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Search: Posts Made By: Mercutio
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 25th January 2010, 09:36 AM
Replies: 42
Views: 4,311
Posted By Mercutio
At the Mind, Brain, and Consciousness seminar,...

At the Mind, Brain, and Consciousness seminar, sponsored by the Skeptic Society in Los Angeles a few years back, one of the talks was "Consciousness is nothing but a word".

And I must say that...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 22nd January 2010, 04:34 PM
Replies: 711
Views: 92,903
Posted By Mercutio
Ok... how strange, that going back through my...

Ok... how strange, that going back through my pics would be so fruitful.

First, another pic of the red-bill. Very clear ID, in retrospect:...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 21st January 2010, 12:13 PM
Replies: 129
Views: 8,014
Posted By Mercutio
thingamabobs whatsits deallies widgets ...

thingamabobs
whatsits
deallies
widgets
whatchamacallits
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 21st January 2010, 12:04 PM
Replies: 711
Views: 92,903
Posted By Mercutio
Looks to me like it would need serious...

Looks to me like it would need serious rhinoplasty before it could pass for an ABD.
How would one do that? I am more than willing to do so, but who would be interested?
Heh. My memory is not...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 21st January 2010, 08:40 AM
Replies: 711
Views: 92,903
Posted By Mercutio
The guides were excellent, but this was not...

The guides were excellent, but this was not primarily a birding trip, so it was a bit frustrating for the two of us who were actually interested in the birds as well as the megafauna. We'd zip by a...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 21st January 2010, 08:34 AM
Replies: 711
Views: 92,903
Posted By Mercutio
I'll see if I can add anything, based on your...

I'll see if I can add anything, based on your comments.
I may have another shot; I'll look. I think I tried looking it up, and thinking that the beak was not Shoveler in shape (but I may be...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 20th January 2010, 08:51 PM
Replies: 711
Views: 92,903
Posted By Mercutio
Ok... pics of birds I have not ID'd. Bear in...

Ok... pics of birds I have not ID'd. Bear in mind, I am an idiot; these may very well be pics of birds I have, in fact, ID'd, but which I do not recognize in these particular pics. I will try to...
Forum: History, Literature, and the Arts 20th January 2010, 05:24 PM
Replies: 21
Views: 2,357
Posted By Mercutio
Nah, that's verse. Poetry and verse are...

Nah, that's verse. Poetry and verse are orthogonal. There is wonderful unrhymed/unmetered poetry (the US Poet Laureate, Charles Simic, is a fantastic example). There is wonderful rhymed/unmetered...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 20th January 2010, 03:15 PM
Replies: 711
Views: 92,903
Posted By Mercutio
In your first sentence... I am assuming that "no"...

In your first sentence... I am assuming that "no" is actually "now", and not "not". No?
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 20th January 2010, 03:14 PM
Replies: 711
Views: 92,903
Posted By Mercutio
Kruger Park, Northern end. It looks...

Kruger Park, Northern end.

It looks red-billed to me to, except for three things, which is why I asked the experts here. 1) We saw tons of yellow-billed, and as you can see, this guy is hanging...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 18th January 2010, 05:10 PM
Replies: 711
Views: 92,903
Posted By Mercutio
Two things--1) If you want pics of any of the...

Two things--1) If you want pics of any of the birds I listed but did not post a pic of, let me know. Some of the pics suck, but most are pretty usable.

2) Going through my pics, I have a couple...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 27th December 2009, 08:01 AM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
Very true. A related bit: when we speak of...

Very true. A related bit: when we speak of consciousness or awareness (in the wild, that is), we typically are speaking of actions that are extended in time, and arguably part of a continuous line of...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 26th December 2009, 06:55 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
Bear with me a bit, for an analogy: The...

Bear with me a bit, for an analogy: The Near-Death-Experience literature is full of wildly disparate phenomena, from the classic "tunnel of light" to the "life flashing before my eyes" to...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 26th December 2009, 06:45 AM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
Those are the closest for me, too, but the zigzag...

Those are the closest for me, too, but the zigzag arc is bright primary colors, in a "marching ants" kind of phi phenomenon. Usually starts as a point somewhere near the center of my visual field,...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 25th December 2009, 02:48 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
How often are they followed by your head...

How often are they followed by your head exploding? Mine used to predict that at about 40%. Enough to get me to take my meds.

