Random Thoughts Thread

[Cronozilla]

It's really annoying that instant notifications of people activities makes you look like a stalker to some people.

Friend signs on to steam, remember you wanted to tell them something, you click on it, send the message. "I just signed on!" Sorry, it's not me, it's the service that's stalking you, I just wanted to show you a picture of dancing cats <~ not a real situation, just for example purposes.

They should put in a time delay or something, so it can notify people you signed on like .. five minutes later or something.

[J T]

Why do companies say they are charging you a "convenience fee"? I never feel like a fee is convenient for me. For them, maybe, but why should I pay for their convenience? It should be called an inconvenience fee. Maybe then it would sound like it feels.

[Hobie-wan]

Why do companies say they are charging you a "convenience fee"? I never feel like a fee is convenient for me. For them, maybe, but why should I pay for their convenience? It should be called an inconvenience fee. Maybe then it would sound like it feels.

I'm annoyed by fees to pay bills online or by phone. Both are automated and need less minding than a location where someone opens envelopes and processes checks by hand.

[dsheinem]

You want Truth? There isn't one.

Is that The Truth?

Yes.

And Ack I agree that super-sure religous folks are just as buffoonish and irritating as super-sure atheists, which is why I would distance myself from either.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

But aren't you just as sure about that?

Unrelated: I'm tired of people telling me not to hold my feelings in and that's not healthy. It's completely healthy! If I acted on all my feelings everyone would hate me and I'd be in jail. I think that's true for everyone. It's one thing to struggle by yourself and it's quite another to be mocked for it.

[dsheinem]

But aren't you just as sure about that?

Ah, the trap of epistemological relativism as a dogma! I guess I'd say that no, I am not "as sure" that there is "no Truth" as people who believe there is "Truth" are about that belief. I would allow that there COULD be "Truth," but a reading of history, an understanding of language, etc. leads me to find a relativist position to be much more tenable and useful than a belief in absolutes.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

I've always felt - or rather, known - the opposite. Reality is absolute and independent of anyone's perceptions.

I'm confused as to how epistemological relativism can be tenable (or useful) at all.

Correct me if I'm wrong. By "epistemological relativism," you mean "Truth depends on the perception of those determining it."

If that's so, we lose the law of non-contradiction and the law of causality. If your perception determines your reality, then you're the one who determines that your mother exists. But didn't your parents have to conceive you before you could perceive them? What about your earlier ancestors?

[dsheinem]

If your perception determines your reality, then you're the one who determines that your mother exists. But didn't your parents have to conceive you before you could perceive them? What about your earlier ancestors?

I don't think we're talking about the same thing....

My take on epistemological relativism is that while truths are grounded in "perception," any opinion about that perception is subject to the process of examination, argument, testing, etc.

For example, the "truth" for my 3 year old is not that he was "conceived," but that at some point he just started "being" with my wife and I. At some point, he will want to question that perception, and will seek an argument that explains it well. The explanation I give him will likely become a truth for him about how we arrive in the world, but my explanation might be very different than one given at an earlier time in human history before we knew what sperm and eggs were, might be different than one given by someone who wishes to explain reproduction as a spiritual occurrence, etc.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

In that case, I can't think of anyone who would disagree with you. Isn't that called...learning about the world?

[gtmtnbiker]

I'm annoyed by fees to pay bills online or by phone. Both are automated and need less minding than a location where someone opens envelopes and processes checks by hand.

Usually those fees are done when you do one-time payments. If you sign up for auto-payment, there are no fees.

I use auto-payment for all of my bills including credit cards. Been doing it that way for around 15 years.