Fallacies

Hmmm, quite an interesting - and humourous - list of attemtps to define "incorrect logic" - I think that the poster misses the mathematical point that logic can only be applied within a system of agreed axioms and it certainly should not be applied in this fashion:

"Appeal To False Authority:
Your logical fallacies aren't logical fallacies at all because Einstein said so. Einstein also said that this one is better."

It's a dead giveaway of the prejudices that the original poster brings with him, does he believe in a true authority I wonder? If so he should read your comment:

I'm perfectly aware of the problems of asserting Truth when Truth can't be proven.

It's ok for the poster to believe in a true authority but he wouldn't like it if someone said his true authority was a false authority would he? Perhaps he should have an attempt at treating others as he would like to be treated?

If a person asserts that I should not believe in God because I have no rational proof I say "You are correct that I am not being rational - but I choose to believe anyway, I am not saying that I am being logical about this at all". That stops all argument dead in it's tracks - the person can then decide if he'd like to associate with my type or not. I certainly don't assert that God is a "true authority" because how do I know for sure? The person I am talking to will never believe (and I mean really believe in God not just hypocritcally believe) that God is a "true authority" unless God convinces him of it personally.

+++

This is like a chess game for you

You give me too much credit! I don't have a plan I'm just responding to things you bring up and ideas I have about ways that the world might be better (ie. Golden Rule), it all comes down to education

+++

On the devil:

That's the fundamental tool he employs: casting doubt on the Truth of God.

That's pretty extreme to me, I don't believe that I need to brainwash myself to this level!

+++

is there anything that is universally agreeable and individually self-serving? Or are those two things mutually exclusive?

A good question, having and raising children maybe? I don't know. This reminds me of the discussion we had about altruism. By suggesting people follow the Golden Rule what is my selfish motive? I agree I am not being altruistic, because being altruistic is a desire to move the world in a way that does not match how I think the world should be. For example:

"Dying for my child is not altruistic because it is easier to do that than live"

"Shooting a politician in the head is altruistic because to do so I would have to do something that moves the world in a way that I think it should not go - and I would have to endure hardship for doing so"

So perhaps it's like this for me:

"Treat others as you wish to be treated" is to me not altruistic, it's what I think should happen, selfish me wants the world to match how I think it should be.

"Treat others in any way you like" is to me true altruism.

So altruism depends on one's internal values, it depends on what we as individuals care about. I want the people in the world to be happy. Question: do you believe that there is any activity we can do that is truly unselfish ?

+++

The polar pack ice has melted considerably in the last 20 years, sea levels are rising and are predicted to rise much further. I'm not sure if it's down to the greenhouse gases produced by the human race or if it's part of some natural cycle on the Earth. Worrying either way.