What is the best approach for buying books as a science major?

[LogicalAtheist]

Hello all! I'm a neuroscience pre-med major.

I'm glad to be here, especially now, because I just completed my two semester series of non-calculus physics.

Being a science major, I have a rule for myself. I don't buy any books on a given scientific subject until I have finished the introductory requirements of that given area of physics. Since I have just completed the physics set, I have a question for you all. I'll post it in the physics section though, seems more appropriate!

 

[drag]

Welcome to PF LogicalAtheist !
Oh, and... you seem a bit tense dude,
lighten up will'ya...

 

[LogicalAtheist]

I should lighten up. I need a girlfriend.

 

[FZ+]

(Waits for LG to say how being a "logical atheist" is untenable... )

 

[LogicalAtheist]

Originally posted by FZ+
(Waits for LG to say how being a "logical atheist" is untenable... )

Whoever LG is, there statement if such won't last very long!

 

[BoulderHead]

Originally posted by FZ+
(Waits for LG to say how being a "logical atheist" is untenable... )

I saw stormy weather coming right off the bat.

LogicalAtheist,
Good luck with your attempts to lighten up and get a girlfriend.

 

[LogicalAtheist]

Dude finding a girlfriend is hard! I have requirements, as we all do. Boy oh boy it takes many trials. I've dated surely but not finding someone who I feel really good about.

Any females here who are in their 20's and in the atlanta area? I'm fine as hell!

 

[Viper]

Girlfriends are hard to find, me I am not exactly the mona lisa, more a picasso. But if your nice to them theyll be nice to you. Atlantas a big place and I am sure there's one special girl out there for you...

 

[Kerrie]

i always wonder about men who wail on about not having a girlfriend...

 

[LogicalAtheist]

I'm not wailing on! He just mentioned it again so I elaborated!

 

[Viper]

I don`t wail on about girlfriends, yeah and whoes he!

 

[Nicool003]

Dude finding a girlfriend is hard! I have requirements, as we all do. Boy oh boy it takes many trials. I've dated surely but not finding someone who I feel really good about.

dear lord it isn't that hard how high are your "requirements"?

 

[Mistress Lilith]

Originally posted by Nicool003
dear lord it isn't that hard how high are your "requirements"?

Exactly what I was thinking Nicool...

Welcome to PF LogicalAtheist!

 

[LogicalAtheist]

Well. While there are personal little things, i would say the largest factor ruling out a major portion of the population is that she can't be religious.

 

[Nicool003]

Just that one requirement is way too high. I can't remember the exact percent buit over 90% of people believe in god or havea religion of some kind. Maybe that is why it is easy to me and most other people
Thank God...literaly

 

[Viper]

I have no requirements, they have to be nice though!

 

[LogicalAtheist]

Nicool. If 90% of the population were known to commonly kill their relationship partners, would you still think I was being to picky?

I mean to say: How could I allow myself to enter a relationship, something that is considered to be built on, among other things, trust and honesty, when this person can not even set aside emotionality in order to asses a situation logically? Furthermore, many religious people admit they are such built on "belief without evidence" and therefore they would in fact be acting dishonest to their own self. How then would one predict they'd act towards others?

Needless to mention the vastness of other problems with religious humans. Particularly the fact that, if you define intelligence in a "reality" sense like so:

Intelligence - (among other things) The ability to assess a situation using existent principle in logic, math, and using methods of science (most importantly just simple logic) and to disallow emotionality, which is subjective and inferior as a method of reason, to obstruct ones reasoning.

Now that that's defined, how could I choose to enter into a relationship with someone so unintelligent that they basis of their life fits this description? And furthermore that they commit one of the two biggest errors of present humanity (seen in my sig) which is to superimpose religious mythology onto reality?

I don't mean to be digging into a big psych junk here, I just wanted to take the time to say this outloud to people because as you can imagine I don't say it often.

With that said, it's hard to meet a women who meets this SINGLE (although dividable) value.

But when I have met them, they're wonderfull females

 

[LogicalAtheist]

BTW nicool. You're statistic is WAY off.

It all depends IMPORTANTLY on how the question is asked. For instance if you say "are you an atheist" less people say yes than if you say "are you religious".

Since you are religious, I make a non-accusatory claim that perhaps you read these stats in a religious text, which in case they would twist science or do as I said and ask questions in such a way that data is false, or just stand right outside a church and ask, they do that all the time!

