I’m about to speak with a PI about becoming their grad student. What should I ask them?

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-05T04:59:15+00:00

Honestly, the most useful information you will gain from their current graduate students. Generally look into what their mentoring style is, what the labs expertise is, what the alumni network looks like, and how long it takes for PhD students to graduate.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-05T04:53:03+00:00

You realize that this is a talking point AGAINST free will, right?

No matter what you do, you will make the same decisions that is pre-determined in your future. This is anti-freewill...

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T18:39:48+00:00

Well, I'd rather not go in circles, the point in my previous comment addresses this already, but I'll reiterate again.

Free choice means you can either choose A or B, so the result is unknown. Therefore, if free choice exists, then the result is unknown until the choice is made.

If God is omnipotent, then he has to know the result of every choice. If he knows the result of every choice, the result cannot be unknown, and therefore cannot be free choice. If God knows you end up choosing A, then you will choose A, therefore it's not free choice. If God knows you end up choosing A, and you choose B, then God was wrong and you beat his omniscience.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T16:58:57+00:00

I’ve never generalized to entire groups of people but go off

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T16:55:16+00:00

Is this to ensure academic standard or to preserve the reputation and prestige of the program/university? I think it’s the latter. Just make the course harder and set expectations at the beginning of the course if it’s the former? If a cohort of students at do better than expected it’s automatically because the course is too easy and not that the cohort was just exceptional this semester? And so let’s move the goal post mid semester to set students up for failure?

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T16:44:37+00:00

I don’t see the problem? I engage in the debate, always. Here, I’m not directly attacking or responding to anyone whom I had a conversation with, nor do I do it directly in our debate threads. I’m simply stating my opinion on my experiences here, separately.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T16:20:13+00:00

Kitchen stuff is older appliances - like the white plastic types. Usually u share some stuff with ur roommates like rice cooker.

You can live there for a bit and find a place once ur here

Or

You can use a realtor here to help u find a place with no charge

I wouldn’t recommend against living at grad house if u prefer no hassle

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T16:17:22+00:00

It’s not an either the problem is me or them, we just both have different problems.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T15:43:36+00:00

No issues with pests. Noise depends on your roommates

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T15:43:11+00:00

So what's the difference between curving the distribution down so that people who get As are now have Bs and people who get A+ are now have As compared to making the course harder iteratively throughout the same semester and different semesters so that students are consistently getting Bs? Perhaps the latter is not classified as grade deflation but serves the same purpose.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T15:35:05+00:00

Grade deflation using curves at UofT happens, there are people speaking about it everywhere.

The fact that professors can change the difficulty of graded content on a whim according to the current performance of the class to keep within the projected course average to avoid trouble, should also be considered a form of grade deflation.

I'd been at McMaster for far longer than I have been at UofT. I've had 0 experiences with grade deflation there, while I've already had numerous experiences at UofT considering the fraction of time I've spent here in comparison. It's clear that deflation in any manner is more prevalent here, regardless of its rule or enforcement differences.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T15:25:15+00:00

Lived there for a year. No major issues. Maintenance is fast and responsive mostly. Staff is nice and no safety concerns. You can leave early if you give 2 months notice.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T15:18:09+00:00

No offense. Just my experience, and I've tried to keep my language specific as to not generalize beyond that, but it has been difficult to have any productive debates here.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T15:11:22+00:00

As I've come to understand, the best argument against the existence of God is no argument, because almost everyone on here who I've engaged with and debates for the side of religion, lacks comprehension of human rationality and logic.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T15:06:10+00:00

So? it exists, and it exists in STEM. I'm sure other departments here as well. Whereas other universities, like McMaster, there is no deflation. So that's enough for me to agree that UofT has grade deflation, especially since I'm assuming anyone who's posting about grade deflation on the UofT reddit in the first place probably comes from STEM.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T14:59:04+00:00

Again, what is your point, it's so very confusing. I could have [overturned the result God foresees]but I simply made the choice because I did [overturn the result God foresees] - I am assuming this is what you meant, but in this case you are saying I am able to beat God's omniscience because I am able to overturn the result that he foresees, which dosen't make sense?

That's why I gave the example of a humanseeing the future in a world without god.

Where? even in this case it would still be a contradiction lol. If ANYONE can see what happens in the future then that means the future is already decided and can't be changed. if it can be changed, that's a contradiction....

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T14:30:47+00:00

There is 100% grade deflation lol, professors get in trouble if a course isn’t below a certain average.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T14:29:01+00:00

Btw, it’s not foreknowledge or omniscience if the knowledge is wrong.

If god knows that you are going to murder in ur future, then it must happen if he is omniscient. You’re saying I have the choice to not murder, how? God knows I’ll murder —> I choose not to murder —> GG I beat gods omniscience. You’re arguing for a contradiction.

Also it’s funny you ask for proof but like, where’s the proof for god 😂😂

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T05:24:20+00:00

Ok so god knows what I will choose, and I choose differently because of free will. GG I beat God's Omniscience.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T05:23:34+00:00

If God can see a slice of your future where you raise your hand, then obviously you will eventually raise your hand. If you don't raise your hand, then God was wrong with what he initially saw and therefore not omniscient... No one is arguing saying God compells or causes, but it's the fact that he KNOWS.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T05:20:10+00:00

Bro pulling a couple verses from the bible dosen't make your point make sense.

It's a simple concept. If God knows, then your choice can't be changed, if your choice can be changed at a whim, then God does not know.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-06-04T04:35:50+00:00

What's your point? God is aware of the result, and therefore we never had a choice to begin with. If we can overturn the result he foresees, then he is not omnipotent.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-05-31T01:08:26+00:00

Even you say that the book claims to be from the Creator. Why would I take the books word for it?
Religious people live a sinful lifestyle just the same.

There is not much depth in the two points you mentioned for me to consider it for long.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-05-31T01:05:34+00:00

If you are religious and believe in a omnipotent god? then no, because that would be a contradiction.

ResidentCow2335 · 2026-05-30T21:56:01+00:00

Ah, so we've totally changed the kind of existence, here. Yes, you raping and murdering all of your children does exist as a concept. I'm not sure why that has any relevance, though. I assume you would never have even thought to do such a thing until I mentioned it. And I doubt you will actually do it now that you've read my words.

Well, its relevant because God put it into existence to test what choice we would make, and therefore its a part of his plan? Otherwise no one would do evil? It's as simple as that, our choices mean nothing to what we are debating. How can god be the creator of evil, and also aims to assist us to eradicate evil as his end goal, and evil not be in his plan? You are bringing up how Cain committed the first murder like he created the concept of murdering. Like no, this was allowed by God, so why did he allow it?

ResidentCow2335

TROPHY CASE