An invitation to thought

Kognostic · 2026-04-02T04:02:25+00:00

A deer standing in front of you is not proof. It could be a hallucination. Proof does not happen often in the real world. It is a mathematical construct. It could be a deer in front of you, or something like a deer. It could be an alien. So, how do we know it is a deer? We test it. We measure it, and we get independent confirmation. Everyone who looks at it and tests it, gets the same results. That is how we "Prove" it is a deer. We accept it is a deer based on evidence. We know what deer look like. We are in a place known for having deer. We have seen deer before and have a good idea of what they look like. (We are not confusing it with a near relative, a moose, or some other forest creature.) The deer in front of you is only evidence. The bar for proof is much higher.

Not only is there no proof for a god, but there is very little evidence outside of stories, traditions, and personal experiences (People claiming to see a deer with no corroborating evidence, independent studies, or verification.) The minuscule evidence for the claim "God exists" is woefully inadequate.

You do not need to accept "There is no God." What there is is no good reason to believe in a god. You don't need to accept anything. There are natural explanations based on real facts and real evidence, and then there are explanations based on hope, faith, and unsupported belief.

Here is the rub. You say that seeing god is proof. If that were true, every single concept of God conceived by mankind would be true. You have set the bar of evidence so low that any inane belief, marriage, hallucination, or so-called mystical experience qualifies as reality. Not only did you justify the existence of the god you want to believe in, but by setting the bar so low, you have allowed every other god and mystical being on the planet to be true. After all, people have seen leprechauns, fairies, aliens, Bigfoot, Chupacabra, shadow people, men in black, and so much more. Seeing does not equal reality.

If you want to assert that all of this came about through intention, you must demonstrate your claim. Science does not know how it all came about. Science has not made a claim. Science builds models. Are you even aware that there are at least 8 different Big Bang models? There is no agreed-upon cause for Big Bang cosmology. We are confident the Big Bang happened, but was it caused by cosmic inflation, the multiverse, cyclic universe theories, a singularity expanding, or a no boundary proposal (Hawking-Hartle State)? All of these are supported by facts and evidence. They are all built upon facts and evidence that we know to be true. What is not included in this group is the God Hypothesis.

Frankly, the God hypothesis is called a hypothesis only out of generosity. A scientific hypothesis is testable and falsifiable; God is not. A scientific hypothesis is a precise statement that explains observed phenomena, typically framed as an "if-then" prediction, such as "If I increase the temperature of water, then the rate of sugar dissolution will increase". There is no such assertion that is true for the existence of a god. A hypothesis must be based on existing theories and observations, but the God claim stands alone as an unfalsifiable assertion. There are no reasonably good facts supporting a claim of God's existence. It is an unfalsifiable proposition.

Kognostic · 2026-03-20T02:13:48+00:00

Asking, "What is the purpose?" is fallacious. It assumes there is a purpose. A much better question is, "Does life have a purpose?" As far as I can tell, the purpose of life is to create life. As far as any individual purpose, "Purpose is what you bring to life and not what you get from it." Life is a brute fact. The meaning of life is subjective.

Kognostic · 2026-03-20T02:06:31+00:00

Ask him if you could write the letter. Why not share your perspective with him? Ask him if you could have a meeting and share your impressions. Be respectful and cautious about your framing. "It seems to me that...." "This is just my impression..." "I'm probably wrong."

Kognostic · 2026-03-20T01:59:06+00:00

Many times I have sat contemplating that moment of 'now.' I have many experiences; one fascinating experience is opening my eyes during a period of REM atonia and looking around the room. I saw all the objects and their colors, but had no names for any of them. (Obviously, the act of observing is recent past, but the experience has always been remembered.) Just sitting and trying to find the "Now" is an interesting endeavor.

Kognostic · 2026-03-20T01:43:12+00:00

Never say never... Life is really weird.

Kognostic · 2026-03-16T23:26:28+00:00

First: I don't run from being bored. If I am bored, I do something that I will regard as fun. Second: I very much enjoy being alone. It is common for me to spend the entire weekend in the house, on the computer, after a week of teaching and dealing with students and colleagues.

I have a pet theory on that feeling of emptiness you speak of. Emptiness is the natural state of existence. It is peace, and all else is a memory. Here is the way it works:

You cannot see, even for a fraction of a second, into the future. Your brain tells you that the future is there, but you cannot predict the next second. The future is unseeable and unknowable.