There used to by a NYTimes blog on visual migraines (might still be;...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 24th December 2009, 05:59 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
That it is more consistent with imagination than...

That it is more consistent with imagination than sensation? I suppose so.
Very different indeed. And I think you do a disservice to brain researchers. I can't imagine a bigger prize, and yet... ...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 23rd December 2009, 09:14 PM
Replies: 287
Views: 8,855
Posted By Mercutio
Must... not... look...

Must... not... look...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 23rd December 2009, 08:47 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
I am saying that since this sensation would have...

I am saying that since this sensation would have to work via a different mechanism than all thus far known senses, in a region which has been studied for at least decades (depending on how thoroughly...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 23rd December 2009, 08:41 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
For some of us. Not for all of us. Much like...

For some of us. Not for all of us. Much like that purple aura.
I make no claims about your reports. I cannot know if you are mistaken. You, however, have called me a liar. I don't doubt you...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 23rd December 2009, 07:18 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
Please. Between the two of us, you are the...

Please.

Between the two of us, you are the one claiming to feel something where there are no sensory neurons.

At minimum, this suggests that whatever you are feeling, you are not sensing it...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 23rd December 2009, 07:13 PM
Replies: 287
Views: 8,855
Posted By Mercutio
Damn... Pisci, you missed your chance to link him...

Damn... Pisci, you missed your chance to link him to Iacchus's own forum. I don't recall its name, but he used to link to it constantly.

They could have had such fun together.
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 23rd December 2009, 06:27 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
Nor would I. Would you believe my...

Nor would I.

Would you believe my colleague's report that she saw a purple aura from a patient's liver? She seemed as certain as you seem.
I don't have a sense of self in my hips either, so I...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 23rd December 2009, 06:30 AM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
I find this remarkable. It is, however, a...

I find this remarkable.

It is, however, a nice way of maintaining your view in the face of disconfirming evidence.
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 22nd December 2009, 08:05 PM
Replies: 2,002
Views: 86,028
Posted By Mercutio
Thank you for admitting this. For the record,...

Thank you for admitting this. For the record, psychophysical tests have revealed that I very probably have different private behavior from you (I'm abnormal), when it comes to perceiving color. ...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 22nd December 2009, 07:58 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
What makes you think I have not tried? ...

What makes you think I have not tried?

Please.

I have not tried to dissuade you of your belief; I have merely tried to examine how you have come by it.

You do not have to accept it, but it...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 22nd December 2009, 07:03 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
And, once again, the incredulity I witnessed that...

And, once again, the incredulity I witnessed that not everyone was aware of the purple aura to an unhealthy liver.

Piggy, could you clarify a bit? The locality of your feeling--by your...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 22nd December 2009, 06:56 PM
Replies: 2,002
Views: 86,028
Posted By Mercutio
Well, sorta. The new neurological tools we have...

Well, sorta. The new neurological tools we have are simply ways of making something that was private, now public. They do not change their fundamental nature, as "public vs. private" is defined...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 22nd December 2009, 06:49 PM
Replies: 2,002
Views: 86,028
Posted By Mercutio
How many remember this thread...

How many remember this thread (http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8654)? At one point it was the longest-running thread in the forum. Just the first few posts give a bit...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 22nd December 2009, 06:43 PM
Replies: 2,002
Views: 86,028
Posted By Mercutio
Thus the word "private". Same for other people....

Thus the word "private". Same for other people. Thus P-Zombies.
Perceiving red is an example of private behavior, not the definition of private behavior. Please. My public behavior is of a...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 22nd December 2009, 05:39 PM
Replies: 2,002
Views: 86,028
Posted By Mercutio
Pretty much the same evidence as your own, for...

Pretty much the same evidence as your own, for anyone but you.
As unknown as the differences among people, perhaps. There are very good odds, for instance, that my perception of color is different...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 22nd December 2009, 04:47 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
Feeeeeeeliingggs... wo, wo, wo,...

Feeeeeeeliingggs... wo, wo, wo, Feeeeeeeliiinngggs
I wish I'd never...

never mind.
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 22nd December 2009, 12:59 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
On what basis do you now put your two experiences...

On what basis do you now put your two experiences in the same category? You noted earlier that you cannot know they are the same.

