Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

struggle4progress

(126,390 posts)
38. The real criterion for any scientific theory is simply this:
Mon Oct 10, 2016, 01:39 PM
Oct 2016
it provides us with some power over our world

We would know we had a scientific understanding of suicide-murder, for example, if we were able to affect the rate at which it occurred

The usual process for developing and testing scientific theories involves observations and experiments

Some serious ethical issues could arise from experiments to affect the rate at which suicide-murder occurs, so observation is a reasonable starting point

We observe that both private and professional pilots can commit both suicide and suicide-murder using planes

If you want a more detailed investigation into how other people might encourage or abet suicide or suicide-murder, feel free to begin that investigation: it would certainly be of interest to know in detail exactly why some individuals might be susceptible to such encouragement, especially because most individuals seem NOT to be susceptible to such encouragement

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

good read handmade34 Oct 2016 #1
What!? And let them learn the world is older than 6000 years?? padfun Oct 2016 #183
That was surprisingly content free struggle4progress Oct 2016 #2
+1 Agree. nt jonno99 Oct 2016 #3
Here's some bully content Cartoonist Oct 2016 #5
It's common human behavior: boorish jerks justify whatever they do however they can struggle4progress Oct 2016 #6
Will religious people make any argument at all... Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #7
QED cleanhippie Oct 2016 #11
Struggle? You said 100 times religion doesn't cause violence. Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #13
Do you think someone would have flown an airliner into the WTC without religion? Major Nikon Oct 2016 #25
Dozens of amateur pilots used airplanes for suicide struggle4progress Oct 2016 #30
Yes, and none of the examples you cited were precipitated by anyone other than the pilots themselves Major Nikon Oct 2016 #36
The real criterion for any scientific theory is simply this: struggle4progress Oct 2016 #38
I didn't ask if you thought it was possible, I asked if you thought it would have happened Major Nikon Oct 2016 #39
We can agree 9/11 happened. The targets were the WTC and two DC sites, struggle4progress Oct 2016 #41
Learn the logical principle 'ex falso quodlibet' struggle4progress Oct 2016 #42
MH370 Pilot Flew a Suicide Route on His Home Simulator Closely Matching Final Flight struggle4progress Oct 2016 #31
FBI: CAP pilot intentionally crashed plane into Anchorage building struggle4progress Oct 2016 #32
Murder-suicide plane crashes have killed over 600 struggle4progress Oct 2016 #35
Remember the Alamo! rug Oct 2016 #40
no, they wouldn't Skittles Oct 2016 #178
Natural law Democrats_win Oct 2016 #127
Yep. it is recovering_democrat Oct 2016 #4
To be honest, there were political 'religions' as scary as the god religions Albertoo Oct 2016 #22
Militarism is the biggest bully of all. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #8
It's the other way around Cartoonist Oct 2016 #9
Chicken vs egg argument. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #10
Either way, religion is is involved in furthering violence Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #12
Violent people often claim a religious or philosophical motivation. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #14
?!? Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #15
You are trying to validate your predetermined conclusion. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #16
Predestination is a major debate Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #18
And when a President sends troops to war, with the idea being that they are fighting for God and guillaumeb Oct 2016 #19
Misuse of that authorization is predictable Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #20
We are in agreement. eom guillaumeb Oct 2016 #43
I make no formal verification of agreement Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #62
Except that there is no 'sacred' book of Atheism saying "Slay the unbelievers in Atheism" Albertoo Oct 2016 #21
I agree, but with one slight change. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #44
What you call 'their version' is the official version of the Sunni world = the hadiths Albertoo Oct 2016 #125
The hadiths are Islamic commentary. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #129
In your version of Islam they are commentaries Lordquinton Oct 2016 #132
Absolutely not. Ask any mainstream imam. Albertoo Oct 2016 #149
I have discussed this with Muslims in my area, including one Imam. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #159
Have you discussed it with ALL Muslims? If not, you can't speak for them. n/t trotsky Oct 2016 #162
Let me get started on that right now. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #165
On countless occasions you have attempted to declare what is "true" Islam. trotsky Oct 2016 #168
On countless occasions, you have attempted to reframe what I say so you can argue against it. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #170
What you have said is indeed clear for anyone to read. trotsky Oct 2016 #171