Using the latter, statistics in the USA say that around 33% (waxing and wanning from 30 to 40) say they are NOT RELIGIOUS.

This number, in the US and in other "modern" countries is climbing rapidly. Every year it grows a nice amount, makes me ever so happy.

BREED ATHEISTS BREED! It's our duty (and an easy one at that) to spread logic and truth, and help to speed up the moment at which humanity as a generalized whole returns to viewing religious mythology as such, like it was BEFORE someone began superimposing it onto reality.

I being an atheist will have as many kids as I can afford, and my money goes FIRST to supporting them, I will make sacrifices to have more children.

 

[Viper]

I completely agree

 

[LogicalAtheist]

Wow you agree? I feel so good, I couldn't have imagined I better comment to that.

Now, uhm, you aren't female are you? If you are gimme your addy and I'll take a plane immediately. Do you prefer roses or tulips? heh JK

 

[Viper]

Sorry Male, oh well. Keep fishing, I am sure there's someone out there for you, there's someone out there for everyone.

 

[LogicalAtheist]

You guys want to hear somethign funny? read on.

Ok so looking at my name and my posts you see I often speak of the two things in my sig, and ask people to lose emotional obstruction to view something more rational. Let me dare to do the unthinkable and turn this on myself

LogicalME: Emo, don't you think you should remove the emotional barrier keeping you from having interest in males, thus double the statistical likely of you finding someone who meets your harsh requirement?

EmotionalME: DUde, I don't like guys, I'm not the slightest bit gay.

LogicalME:Yes, but you should learn in the future to tear down your emotional rationality to see the logical truths. You would have more happiness if you opened your horizon

EmotionalME: man, that's weird! I don't like males

LogicalME: I rest my case. Until you remove emotional obstruction you won't be able to view the world in the logical manner it truly exists!


Heh, so Don't you DARE SAY I don't self-scrutinize!

Aren't I funny ladies? I do have the ability to make fun of myself!

 

[Mentat]

Well, now we all understand why you don't have a girlfriend.

Welcome to the PFs, LogicalAtheist.

 

[BoulderHead]

Originally posted by Mentat
Well, now we all understand why you don't have a girlfriend.

Or a boyfriend either!

 

[Viper]

Thats harsh

 

[BoulderHead]

Originally posted by Viper
Thats harsh

Well, I was only teasing you know. In person he might be quite charming.
Or not

 

[LogicalAtheist]

Boulder - I took no offense! Also, in person I am quite charming. I have charisma, intelligence, and wit. I also look good.

 

[Viper]

And modest

 

[Artman]

Before I begin to hammer your previous posts, welcome to PF!

Okay, with that aside, let me say that your logic is flawed. The flaw is that as a human, you make countless decisions based largely on emotion. You make several of them daily. Just a few examples: Choosing what clothes to put on if color or style play any role in the decision; if how you look influences your choice on whether to shave or not; choosing what to eat, logic stops at choosing the type of foods, how things taste is emotional response to the food (if this was not true, everyone's sense of taste would be the same); style or color of car you drive (if you drive and can afford this choice); drinking coffee with any flavor changing additives at all (cappuccino, favored coffee, adding cream or sugar); choosing to do anything purely for fun (you can't enjoy yourself, joy is an emotion); cleaning yourself, although there are health issues here also, most people do this daily as a response to their feelings about other people's opinion of them; any type of entertainment choices (what movie to watch, whether or not to watch TV and what show). I could go with my list, but you should get what I'm saying.

Now let's take a look at that ideal woman of yours. Number one she can't be a religious person. She should be cold (totally non-emotional), calculating (sizing up every situation based on math), unkempt (emotions play a major role in how we care for our appearance), probably smell bad (again emotions play a major role in how we care for ourselves short of health requirements), immoral or dishonest as it suited her needs (this would be to the degree that she could get away with, so you may never discover this), intelligent (good thing you listed this separately), and a she should be a woman. At the risk of sounding sexist, once a month this ideal woman will become ravaged by hormones and turn into an emotional powder-keg for about two or three days.