I don't find that amazing. What I find amazing is that you are...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 10:00 PM
Replies: 2,002
Views: 86,028
Posted By Mercutio
Why does that not surprise me? Um.. no. ...

Why does that not surprise me?
Um.. no.
...ok...
I knew what it referred to.
Still no clue what you mean.

No idea what you are getting on about here, either. None at all. I suspect that you...
Forum: Social Issues & Current Events 21st December 2009, 08:55 PM
Replies: 161
Views: 6,618
Posted By Mercutio
My guess is we will only be able to come up with...

My guess is we will only be able to come up with 97% of them.
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 08:49 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
Too bad; I would have liked to know how you knew....

Too bad; I would have liked to know how you knew. Sorry it is irrelevant for you. I assure you, it is not for me.

eta: Any chance you could expand on precisely why it is irrelevant?
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 08:36 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
Clearly, I disagree. You and AlBell clearly have...

Clearly, I disagree. You and AlBell clearly have no shared experience (by definition!) you could possibly have associated with this term you both use. I think it is fair to ask why you think it...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 08:07 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
How, then, did you learn to label this feeling? ...

How, then, did you learn to label this feeling? I assume no one was able to point it out to you, nor point out the equivalent sense in him/herself. How, exactly, did you figure out that this was...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 08:05 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
There was a past thread here where someone...

There was a past thread here where someone mentioned the liver in this manner. A French person, I think, and claimed that it was just what everyone knew.
You have already said that you don't know...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 07:54 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
The majority of the science of psychology prior...

The majority of the science of psychology prior to Watson. The methodology was introspection (both the structuralists and functionalists), both the beginnings in Germany and America (Wundt and...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 06:05 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
It might be like that. It very well might, and I...

It might be like that. It very well might, and I would be the one mistaken. It may also be like a former colleague of mine who, completely seriously, discussed the purple hue of a woman's aura,...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 05:26 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
I doubt many did, but they would certainly have...

I doubt many did, but they would certainly have been looking for it.


Thank you.

Um... since you can't share what it feels like, how do you know that it is the same thing Piggy was talking...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 04:59 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
Is this what you are thinking o...

Is this what you are thinking o (http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/dec/20/research.it)f? (not the real report, but a newspaper account)

oop--I see you have included a link now.
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 04:56 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
I assure you, "we all" do not. I don't doubt you...

I assure you, "we all" do not. I don't doubt you are sincere, but so were the TT practitioners that Emily Rosa tested, and it turns out they could not feel all the things they claimed to.

Recall...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 04:29 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
Yes. What was unclear about what I said? Not...

Yes. What was unclear about what I said? Not only do I have no such sense, but I don't recall one from the introspection literature.

I take it from your response that you have nothing other than...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 11:17 AM
Replies: 2,002
Views: 86,028
Posted By Mercutio
Thus the "how did you learn to label your...

Thus the "how did you learn to label your consciousness?" question earlier in the thread.
Around here? Are you kidding? We have full-blooded Platonics roaming wild!
I don't understand.

...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st December 2009, 05:51 AM
Replies: 2,002
Views: 86,028
Posted By Mercutio
Of course it can be private; the trick is, our...

Of course it can be private; the trick is, our shared communication is based on public referent. There are conferences and entire journals on consciousness, where a private element is taken as...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 20th December 2009, 10:23 PM
Replies: 2,002
Views: 86,028
Posted By Mercutio
I am away from my office, fortunately, or I'd...

I am away from my office, fortunately, or I'd likely spend the next hour searching for just the right quote. Instead, I cheated and just grabbed the first site that returned...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 20th December 2009, 10:03 PM
Replies: 418
Views: 27,808
Posted By Mercutio
OT, but interesting, to me at least: Having...

OT, but interesting, to me at least:

Having read my fair share of the old introspective literature from the early days of psychology, when people were carefully trained to dissect out their...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 20th December 2009, 08:54 PM
Replies: 2,002
Views: 86,028
Posted By Mercutio
But the fool on the hill Sees the sun going...

But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 20th December 2009, 08:24 PM
Replies: 2,002
Views: 86,028
Posted By Mercutio
See, it's comments like this that make one doubt...

See, it's comments like this that make one doubt that you understood Wittgenstein. You quote wiki as saying that we have no need for definitions, that we understand from context, and when I do so...
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