Search results

Thanks PT. Now I'm gonna go bitchslap my boss and let him know how thoughtful I am! :D

The theory that nothing really exists until we observe it is related to something called the collapse of the wave function. The wave function is a mathematical description Erwin Schrodinger (of cat's fame) came up with to explain some observations and some theoretical mathematics. It isn't...

Hypotheticals are a tool to illuminate whether a certain subject is completely black or white, or whether it contains shades of gray; in the latter case you then procede with the difficult task of drawing lines. For example, take the simple ethical question "is it ever morally and ethically...

Um... to save lives? Have you read the thread?

Everything is relative. Is injecting someone with truth serum "no better" than kidnapping and burrying alive a child? Then I suppose I don't. I do not believe you have the right to hit me in the face. I don't believe you have the right to murder whomever you wish. Your rights have to be...

Easy to take cheap shots at someone, isn't it. :rolleyes: Why don't you respond to the questions about the hypothetical kidnapping case? Who is more barbaric... the person who respects the "rights" of the kidnapper to not be tortured, or the person who respects the "rights" of the child to...

Erm, perhaps you didn't read my posts in this thread closely enough. I'm asking about torture as a means of gathering vital information, which can certainly be used for the protection of citizens. You seem to be addressing torture as punishment, which is another subject entirely to me (though...

And what about for purposes of information gathering, which is the entire point of this thread?

yeah, I made the list with 7 different aliases. :lol:

Damnit, I just can't seem to remember the wording used. Something like "assumption of something or another" or "principle of this or that". Bah. I'll run across it again some day.

So you might be in favor of torture for punishment of some crimes, but not as a means of extracting information? Bizarre! :)

Precisely. Reminds me of a very stirring statement made by Patrick Stewart during one of the ST:TNG episodes, to the effect that "no justice can be just that is absolute." I think a corollary could well be that there are circumstances in which things otherwise viewed as inhuman or uncivil...

Not for punishment, but for extracting information in extraordinary cases. Remember, torture is a wide umbrella that covers truth serum, sleep deprivation, and loud music as well as the less creative physical means. AFAICT, our Constitution doesn't prohibit the use of torture. It only...

I don't remember the popular name for this law, and I can't seem to find a link about it (would help if I could remember the name, eh? :D ). Essentially, California passed a law that prohibits acts/choices for which there is evidence of it being harmful to the environment. I wish I could...

I wouldn't bitch too bad about requiring someone to have a license to buy a car. The few cases where it might be a real pain could probably be handled by a special permit or similar. However, requiring a car to be insured when purchased just isn't going to work. Despite what you and many...

Man, and off topic thread in an off topic forum that went horribly off topic. :lol: You guys better stop being so serious with guvment and stuff of I'll have to send you all to the grown up forum! :rofl2:

That's why I don't go looking for viruses, trojans, and spyware. I just assume that my computer is always completely hosed and on the verge of complete shutdown, and may require a clean format and reinstall at any time. That way I'm happy with the way it runs, and not upset when it crashes...

Well, you started them with a wad, so I suppose you should leave them with a wad as well. :)

I resent that... I only have nine so far. :lol:

My real name is Norman O. J. Perval