I agree with you hurkyl that technically, piracy is a type of theft. I just think it's different to the apple scenario in that you can't make an apple into more apples. Somebody who has produced a 'hardware' product has cost associated directly with the production of duplicates. 'stealing' these...
This is going to sound a bit lame and probably slightly morally corrupt but I don't really have a major problem with 'pirating' for the following weak reasons.
In the main, people who use illegally obtained software/music/video are unlikely to purchase this material legally, due to...
No but I saw an Outer Limits episode the other night about a transportation device that cloned you at the other end and they had to kill the original.
Raavin
I don't think it's silly at all. While these sorts of debates are time consuming, they give people the ability to nut out ideas and stretch creative thinking. That's applies to those people who don't just grab the answers off of other websites.
Looking at the arrow, my personal gut instinct...
I'm no mathematician but I don't think that's strictly true. The infinite series sums to what is, to all intents and purposes, a finite number given that .9999999... is equal to 1.
Taking Uncertainty into account, the 'smearing' of space time as one approaches infinitesimal quantities might...
Well money can't buy happiness but it can sure reduce stresses if you live in a world run by it. Money is just an IOU. A barter where someone skims a bit off the top every time it is passed. No matter what system of exchange you use, if your basic needs are met it is going to be easier. It's not...
This is pretty much me. The reason I come here is for the conversation and mental stimulation. Lots of people know things here that I don't. Well most actually, but I like having weird conversations about life, the universe and everything. Much of my real life conversation is on a different...
Getting back to the subject, is anyone actually interested in having a play at coming up with a solution. I'm willing to compromise on some of my values for the greater good. I'm even willing to entertain some 'Capitalistic' elements. Principally though, I'm not willing to give up the basic...
It's very unlike me to resort to name calling. This situation unfortunately reduces me to a childlike state. I sit in complete wonderment at how this situation has arisen for any other reason than American financial interests.
I saw today that the coalition troops had found a store of...
I was actually saying that saying he was on drugs wasn't an argument, but the drug induced reference was based on the quotes I posted. Have a look at them again. You mustn't have read them the first time. The comments range from extreme fantasy to completely missed irony.
I don't agree with...
Ahhh, mmmmmm, errrrr. I have a hard time dealing with the hardcore, pro-war stance.
I don't think that anyone believes otherwise. The debatable point is whether Iraq posed a direct threat to US citizens to protect against.
I know Australia's one but the vast majority of the population...
Phew!, well if it's not about me, then that's a different story. Let's get the bastards!
Hehehehe
The comments of the author of this post may not actually reflect the beliefs of the author
I'll be paranoid for a moment and assume one of those people is me. If that's the case then I apologise for giving that impression. It certainly hasn't been my aim. As far as the 'arrogant jerk' bit goes, I can see that if you feel I have treated people as stupid that you would reach that...
I tend to believe that there is no possibility for faster then light travel. Given that, if aliens got here it would have taken a huge amount of time. I can't see why they would just buzz over and not contact us. Even at close to light speeds, if their time was contracted during the trip, it...
Agree completely. I don't think that was what was being said.
This may be a bit pedantic, but, think about this comment for a moment. Conservative just means keeping the status quo. Given an 'ideal' government, unwillingness to change would make them conservative.
I would like to change...
I agree. The reality is that as we get older we do become more conservative and more resigned to the ways of the world. Our ideas change and sometimes I think we start to see some sense in things we once thought were stupid. I'm trying not to do that too much but I must admit it is happening to...
I don't agree. Needs and wants are different I admit but somewhere in there lies the majority of things that, as far as material possessions and services go, I think you can fit most in. Like I said, some things you need to compromise on. We already supply and administer most of these things to...
1st I check on threads I've started
2nd Check for threads that are questions I might know the answer to or things I feel I might provide some input to.
3rd scan for interesting subjects
This doesn't really apply specifically to the philosophy section. I haven't actually started a thread in...
Mmmmmm. OK. No further discussion needed then?? ...Don't think so. This is a summary of what I think is needed.
Find out what the people need
Find out what the people want
Figure out how to supply it
Figure out how to administer it
Simple :wink:
Raavin
I must admit that it's only going on anacdotal evidence but I can see how living in America could make any normal person take the Anarchist (by your definition) line. It would seem to be a case of Capitalism gone crazy.
In Australia, although 'economic rationalism' has dented it a bit...
At 33 (well on April 8th) I would hope that I have gained some wisdom. I thought I was wise at 15. That's why I left school and went to work. That's why I never did any homework and didn't absorb any of the Mathematics that teachers tried to teach. I knew what was important. Now I'm not so sure...
Nicely done.
I'll take number 1 also. Nicely worded. The trick with wishes is that the wording has to be just right. I was going to say 'infinite knowledge' but of course that would mean that you would know everyones thoughts and other stuff you wouldn't want to know.
2. An infinite...
Firstly, Douglas Adams should be declared a prophet.
Secondly, Are you agreeing then that in large scale communities, Anarchy may not be a reasonable form of government?
Thirdly,
Interesting point only they weren't originally meant to be derrogatory terms. I believe that, Native...
Main Entry: an·ar·chism
Pronunciation: 'a-n&r-"ki-z&m, -"när-
Function: noun
Date: 1642
1 : a political theory holding all forms of governmental authority to be unnecessary and undesirable and advocating a society based on voluntary cooperation and free association of individuals and groups...
About the Japan maximum wage stuff. If there is a link that would be great but I'm wondering if there was some confusion. I found this http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199394/cmhansrd/1994-10-19/Debate-1.html [Broken] and I'm wondering if this is where the mix up is. It's a...
Unfortunately the posting mechanism of PF3 doesn't show the whole thread so cutting and pasting is a pain. Just wanted to make a comment about the belief that all western democracies have a constitution. Australia doesn't. Thank god. What a disaster that has been in America. Not sure about...
I used to be a big raver, as in outdoor dance party goer. I've used it in chat rooms, forums etc. for years. So Raavin is a misspelling of raving. Now I'm a dad so that's all in the distant past.
Raavin (many a night in my past looking like this :wink: )
I'm certainly not but my Prime Minister is. I was one of the 500,000 odd that got oout on the streets in Australia. That's more than 5% of the entire population, not just taking part in a news poll but marching. The polls say that 77% of Australians are opposed to the war. I think to say that...
I have it open pretty much all day at work. Glance at it when I get a couple of minutes and write whenever I can. It's debriefing for me. Keeps me a bit sane.
Raavin
I never actually implemented an alorithm. I just manually compared chunks of data. Dragged out bits and compared them in a hex editor. In the other 'make your own OS thread' the idea might come in handy if you had strict rules on compiling and structure of binaries. Basically though, you're...
I believe philosophy is vital in science. But I suppose it depends on what you mean. If you mean a doctrine then no, that can only narrow ones vision. If you mean an exploration for meaning or understanding then I don't see how you can explore science without it. I've read that pure...
It would probably be ok as long as you didn't mind the interpretation the computer gave when spitting back the info.
I had thought about something like this a while ago. The idea was that you develop a huge database that you have common passages or strings or whatever and the file you store...