that every State must honor the laws of every other State. Gay Marriage is not acceptable in MOST of the States. A suggestion was even floated in Congress to allow States to dishonor marriages from States that grant Homosexual Couples the right to marry.

Absolutely unacceptable.

Turn "marriage" over to religion and since the laws are mostly written to control assets and legal custody and such, go with Civil Unions.

 

[midcan5]

RGS, While I don't want to see this turn into a discussion of gay rights, I changed my mind in the other direction and at first thought civil unions were sufficient but now disagree. While not the primary reason, my brother and his partner cannot share in the pension of one as the rights of gays in these situations are limited. And I think rights should be established at the federal level and not left to the state. The constitution does not have different rights for some written into it, last I checked.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

RGS, While I don't want to see this turn into a discussion of gay rights, I changed my mind in the other direction and at first thought civil unions were sufficient but now disagree. While not the primary reason, my brother and his partner cannot share in the pension of one as the rights of gays in these situations are limited. And I think rights should be established at the federal level and not left to the state. The constitution does not have different rights for some written into it, last I checked.

Thats what I mean. If there is no more Government sponsored Marriage and the laws all deal with civil Union that simply won't happen then. And I agree if the Union does not grant equal protection to all then it is useless. In other words marriage would simply be a religious ceremony. All laws would deal with civil Unions.

 

[Semper Fi]

I changed my mind on going to college, at least not right right after high school. I thought about it, so I guess it was philosophy!

I generally change over time and gradually of what my thoughts behind the role and purpose of government is and should be.

 

[Shogun]

I changed my mind about the second amendment. I was debating gun issues on my previous board and taking the side of a complete ban on handguns using the stats provided by the Japanese and British examples. Some kid posted a reply to the effect of, "I'm not trying to rob anyone, man, I just want to shoot some guns." Well, to be honest, I enjoyed that to. Both of my grandfathrs gave me guns as heirlooms. Memorial days and Labor days at Mark Twain lake usually do always have a time for the family to target shoot at milk jugs filled with frozen colored water. Eureka! It's true that America's Uncle Bobs really are not acting criminal just because their choice of fun involved firearms. Also, Constitutionally, it is necessary to apply the same interpretation of assumed liberty to the second as I think applies to the first.


Guns, themselves, are not the mitigating factor in criminal behaviour and I remembered how it felt when the PMRC and that bitch, tipper gore, were busy witch-hunting, literally, my choice of music as a kid. I came to empathize with gun rights advocates whose choice of past time is as inherently benign, despite an opinionated uproar, as the music in my stereo.




also, Abortion


I've swung across the full spectrum on this one. Originally, being raised christian, I followed the flock and demonized abortion. Then, I came to understand what kind of audacity it takes for the state to decide something about an individual's body. However, while it is true that women should have as much autonomy about their body as men enjoy, it is also true that being pro-CHOICE doesn't have to assume that CHOICES are only made when deciding to have an abortion. Now, I have no personal interest in making anyone conform to any standard of sexual behaviour. I've said it before and I'll say It again: Never underestimate the power of the female libido. BUT, being a child of the 90s, women have all the CHOICE in the world to prevent unwanted pregnancy besides abortion. This is why I advocate sex ed, all forms of birth control AND fully respect the female libido. Hell, AIDS is a good reason to be responsible with personal sexuality. NOW, being a man I realize that I really have no dog in this race. If anything, I think it's a shame that so many genetic variation and their life potential goes to waste. These days, I am interested in a workable compromise between the two polar schools of thought: Ban all abortions if there is a fetal heartbeat while providing every method available to circumvent pregnancy. Yes, the idea of the state deciding something about a person's body is abhorrent but, if there is a fetal heartbeat, there are TWO BODIES in the equasion. I won't catagorize a zygote as the same thing as a fetus but there is a reason why butchered fetal chunks invokes negative emotions. Further, it is a shame that women's rights must align with pro-abortion when it is their very right to choose any sexual practice that creates the conflict of abortion. By all means, fuck like a minx. But, the liberty to do so shouldn't facilitate the destruction of another human being.


my 4 cents.