Evade, deflect and avoid. Obviously you have nothing else or you would have linked to it. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #172
It's all in this thread. No need to link to anything. trotsky Oct 2016 #174
You are obviously convincing yourself, but your evasion proves my point. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #176
No one's fooled. trotsky Oct 2016 #182
Are the Muslims in your area Sunni or Shiite? Lordquinton Oct 2016 #184
My point has been that there are varieties of every religion. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #186
So religion is pointless. Lordquinton Oct 2016 #190
How would one put either atheism or religion "in the bin"? stone space Oct 2016 #191
It's a personal decision to leave religion Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #193
Why do you always go to a violent solution? Lordquinton Oct 2016 #200
This is a blatant and knowing lie. And it is time to call a lie a lie. stone space Oct 2016 #206
If you find it pointless, do not follow it. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #195
you're the one claiming it's pointless Lordquinton Oct 2016 #199
I said "if YOU find it pointless" do not follow it. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #207
What you wrote confirms what I said and confirms you were wrong Albertoo Oct 2016 #192
If you had bothered to read my response, you would have seen that they are considered guillaumeb Oct 2016 #196
Did you ever read the hadiths? You are wrong: reports are not commentaries. Albertoo Oct 2016 #197
You might want to do a bit of research on martyrdom Major Nikon Oct 2016 #27
And military people are also killed for civil religion. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #45
There's no promise involved Major Nikon Oct 2016 #52
The promise that the deaths were not in vain. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #53
That's not a promise to the dead, that's a promise to the living Major Nikon Oct 2016 #56
It is a promise to the living made to convince them that the deaths are justified. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #57
Which is completely verifiable by the living Major Nikon Oct 2016 #58
What is militarism? trotsky Oct 2016 #23
The fact that you need to ask the question is telling. rug Oct 2016 #24
Militarism and patriotism are defined by the civil priests. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #46
That didn't answer my question. trotsky Oct 2016 #47
You asked what is militarism. I linked it to politicians. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #49
Right. You didn't answer. trotsky Oct 2016 #50
You rejected my answer. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #51
Right, because it didn't answer the question. trotsky Oct 2016 #54
Your beliefs require that you frame your questions in a certain way. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #55
Your beliefs require that you can only answer questions in a certain way. trotsky Oct 2016 #60
To explore your response guillaumeb Oct 2016 #63
Must have missed this. trotsky Oct 2016 #116
Militarism doesn't cause religion, but religion too often causes militarism. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Oct 2016 #26
It's not so much of a cause and effect relationship Major Nikon Oct 2016 #28
Lots of isolated groups have religion because the power structure uses it to control people. . . .nt Bernardo de La Paz Oct 2016 #29
True, but in that instance there's not as much need for militarism Major Nikon Oct 2016 #33
That's the point. . . . . .nt Bernardo de La Paz Oct 2016 #34
My point is I don't see it as a cause and effect relationship Major Nikon Oct 2016 #37
Militarists will often use religion as justification for militarism. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #48
Exactly. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Oct 2016 #59
From what religion does the concept "God is on our side" arise? trotsky Oct 2016 #61
The state religion that is patriotism. eom guillaumeb Oct 2016 #64
Patriotism NeoGreen Oct 2016 #65
And some use patriotism as an excuse for violent actions. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #71
Or religion... NeoGreen Oct 2016 #79
And from what holy book does that religion arise? trotsky Oct 2016 #66
US history. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #72
US history isn't a holy book. trotsky Oct 2016 #73
I would say you are locked into a literalist definition of words because you cannot admit guillaumeb Oct 2016 #74
Your argument is indeed much stronger... trotsky Oct 2016 #75
Belief systems are based on many things, with some similarities. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #76
Sure thing, whatever you say. trotsky Oct 2016 #77
I linked to an article. You can find more, or could if you really wanted to understand another guillaumeb Oct 2016 #78
As I just pointed out, you're the one trying to define things to your liking. trotsky Oct 2016 #86
As you pointed out does no really describe this latest post by you. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #88
We've been through this many, many times. I agree. trotsky Oct 2016 #90
Asked and previously answered. But in the interest of clarity: guillaumeb Oct 2016 #92