Let's look at your reason for wanting that non religious, cold, calculating, unkempt, bad-smelling, possibly immoral or dishonest, intelligent goddess of atheism. You need her for a totally unemotional (no love) relationship for the purpose of creating lots of little baby atheists to populate the world. Love, or even liking each other is not a requirement (can't be, these would be emotional decisions). Good luck finding her.

Finally, preaching atheism does not make you a better atheist. The enemy of the church is not strong opposition, it is total apathy. Just because a person believes in God does not mean they are religious (hence the discrepancy in the percentage of believers as opposed to those who are religious). In fact, since you have expounded on atheism religiously, and rather emotionally I might add, you could be considered religious.

No offense...oops my mistake being offended is an emotional response.

 

[LogicalAtheist]

Yeah uhm. I'll just ignore that as spam, as you make no sense and I don't understand any of your motives. If you wish for me to read beyond skimming it over:

1. Make it much shorter

2. Make it make sense, and be worth my while

3. Don't be stupid.

 

[Artman]

Should I use shorter words so you can understand them?

Motive 1. To tell you that people are not stupid just because they make some emotional decisions.

Motive 2. All people make some emotional decisions.

I used hyperbole in my previous post to show you the error in your logic. All you've managed to do by trivializing it is to draw attention to the post. Thank you.

Here is something you should find useful: PF is the wrong place to call people stupid.

 

[LogicalAtheist]

Ha! Just let's end this please.

Admin can you lock my intro?

Art - I never made the statements you're saying are ill. You read them that way. It's like trying to see through a filter. Your filter is emotion itself. Re-read and learn!

 

[Artman]

I really mean welcome to PF and I really mean no offense.

We can all learn from each other. That's why we're all here.

Argueing is what we live for.
Peace.

PS you don't have to lock your thread (I'm really not that dangerous.)

 

[Nicool003]

If 90% of the population were known to commonly kill their relationship partners, would you still think I was being to picky

That's a big if because 90% of them DONT

 

[Nicool003]

How could I allow myself to enter a relationship, something that is considered to be built on, among other things, trust and honesty, when this person can not even set aside emotionality in order to asses a situation logically? Furthermore, many religious people admit they are such built on "belief without evidence" and therefore they would in fact be acting dishonest to their own self. How then would one predict they'd act towards others?

So your saying religous people can't think straight because it clouds their minds? I'm going to use a phrase that came out of one of my friends's "British Slang Dictionary" You've got your knickers in a bunch.


What kind of religous people are you talking to? And I'm sure you wouldn't get the same results if you weren't going by so dumb poll you found online or by what someone told you. And I have plenty of evidence for my religion and beliefs thank you. AND I assure you I am not dishonest to myself.

And if you are talking about getting married and you were reallly in love with a religous person you should let them raise your kids that way. It doesn't make sense to deprive your wife and kids because you don't have a religion and she does.

 

[LogicalAtheist]

Originally posted by Nicool003
What kind of religous people are you talking to? And I'm sure you wouldn't get the same results if you weren't going by so dumb poll you found online or by what someone told you. And I have plenty of evidence for my religion and beliefs thank you. AND I assure you I am not dishonest to myself.

Nicool. Sadly, every atheist here agrees. You don't have evidence kid, you got emotionality. There's not a drop of evidence that proves a false claim, and this is a false claim.

I am saddening that you will live your life this way. But alas it is YOUR choice. No one is forcing you to think for yourself, you're letting your emotions stop you from thinking intelligently.

Sad but true. "What kind of religious people are you talking to"? Well, I'm talking to you aren't I? You've just proven my case.

No need to respond, I won't be reading it!

PS: Us atheists laugh at you saying you have evidence, hahah!

 

[Nicool003]

Nicool. Sadly, every atheist here agrees. You don't have evidence kid, you got emotionality. There's not a drop of evidence that proves a false claim, and this is a false claim.

Give me evidence that this ISNT and I assure you I can proove it all wrong.

I am saddening that you will live your life this way. But alas it is YOUR choice. No one is forcing you to think for yourself, you're letting your emotions stop you from thinking intelligently.

I am very intelligent and my religion does not hold me back in any way. And I am sad that you don't have one because several SCIENTIFIC studies show that suicide rates are higher in atheists than people with religion because people with a religion have more to look for and to look up to and believe in. But like you said to me it is YOUR choice.

No need to respond, I won't be reading it!