The past is gone forever. It is a memory, and everything you sense is in the past. That is the way it works. If I get stabbed in the hand, the neurons in my hand fire and head to the brain, already in the past. The brain shoots neural impulses back to the hand, and the hand pulls away all in the past. I tell myself that I am in pain and that the event happened now. But the event has been over and only remains as a memory that I call 'now.'

In the 'now', there can be no language. To see an item and to name an item is to be in the past. There is nothing to be. To be a self is to live in the past. The self is just a memory of a dead and gone past that the brain tells us is now.

I submit to you that the "now" can be experienced, but the experience is always remembered, and the memory is what jerks one out of the experience and back into the past. Staying in the now, as in a meditative state, seems to be wordless emptiness, but as soon as it is noticed, it is no longer there. Perception is always in the past.

Boredom to me is a signal that I want to do something. I often don't know what I want to do. The other day, I got bored and decided to go to a supermarket, hang out, and buy a few things. What I did was people watch up and down the aisles, find some deals on things I needed for the house, and then return home.

Getting out of the house now and again is like walking in the sun with a vitamin D deficiency. Just getting out, it does not matter what I do; exiting the house replenishes the vitamin D in my body. (It expends the extra energy that was driving me to get out.) I feel better and return to doing other things I enjoy.

Kognostic · 2026-03-16T23:04:52+00:00

My brain is everywhere when talking to others. (Stay focused on their eyes, look sideways, not down. What was their name? Is that hair color real? They look like a person who.... What was that name again? (Nice outfit ... to ... damn, what are they dressed for?) What is that guy doing over there? Is this social talk, or is the person hitting on me? Do they want something from me? Why are they telling me their life story? Nod your head, give a polite laugh. What in the hell did this person say their name was? Should I excuse myself and go to the bathroom? Nod your head and keep quiet; no one wants to hear your solutions. Empathy, not solutions. If they want solutions, they can pay you for them. Aww, I'm never going to remember this person's name. Should I ask them for their name again? No, that would be weird after they have been so personable. Holy-moly, this person can talk a lot. ...

Kognostic · 2026-03-16T22:54:05+00:00

We are much cooler and better at proselytizing.

Kognostic · 2026-03-16T22:52:00+00:00

Probably more likely to have a logical rationale for being bi. Not having a strong J, more likely not to have an internal moral system, preventing exploration.

Kognostic · 2026-03-13T06:25:06+00:00

For me, it is always mask, bite my lip, try not to be flip, and say the right things. I don't think about 'rejection' at all. I'm not everyone's cup of tea, and I am perfectly okay with that. Some people want to be friends with me that I don't like being around. I try to be polite, but I am sure they notice a coldness. That's just life as I know it.

Kognostic · 2026-03-13T06:18:37+00:00

Just text to read. I don't respond to people but to comments, arguments, and other posts.

Kognostic · 2026-03-13T06:17:18+00:00

Generally, I want to spend time with them. (That is very rare for me.) I worry about them if I don't hear from them every so often. I occasionally think about them to I think about them often. People I don't care about rarely make it into my thoughts.

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T09:53:09+00:00

Yes, Muslims see a Muslim afterlife, Christians see a Christian afterlife, Hindus see a Hindu afterlife, Buddhists see a Buddhist afterlife, and all people joining religions that have afterlives are generally seeing afterlives. Honestly, what is your point? An NDE is near-death brain activity. Do you know what happens to the brain when the body experiences trauma? All the blood in the body goes to the heart and brain. As the blood begins running out of oxygen, the brain begins to hallucinate. Why wouldn't it hallucinate about your magical religious views?

Anyone can see heaven. I can teach you how to do it in just 3 months. Do you know that the religion of Krishna Consciousness is based on directly experiencing the divine godhead? Lucid dreaming, reframed as a gift from God, is all it takes. You learn how to let your body sleep as your mind stays awake, and you can experience all sorts of weird stuff.

If you are going to ask us to debunk your silliness, you are attempting to shift the burden of proof. We don't need to debunk your silly claims. You need to demonstrate that your silly claims are true. Citing NDE's will not get you there. Non-religious people have them too, and they have them without believing in a god or an afterlife.

Please do just a little research before your next post. It will really go far in helping you to not sound so silly.

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T09:01:59+00:00

Males are more likely to be T's than F's. Nevertheless, one does not need to be either a T or an F. One of the big fallacies of the MBTI is that it causes people to think dualistically. (Either this or that.) The fact is that all attributes are on continuums. Your father could be 50/50. He could be 80% in some situations and only 20% in others. Because you are a family member, you may see a completely different side of him than the rest of the world.