 

[mattskramer]

I used to be a flaming lazie-fair capitalist. Government should remove all social services and encourage people to sink or swim on their own. The people who were facing difficult times were simply lazy and brought the hardships on their own. Those who were successful were that way purely due to their own hard work.

Then I learned about the severely mentally and physically disabled. I learned that many people get stuck though no clearly foreseeable turn of events. They get laid off due to an employer’s shady business practices and then get severely sick while trying to make ends meet.

I become a raving socialist. Those that lucked out and became wealthy should be forced to share a great deal of their money. Spread the wealth. The big CEO’s that make 10 times what the littlest peon makes should have his salary reduced and the others’ salaries doubled. Let’s always keep the field even.

Then I learned that socialism does a poor job in encouraging people to be productive. It can condition people to be lazy and to forever rely on and expect government to help them no matter the circumstances.

Now, I consider myself a moderate. Perhaps I lean toward the left on some issues. Perhaps I lean toward the right on other issues. But I strongly believe that too much one way or the other is not good.

 

[Semper Fi]

I used to be a flaming lazie-fair capitalist. Government should remove all social services and encourage people to sink or swim on their own. The people who were facing difficult times were simply lazy and brought the hardships on their own. Those who were successful were that way purely due to their own hard work.

Then I learned about the severely mentally and physically disabled. I learned that many people get stuck though no clearly foreseeable turn of events. They get laid off due to an employer’s shady business practices and then get severely sick while trying to make ends meet.

I become a raving socialist. Those that lucked out and became wealthy should be forced to share a great deal of their money. Spread the wealth. The big CEO’s that make 10 times what the littlest peon makes should have his salary reduced and the others’ salaries doubled. Let’s always keep the field even.

Then I learned that socialism does a poor job in encouraging people to be productive. It can condition people to be lazy and to forever rely on and expect government to help them no matter the circumstances.

Now, I consider myself a moderate. Perhaps I lean toward the left on some issues. Perhaps I lean toward the right on other issues. But I strongly believe that too much one way or the other is not good.

Over how long of a period of time did you make these transformations? Just curious; those are two polar opposites.

 

[midcan5]

I changed my mind on going to college, at least not right right after high school. I thought about it, so I guess it was philosophy!

I generally change over time and gradually of what my thoughts behind the role and purpose of government is and should be.

In our house our parents had so many kids we were lucky we finished HS. Do you regret not going right away? I think in those days - I am assuming you are older - college didn't mean what it does today. Government should be 'we the people,' but that is another discussion.

 

[midcan5]

Shogun, living in a city, too many guns are scary things, most people are a little nuts. You asked me some time ago if I ever used guns when I was having fun on that one thread. Yes, many times, even hunted and re-loaded bullets. Actually young I was a sharpshooter had the vision of a hawk.

Abortion, I know good people who have had abortions after having the children they wanted. We need good education and preventative measures. Given 1 out of four or more conceptions end naturally before developing further, and none of us do what my crazy Catholic parents did, we should educate and allow the woman to decide the next steps, it's her responsibility.

 

[Semper Fi]

In our house our parents had so many kids we were lucky we finished HS. Do you regret not going right away? I think in those days - I am assuming you are older - college didn't mean what it does today. Government should be 'we the people,' but that is another discussion.

On the contrary, I'm not out of high school yet. I'm a senior, and I won't be a legal adult for another 12 days. To answer your question, though, no I don't regret my decision. I realized, while sitting in my least favorite class, actually, that my heart wasn't in college, and up until then I was just going through the motions of what college-bound students do at the end of their junior years. I opted, instead, for a five-year enlistment (one of the years will be done by the time I leave for San Diego, thanks to the DEP) in the Marine Corps.