I have reason to believe that you know I will proove you wrong for, after those comments that were an attempt at being nasty, now you are just going to ignore this topic altogether. Because you don't want to be wrong.

PS: Us atheists laugh at you saying you have evidence, hahah!

PS: Us RELIGOUS people the MAJORITY laugh at you saying we're wrong! hahaha!

 

[Viper]

Ok I am now lost, I would not call myself an atheist but I am not the sort of person who goes to church regually,


Shouldn`t this be in the Philosiphy section?

 

[Psyber freek]

Originally posted by LogicalAtheist
Nicool. Sadly, every atheist here agrees. You don't have evidence kid, you got emotionality. There's not a drop of evidence that proves a false claim, and this is a false claim.

I am saddening that you will live your life this way. But alas it is YOUR choice. No one is forcing you to think for yourself, you're letting your emotions stop you from thinking intelligently.

Sad but true. "What kind of religious people are you talking to"? Well, I'm talking to you aren't I? You've just proven my case.

No need to respond, I won't be reading it!

PS: Us atheists laugh at you saying you have evidence, hahah!

I'd just like to point out that the evidence behind your belief also is widely controversial. Evolution has yet to be proven, and most likely will not be. Evolutionists still have a hard time explaining the origins of life, the irreductible complexity of life, and the cambrian explosion.

Why are you saddened by people accepting religion? I think it benefits individuals more than atheism does. Religion fills many voids that atheism cannot. I don't see why it matters to an atheist which religion you are because in the end, everyone will suffer the same fate: oblivion.

 

[FZ+]

I'd just like to point out that the evidence behind your belief also is widely controversial. Evolution has yet to be proven, and most likely will not be. Evolutionists still have a hard time explaining the origins of life, the irreductible complexity of life, and the cambrian explosion.

And creationism will?
Cambrian explosion is explainable by puntuated equilibriums.
What irreductible complexity?

I don't see why it matters to an atheist which religion you are because in the end, everyone will suffer the same fate: oblivion.

Yep. Religion offers eternal torment for the majority of the world's population as an interesting variation. I'm sure that makes people so happy...

 

[LogicalAtheist]

Psyber Freek said: "I'd just like to point out that the evidence behind your belief also is widely controversial. Evolution has yet to be proven, and most likely will not be."

Haha! Evolution has LONG since been proven. WTF world are you living in? All agents of evolution have ALL been documented in every species discovered on the planet. Are you living in a damn commune?

I suppose you would also say the Earth has not yet been proven round, since that's about as ourageous a claim? Man, this is gettin' pathetic around here! How does Greg allow this kind of sickness?

FZ+ - You said it bud, you said it. It's sick we have to live in the same time as such humans, is it not? We're trully before our time. Ugh, now I need to get Psyber off with a hot shower.

 

[damgo]

Actually, Nicool is right... studies of long-term happiness generally show that under normal conditions, the only two things which really correlate with increased happiness are 1) deep religious faith, and 2) long-term marriage. But that's neither here nor there.

If I were to guess, it seems you probably have a limited experience with religious folks... probably mainly fundamentalist Protestants. Am I right? I grew up in the middle of the Bible Belt, and yeah, those guys are pretty dumb. Don't judge all religion based on that, though; there are a lot more intelligent religious traditions around.

Also, the fact is we all have beliefs that are not based on evidence: for example, I believe you guys really exist, and I am not just a brain in a vat (or 'in the Matrix' as the kids say ). I believe that the universe functions according to reasonable laws of science, and those aren't going to change from place to place or time to time. But there is zero evidence for these; they are pure faith. And we all have beliefs that are not justifiable by reason alone... moral beliefs come to mind for one.

In any case religious belief seems like a poor litmus test for relationships... I mean really why is such a big deal? I can see not wanting to date some evangelist Christian, but many people are religious just because they haven't bothered to think it through that much, or they have a nuanced reasonable position on it. And anyways, why is it so important?

 

[LogicalAtheist]

Originally posted by damgo
If I were to guess, it seems you probably have a limited experience with religious folks... probably mainly fundamentalist Protestants. Am I right? I grew up in the middle of the Bible Belt, and yeah, those guys are pretty dumb. Don't judge all religion based on that, though; there are a lot more intelligent religious traditions around.