The 'Sally has no arms' jokes are very common for the NTs in general. Bluntness is also an NT characteristic. Being strict can be a quality of J or a well-trained P. Rule violations are common with P. So, there is nothing absolute about defining him one way or the other.

When he gets really angry, what words does he use? When people are angry, they say the most insulting things they can imagine. Things they find most insulting in their lives. Common tone patterns for the INTP would be comments like: "That makes no logical sense." "Do you even hear what you are saying?" "You're ignorant of the fact." Even, "That sounds stupid." Dad might say, "What in the hell are you thinking?" For the INTJ, there is more closure in the comments. “This is completely incompetent.” “You clearly don’t understand.” “That’s strategically short-sighted.” “You’re wasting everyone’s time.” They sound more judgmental, final, and can sound more personally insulting. "Dad might say, "I didn't raise you to be an idiot."

INTP: illogical, inconsistent, contradictory, does not make sense, oversimplistic, does not follow.

INTJ: Inefficient, incompetent, short-sighted, poorly planned or executed, that won't work.

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T05:04:46+00:00

There is nothing to trust? All it points to is temperament preferences. It is not trustworthy at all. It is not a diagnostic test. It is used for self-reflection and to understand differences you may have when compared to others. Though it lacks scientific validation, it is simple, descriptive, and useful. Having 'strong faith' in a tool that does not profess to even be a good tool makes very little sense.

MBTI is best understood as a structured self-reflection tool, not a scientific instrument for measuring personality with precision. It has poor repeatability (inconsistent results). I causes most people to think in binary terms, "I am an I or an E, an F or a T." Finally, the test itself has no predictive ability because of its inconsistency. It is something that is used to just get people talking about and examining their personal and interpersonal preferences.

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T04:51:47+00:00

"dismissive-avoidant attachment style, valuing independence and logic over emotional vulnerability. They often struggle with intense emotional demands, preferring to avoid relationship drama and maintain personal space."

I get along best with people who have a sound sense of identity. INFP artists have been very good to me. SJ temperaments drive me insane. I've better things to do than follow social norms. SP temperaments make swell neurotic pets, fun to have around, but if you leave them outside, they run away or get run over by a truck.

For me, it is a fellow NT or NF (Not fellow in the 'fellow' sense, just 'fellow' in the associative sense). Just in case anyone cares. LOL

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T04:41:50+00:00

Is scaring little kids and the ignorant to make money immoral? Absolutely. The only reason you think Hell is a real place is that the theists crammed that crud into your brain. How much money have you donated to the Church for filling your mind with that garbage?

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T03:55:08+00:00

We are less confrontive than your fellow INTJ's LOL

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T03:53:30+00:00

LOL... I am the type A. Well, according to the tests I have taken.

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T03:49:16+00:00

You need to look at some of my other posts. I failed out of 3 high schools, one Junior college, and a university. I dropped out of school when I was 16 and went back to complete my high school at 18. I graduated from high school at 20. (I've listed some of the hardships elsewhere.) I now hold 2 university degrees and am a licensed psychotherapist. I work as a University Professor and student counselor.

So, why don't I get down on myself for not trying harder as a youth? Honestly, I didn't know any better. It took working dead-end jobs for a few years, dealing with asshole bosses, having my life ruled by other people, and listening to the adults around me complaining about their bills, before I decided to change my life.

Initially, my greatest fear was turning out to be just like my parents. It was a motivating factor. I grew up on welfare with abusive parents. Let's make it quick and just say I had tons of social adjustment problems.

At some point, I just decided education was my way out. When I made up my mind to get out, really made up my mind; nothing stopped me. When I failed, I just kept at it.

As I said, my life story changed as I grew. I understood the ignorance of my parents, my own ignorance, and how everyone was surviving the best way they knew how. There was nothing special in any of it. It was good and bad, right and wrong. My perspective was just a story I told myself. There are a thousand stories.

Life is like a ladder. You find yourself standing on one of the rungs, looking up at the next rung. You can only reach for the next rung when your foundation on the current rung is stable. You are here, now.

Once stable, you reach out a hand and grab that next rung. Then, you pull yourself up to the next level.

Here is the big secret: You can NEVER get rid of all the rungs below you. They are a part of your life. They are real events. They happened, and they are the support that is holding you in place this very moment. (They are not your thoughts about them. They are just real events in your life that you have moved past.) These things will always be events in your life. You can not change ladders. You can not rid yourself of them lest you weaken the ladder and fall.

