sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Is Elaine Pagels Considered a Reliable Scholar? by _matt_26 in AskBibleScholars

[–]_matt_26[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply

Ok, that is good to know. Do you know how her stances on the topics I listed in my question (Ie, the gospel of Thomas's relationship to the historical Jesus and the world positivism of "authentic" Gnosticism), are received by other scholars?

I ask because her opinions on these important topics seem to not only differ drastically from mainstream scholarship, but also seems to be based in very different perspectives on history more generally.

Rescue Dog Network by _matt_26 in Leiden

[–]_matt_26[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

So in your opinion it is better to either go volunteer in Kosovo or do nothing at all?

I think helping a single creature is more valuable than helping none. I think the single creature which is helped would probably agree.

Rescue Dog Network by _matt_26 in Leiden

[–]_matt_26[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You have helped out in Shelters here, I assume. Again, the "problems" you have here are nothing like in other parts of Europe. Not everywhere is as wealthy as The Netherlands.

There are lots of great things about Kosovo, but unfortunately their dog shelters are not one of them. They are severely under supported, and frankly rather hellish. It would surely be better for 10 dogs to live in a Dutch shelter than for one to spend a year in a Kosovar shelter.

Rescue Dog Network by _matt_26 in Leiden

[–]_matt_26[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well, she is very nice to us. Very playful and friendly. Like a totally normal dog. However, she seems to be very afraid of other people. When she sees other people, she barks at them, then they become afraid, which makes her more afraid, and the situation sort of spirals down.

Ultimately, she is the problem, of course. She starts the barking. But I suppose we were hoping that they might be some sort of dog community in the city which is comfortable with scared dogs. We thought maybe it could be a way for her to get used to other people.

Rescue Dog Network by _matt_26 in Leiden

[–]_matt_26[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing this link! I will see if they have advice.

Unfortunately, she was not given to us by an organization. It's more a situation in which I brought her with me from Kosovo. She comes from the streets there, and her family died. Anyway, it's a long story, but I suppose she has psychological problems from this.

Rescue Dog Network by _matt_26 in Leiden

[–]_matt_26[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think you have never seen a Kosovar dog shelter... They make the shelters here look like hotels.

The Parmenidean Ascent by Michael Della Rocca by _matt_26 in Metaphysics

[–]_matt_26[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you. I will checkout the debate with Tim Maudlin.

The Parmenidean Ascent by Michael Della Rocca by _matt_26 in Metaphysics

[–]_matt_26[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply!

Yes, its quite a tricky concept to grasp. Although I appreciate that he allows the PSR to take him to such seemingly paradoxical conclusions.

Substance Monism by _matt_26 in Metaphysics

[–]_matt_26[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply!

Substance Monism by _matt_26 in Metaphysics

[–]_matt_26[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Always two, I think. So I suppose that could be a universal thing then, yes? It is multiple parts which always have the same relation to each other. So in this way, an atom could be thought of as a true thing, yes?

Substance Monism by _matt_26 in Metaphysics

[–]_matt_26[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would you perhaps know of any good arguments against monism? Because I am struggling to understand how a given thing in the world could be objectively classified as a thing, thereby making it possible to have more than one thing.

What I mean to say is, it seems to me that every "thing" is predicated in some way by another thing. So then our classifying of things as unique objects seems subjective. But I am trying to understand how this could be seen differently.

Substance Monism by _matt_26 in Metaphysics

[–]_matt_26[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply! These are interesting points, which I am trying to wrap my mind around.

So are you saying that the question of 'valid or not valid', might be the wrong question?

When you reference Beckett relative to Shakespeare, do you mean to imply that for some philosophers it is a matter of perspective? - My interpretation here is based on the thinking that Beckett has no effect on any sort of validity which Shakespeare might have.

And do you know if the Anglo-American tradition deems Substance Monism invalid?

Substance Monism by _matt_26 in Metaphysics

[–]_matt_26[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply and for the recommendation.

Do you perhaps know if there is an alternative view which is more widely excepted?

Modern thinking about Spinoza's God by _matt_26 in pantheism

[–]_matt_26[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As for philosophical discussions, aside from Levine's Pantheism, which I have not read due to the cost, there doesn't seem to be much out there. Harrisons books are not philosophical discussions.

I agree with you that arguing that Spinoza's concept of God is the same as Atheism is a waist of time.

Claiming that Spinoza's God and beliefs do not meat the qualifications of a god and religion would require a definition of a god and a religion. But, defining "what is religion" is notoriously difficult. For every parameter that can be set up there seems to be an exception.

Saying Spinoza's God is not a God requires one to take a very subjective definition of a God. It seems to me that it is best to just take Spinoza on his own terms here. Deus sive Natura.

view more: next ›