The way I look at it, you're only 18-22 once, and I'd rather do what only a few do and can do, instead of what the majority of the population does and is encouraged to do. I consider myself to be pretty smart, or at least able to hold my own, and I am confident that my years after the Corps will be good years. There's always college, trade schools, travel, entrepreneurship, or even the military as a career.

You probably weren't asking for a window to my soul, but that's what you got!

Just curious, what do you mean by college having different meanings now and several years ago?

 

[mattskramer]

Over how long of a period of time did you make these transformations? Just curious; those are two polar opposites.

Oh. I guess that it started in high school and continued through college and jobs to today. I became interested in political philosophy. I was idealistic and reactionary – trying to find perfectionism in extremism – one direction or the other. I bounced from one position to the other. I even thought about Libertarianism. I really like the notion that “informed consenting adults should be free to do as they please as long as they do not interfere with the freedoms of others by force or fraud.” Yet, when I thought about examples, I realized that there are some “consensual crimes" that I thought would be just wrong to allow.

I then looked into different philosophies of ethics that I thought might have the answer for me. The Bible seemed to be pretty cool. It has advice that seemed to make sense but then I took each instructive sentence apart and considered if it should be the law of the land. Some sentences in the Bible just didn’t seem to be practical today, not to mention that there are atheists and agnostics. I thought about utilitarianism and learned of its drawbacks. I read about Kant’s Categorical Imperative, and quickly came to understand its drawback.

I thought about the possibility that whatever is popular is right for America. I also thought that what is traditional is right. I also thought that whatever is normal or natural is right. Then, luckily, dabbled in logic and developed an understanding of such fallacies.

Finally, I just gave up on trying to find a perfect consistent socio-political philosophy and came to terms, at least for myself, that it is best to take as much of a moderate position as seems reasonable to me – with the understanding that I could be wrong. Now, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are gray areas and lines to draw. The question today is where we draw the lines. And there is no eternally consistent “rhyme or reason” about where to draw that line. For example: Why is smoking cigarettes okay, though it is an unhealthy activity, when smoking marijuana is illegal? Perhaps we should legalize marijuana? Why would smoking marijuana be okay, though it is dangerous, when taking cocaine is illegal? I suppose that I have an eclectic practical utilitarian perspective on the whole mess. I hope this answers your question.

 

[82Marine89]

On the contrary, I'm not out of high school yet. I'm a senior, and I won't be a legal adult for another 12 days. To answer your question, though, no I don't regret my decision. I realized, while sitting in my least favorite class, actually, that my heart wasn't in college, and up until then I was just going through the motions of what college-bound students do at the end of their junior years. I opted, instead, for a five-year enlistment (one of the years will be done by the time I leave for San Diego, thanks to the DEP) in the Marine Corps.

The way I look at it, you're only 18-22 once, and I'd rather do what only a few do and can do, instead of what the majority of the population does and is encouraged to do. I consider myself to be pretty smart, or at least able to hold my own, and I am confident that my years after the Corps will be good years. There's always college, trade schools, travel, entrepreneurship, or even the military as a career.

You probably weren't asking for a window to my soul, but that's what you got!

Just curious, what do you mean by college having different meanings now and several years ago?

Look into the enlisted commissioning program or degree completion program (something like that). It allows you to go to college and get your degree, then you do four years as an officer. Maybe another day I will start a thread for you that both the Gunny's, pegwinn, myself and some other vets can tell you about what to expect and what to do when you step on those yellow footprints. Heck, I might even come to your graduation if you make it that far.

 

[Shogun]

Shogun, living in a city, too many guns are scary things, most people are a little nuts. You asked me some time ago if I ever used guns when I was having fun on that one thread. Yes, many times, even hunted and re-loaded bullets. Actually young I was a sharpshooter had the vision of a hawk.