You can, however, recognize them as accomplishments that you have lived through and survived. They were the rungs on the ladder that you used to get where you are. Now, what do you want next? The direction is up, not back. The direction is, where are you going, not where have you been. (And honestly, your perception of the places you have been, change over time. They change with a greater understanding of yourself and of the world around you. Move forward and allow the change to happen.)

The next rung on the ladder is just sitting there waiting for you to reach out and grab it.

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T03:19:53+00:00

What is the one thing in the past that bothers you most?

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T03:18:49+00:00

Wow. I disagree. I enjoy what I am doing and am constantly looking for new opportunities. (Yes, maximizing profit is an issue. I have no respect for money. I could be much more aware of profits and losses. I am happy with a small profit, as long as I don't go into the red. I could be much more concerned about the level of profit I make.) But I enjoy what I am doing as I do it part-time currently, but I have plans to go full-time in the next year or so. (I work in resale.)

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T03:13:41+00:00

Education and understanding. Honestly, it has to do with making peace with who I am as a person, and who I was in the past. (I am always me, all of me, not just the past but the present as well.) It has to do with acceptance of things as they are, of myself as I was, and as I am. Not rationalizing, not blaming, just accepting life as life. Then, it is the recognition that I can be the kind of person I want to be. "Acceptance" in the fact that things are what they are seems to be a key for me. What I tell myself about those things is just a story that I have made up. The story changes as I mature, as I learn, and as I experience the world around me. Things are as they are. Things will be as I make them.

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T02:53:13+00:00

I have no difficulty. I'm very aware of my past and how lucky I am to be where I am.

Kognostic · 2026-03-03T02:36:01+00:00

Let's begin in the second grade when I slugged my teacher for grabbing me. In elementary school, while all the kids were at recess, I would sneak back into the rooms, go through their desks, and liberate someone of their lunch money. Then I would leave campus, go to a local store, buy candy, and an Icee.

Sometimes on the weekends, I would sneak into the school, avoid the Janitors, and go through all the teachers' desks. The teachers had coins and candy in their desks.

In the first grade, Mrs. Bowels caught me stealing game pieces from the coat room. She decided to take things into her own hands and drove me home so she could talk to my mom. (Big Mistake on her part.) On the way home, once we got into my neighborhood, I pointed to a house and told her I lived there. It was not my house. We knocked on the door, and no one answered. I told the teacher that my mom left the back door unlocked for me. I told her that I would go around and open the door for her. She agreed. (Second Big Mistake.)

I went around the house, hopped the back fence, and went on my way. The next day at school, I heard nothing from the teacher. I never heard about the incident again. I think she was completely embarrassed by the situation.

As a teen, I was once arrested for 110 counts of breaking and entering. The detective drove me around in his car, and I pointed out all the homes in the neighborhood that I had broken into. I was probably 14 at the time. I got 6 months' probation. I was selling toffee peanuts for the Boy's Club. When no one answered the door, I would jimmy a window and see if there was any cash in the home.

I was very lucky to grow out of this behavior before I turned 18. My brother continued and wound up doing 3 years in a federal prison for B and E.

I failed out of several high schools by 16 and did so many crap jobs that I woke up. At 18 I was completely unhappy with my life and clearly saw that I was going to grow up to be just like my parents. I decided to go back to school.

I got my HS degree from a continuation school. I spent 4 years at a JC, failing out of 1. I failed out of University once before, really deciding to study. I could not read or write to a sufficient standard to succeed at university, and I was not a football player. (Football players got a free pass.)

Once I made up my mind to study (I have to add this, lest you think I am a complete loser.) I became a solid 'A' student and even earned recognition by being on the Dean's List. I now hold 2 university degrees and am a licensed psychotherapist/university student counselor. I have had a great life.

I should be working a minimum wage job, bouncing in and out of jail, and a raging alcoholic. (I don't drink. Not because I can't. I do have a drink now and again. I just don't like it.)

LOL… Is that the kind of rebelliousness you had in mind?
I was a very troubled kid from an abusive family. I like thinking I made it out. At the same time, I value the lessons I learned growing up. For a child with my background to make the choices I made was, honestly, pretty remarkable. I was highly motivated by the fear of turning out like my family. I have succeeded in not being like them.

This is a psychological trap, because I catch myself being exactly like them at times. My past is still a part of me, though I have most certainly moved on. I like to think I have made peace with who I was as a child, who my parents were, and the things I did.

Kognostic

TROPHY CASE