So your answer to my question is "yes"? trotsky Oct 2016 #93
People are motivated by many beliefs to commit violence. The motivation can be religious or secular. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #94
So for the record, you did not answer my question. trotsky Oct 2016 #95
I actually answered it twice. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #101
No, you did nothing of the sort. trotsky Oct 2016 #106
Allow me to prove you wrong. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #110
Strange. You said you'd prove me wrong, but your post didn't. trotsky Oct 2016 #112
Could you put a summary on an internet meme, please? stone space Oct 2016 #80
Gilla? Heard of the "no true Scotsman fallacy? Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #145
And where exactly did I say that? guillaumeb Oct 2016 #158
When you emphasize causes of violence other than religion, Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #160
Quite a roundabout admission that I did not actually say what you previously posted. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #161
Often its not what people say, but what they assume Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #163
Yeah, you've got it. n/t trotsky Oct 2016 #164
So again you ascribe something to me that cannot be found in my actual posts. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #166
So are you admitting there can be bad things in Christianity? Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #167
I am still waiting for you to clarify yuor view or admit that you have constructed a straw man guillaumeb Oct 2016 #169
Proving that we are criticizing a straw man is quite easy. trotsky Oct 2016 #173
Yes. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #175
HOLY FUCKING SHIT trotsky Oct 2016 #179
Easy one. Almost too easy in fact. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #180
Easy only with the worldview you've chosen. trotsky Oct 2016 #181
Absurdity. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #187
I agree, your position is absurd. trotsky Oct 2016 #198
Is that the only thing Muhammad said? Lordquinton Oct 2016 #185
Did you read what I posted? If so, why would you ask this question? guillaumeb Oct 2016 #188
I did. Lordquinton Oct 2016 #189
That is not what I said. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #194
It is what you said Lordquinton Oct 2016 #201
I actually said that not all people follow these words. guillaumeb Oct 2016 #208
Is this a joke? where did guillaumeb find this quote? Albertoo Oct 2016 #209
Geez, I kinda took it for granted he'd know what he was talking about. trotsky Oct 2016 #210
The Nazi state religion that quotes God, or "Gott" Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #146
"Courage is fire, and bullying is smoke" - Benjamin Disraeli rug Oct 2016 #17
It's funny to see the twisting going on. Lordquinton Oct 2016 #100
It's been quite entertaining, but wholly expected. n/t trotsky Oct 2016 #108
I see a lot of the common excuse Lordquinton Oct 2016 #113
Gotta do it. Thankless task to be sure. Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #111
As a Christian, I can't disagree. I've seen too many egos infesting organized religion that BlueCaliDem Oct 2016 #126
Problematic reasoning. Act_of_Reparation Oct 2016 #130
If the Book of Acts is to be believed, trotsky Oct 2016 #131
It's easier in the internet age. stone space Oct 2016 #133
*sigh* Correcting you once again: trotsky Oct 2016 #136
If I claim to be an astronaut, then I'm an astronaut. This is the internet, after all. stone space Oct 2016 #137
If the Book of Acts were to be read, rug Oct 2016 #135
So, is this bible passage... Fix The Stupid Oct 2016 #138
If you can't tell I can't fix it. rug Oct 2016 #139
That's why I am asking you..the expert. Fix The Stupid Oct 2016 #140
These people are the experts: rug Oct 2016 #141
God kills those who don't contribute, in Acts 5.1-12 Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #142
If you believe that actually happened. rug Oct 2016 #143
So you're following the metaphor algorithm? Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #144
No, I'm following reading comprehension. rug Oct 2016 #147
"Fill in the Blank" Post #1. Modern preachers misrepresented the Bible. Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #148
That's not an algorithm. rug Oct 2016 #150
At one time, only a Christian view was allowed, or popular Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #151
You're think of some of the colonies, not the United States rug Oct 2016 #152
Technically? Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #153
Are you complaining that atheists meet with impolite opposition? rug Oct 2016 #154
Equally on both sides of course Brettongarcia Oct 2016 #155
I'll accept that. rug Oct 2016 #156
Brilliant response! cornball 24 Oct 2016 #204
CORRECT Skittles Oct 2016 #177
All Supremacists by nature are bullies HAB911 Oct 2016 #202
There are few, Fichefinder Oct 2016 #203
Hi there. Just wondering why you felt the need to post this superfluous and supercilious cornball 24 Oct 2016 #205
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Dec 1969 #
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Religion»Religion Is the Biggest B...»Reply #38