Abortion, I know good people who have had abortions after having the children they wanted. We need good education and preventative measures. Given 1 out of four or more conceptions end naturally before developing further, and none of us do what my crazy Catholic parents did, we should educate and allow the woman to decide the next steps, it's her responsibility.

in a big city I'm sure LOTS of things are scary.. gas stations after 10pm, one way streets, hookers. Being scary is not a constitutional litmus test. Some people thought Ginsberg poetry wa scary too.

Indeed, I'm all for education and prevention. BUT, once there is a second heartbeat involved then it's not merely a matter of a woman's responcibility. If I can be put in jail for manslaughter for killing a fetus via drunk driving then so too should a fetal heartbeat indicate TWO bodies involved in the abortion "choice".

 

[Semper Fi]

Look into the enlisted commissioning program or degree completion program (something like that). It allows you to go to college and get your degree, then you do four years as an officer. Maybe another day I will start a thread for you that both the Gunny's, pegwinn, myself and some other vets can tell you about what to expect and what to do when you step on those yellow footprints. Heck, I might even come to your graduation if you make it that far.

I've looked into the degree programs quite a bit, which was a major point in my decision. I figured having an option (well, sort of an option) would better than JUST going to college and being an officer. The military has been in my future since I was barely able to walk, the Marine Corps fascination starting around middle school. Rest assured, if you want to come to my graduation, I'll be there [barring some unforeseen event]. And any advice you and the Gunnys and Pegwinn have to offer would be invaluable, and I would appreciate it.

 

[Toro]

I've changed my mind about being a Republican.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I've looked into the degree programs quite a bit, which was a major point in my decision. I figured having an option (well, sort of an option) would better than JUST going to college and being an officer. The military has been in my future since I was barely able to walk, the Marine Corps fascination starting around middle school. Rest assured, if you want to come to my graduation, I'll be there [barring some unforeseen event]. And any advice you and the Gunnys and Pegwinn have to offer would be invaluable, and I would appreciate it.

Boot Camp is all about surviving the mind games, the physical stuff is not nearly that bad, though it has gotten tougher over the last few years. Remember now adays pull ups are dead hang all the way up and all the way down and sit ups you can not raise your ass off the ground.

Never quit, no matter what happens no matter what is said or done, keep on trying. They will test you and will try and break you, just never give up. And learn the history before you go, it helps a hell of a lot and I am not happy it is not as well taught now a days as it used to be. History and belonging and knowing went went before all help make a Marine what they are.

Knowing if you fail you fail all those before you and not just yourself is a BIG motivator. And I do not mean in Boot Camp. Be ready to play politics if you get promoted. I suspect even with the war on the petty little political games still go on.

Never understood the concept of " How you look" being more important then " what you can do" but you will get officers and SNCO's that think that way. And running is a biggy, I was never very fast, was lucky to do an 8 minute mile and usually was slower than that. There will be Officers that think if you can not run REAL fast your failing somehow. They will do crap like formation runs where they expect everyone to run about 7 minute or faster miles and then get pissed when half the formation slows down on them. Just live with it if your not one of the fast ones.

What till you get a moronic SgtMaj that takes a Battalion on a run at a 6 minute clip through paths so narrow only one person can run there and then gets upset he strung the battalion out for a mile. The farther back your company is the faster you have to go to catch up on shit like that and at those speeds, YOU can not catch up.

 

[midcan5]

Just curious, what do you mean by college having different meanings now and several years ago?

By that I meant when I grew up, there were lots of good, even great paying industrial jobs that did not require a college education. A few things have changed including out sourcing and much industrial work being shipped to cheaper labor markets. A degree is more important today as it opens more doors and at least allows you a chance. In a services environment college means you have done the work and hopefully have learned some tools employees now consider important such as writing and computer skills.

 

[midcan5]

I've changed my mind about being a Republican.

Why?

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Why?

Because lately the Republican main stream candidates do not actually follow through with the base intent of the Republican Party.

Bush is no exception. But he was and still is a better chose then we were given in 2000 and 2004.