Wrong. I am familiar with people of all religions. It DOES NOT matter who is in a religion. The regilion speaks for itself. I suppose one could argue a given rapist doesn't give you a good idea of who all rapists are. Does it matter?

There can, by the very definition, be no one who is relious and intelligent.

I cannot date a relious person because of the foundations of a relationship. Honesty, and trust. Religious people break both of those with themselves, and therefore could only be expected to break them with others.

 

[eNtRopY]

http://carcino.gen.nz/images/image.php/463c5922/arguing.jpg

 

[Hurkyl]

I see a surprising number of emotional statements coming from someone named "Logical Atheist".

 

[LogicalAtheist]

No your not. You're just not understanding what I'm saying. I didn't say I'd not make emotional statements, I suggest you research my posts before you comment. Otherwise it looks like you're a middle schooler.

 

[Dissident Dan]

Originally posted by damgo
Also, the fact is we all have beliefs that are not based on evidence: for example, I believe you guys really exist, and I am not just a brain in a vat (or 'in the Matrix' as the kids say ). I believe that the universe functions according to reasonable laws of science, and those aren't going to change from place to place or time to time. But there is zero evidence for these; they are pure faith. And we all have beliefs that are not justifiable by reason alone... moral beliefs come to mind for one.

Not true. I'm not going to argue with you that it's been proven that we all exist, but to say that there's no evidence is ludicrous. Evidence does not necessarily equate to proof. And believing that the universe functions according to "reasonable" laws is not faith, but based in reason. Do not equate either of the aforementioned to faith.
---------------------------------------------

Originally posted by LogicalAtheist
Wrong. I am familiar with people of all religions. It DOES NOT matter who is in a religion. The regilion speaks for itself. I suppose one could argue a given rapist doesn't give you a good idea of who all rapists are. Does it matter?

There can, by the very definition, be no one who is relious and intelligent.

That is not true. It is empirically disproven. I once thought that there was a general correlation between being atheism/theism and intelligence, but, in my experiences, the evidence just isn't there. Einstein did believe in god--he didn't have a dogmatic religion, but he did believe in the existence of god (I think that he was a deist). Many doctors and scientists are christians, muslims, etc.

I cannot date a relious person because of the foundations of a relationship. Honesty, and trust. Religious people break both of those with themselves, and therefore could only be expected to break them with others.

I don't see how you can say that. With some religious people, the fear of god keeps them honest and trustworthy. Believing in fairy tales doesn't make you a liar of a backstabber. And you're only limiting your options. I can understand if you're looking for a long-term relationship that you would want an atheist, but for fun-for-now fling, I suggest that you not worry about it.

 

[LogicalAtheist]

DAN - as to your first comment of the three. YES, you freakin' tell em.

As to the other two, you have mistaken a few things, but alas they're percetable so it's ok.

My definition of intelligence rules out relious people. Thus they can't be intelligent, in the way i define it. Surely mensa members are religous. I'm not talking that way.

Secondly, on your last comment you missed my underlying point. you said something like "fear of god keeps some people honest". The underlying point is a belief in God is dishonesty to oneself, denying one the easy ability to research a proper answer.

If it was research, the most proper answer can only be such a God exists only as a character if a respective mythology.

You missed that point, and instead applied it to reality.

To you it looked like I was saying relious people are liars. What I meant was, because of the above point, one who isn't truthfull with themselves (who takes first an emotionally driven result over a truthfull result even if it doesn't satisfy them emotionally) would thus be a danger if one was looking for someone who would be honest and truthfull with them in a relationship

 

[damgo]

entropy -- LMFAO! but watch me do it anyways...

to say that there's no evidence is ludicrous. Evidence does not necessarily equate to proof. And believing that the universe functions according to "reasonable" laws is not faith, but based in reason. Do not equate either of the aforementioned to faith.

What evidence would that be, that would distinguish it from my brain-in-a-vat hypothesis? What evidence do we have that the rules of the universe are not going to change tomorrow, ie that induction works? cf Hume.

LA, so you think nonreligious girls are less likely to lie/cheat on you than religious ones? And you equate religion==stupidity? Ah well...

Condemnant quod non intellegunt.

 

[LogicalAtheist]

Dam - you're making unintelligent jerry springer like assumptions about what I said. I suggest you shut it until you have something worth saying, and quit making JS assumptions please. Ya look bad man, take a shower!