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Skepticism


"We know that we know nothing," they chatter, blanking out the fact that they are claiming knowledge—"There are no absolutes," they chatter, blanking out the fact that they are uttering an absolute—"You cannot prove that you exist or that you're conscious," they chatter, blanking out the fact that proof presupposes existence, consciousness and a complex chain of knowledge: the existence of something to know, of a consciousness able to know it, and of a knowledge that has learned to distinguish between such concepts as the proved and the unproved.






Galt's Speech, For the New Intellectual, 154.




Posting this because I happened to be flipping thru the Ayn Rand Lexicon which just today was made available on the internet in its entirety for free. We've talked often in this thread about epistemology and skepticism and so on . I'll post a couple more quotes that I find to be fetching.

Ayn Rand Lexicon online-free

There's a search function which allows for topics and letter searches and so on.


In the history of philosophy—with some very rare exceptions—epistemological theories have … taught either that knowledge is impossible (skepticism) or that it is available without effort (mysticism). These two positions appear to be antagonists, but are, in fact, two variants on the same theme, two sides of the same fraudulent coin: the attempt to escape the responsibility of rational cognition and the absolutism of reality—the attempt to assert the primacy of consciousness over existence …

The mystic is usually an exponent of the intrinsic (revealed) school of epistemology; the skeptic is usually an advocate of epistemological subjectivism.





Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, 105.

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Founder of BOINC team Objectivists. Oh the humanity! Rational people crunching data!
I did NOT authorize this belly writing!

Tonight on Coast to Coast AM airing at 1am EST :

Fri 10.26 >>
Art Bell is joined by Brendan Cook & Barbara McBeath from the Ghost Investigators Society for a new selection of actual recorded voices of ghosts, known as Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP). In the first hour, Evelyn Paglini checks in on her fire predictions.

Live stream courtesy of KFI 640AM Los Angeles

Coast to Coast AM affiliates in the USA, Canada and XM Satellite radio

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Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

Tonight on Coast to Coast AM airing at 1am EST :

Thu 10.25 >>
Researcher Nick Redfern will talk about many cryptozoological creatures including Bigfoot & Mothman.

The Bigfoot mystery will finally be solved tonight.

Ya know...I am not a big fan of Linda Moulton Howe....so I took great pleasure in Fast Blasting George with the link that Dominique provided.

Of course....he probably won't say anything about the story being busted on the air. :-)

She's talking about red rain that has cells that replicate now. Apparently she's asserting that the cells in the rain are alien. Oh boy. :D Can't wait til she's done and the second half starts.

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Tonight on Coast to Coast AM airing at 1am EST :

Thu 10.25 >>
Researcher Nick Redfern will talk about many cryptozoological creatures including Bigfoot & Mothman.

The Bigfoot mystery will finally be solved tonight.

Ya know...I am not a big fan of Linda Moulton Howe....so I took great pleasure in Fast Blasting George with the link that Dominique provided.

Of course....he probably won't say anything about the story being busted on the air. :-)

---

Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

Tonight on Coast to Coast AM airing at 1am EST :

Thu 10.25 >>
Researcher Nick Redfern will talk about many cryptozoological creatures including Bigfoot & Mothman.

The Bigfoot mystery will finally be solved tonight.

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I really should have taken a look at Cryptomundo.....

Dang.... Loren popped my bubble again. If I recall, that's the 2nd time the BFRO had images of a bear, or bear cub, that was less than healthy posing as ol' s'quatch

That's one of the reasons that I like Cryptomundo, though.

They have no problem with calling a bear a bear....lol

---

Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

I really should have taken a look at Cryptomundo.....

Dang.... Loren popped my bubble again. If I recall, that's the 2nd time the BFRO had images of a bear, or bear cub, that was less than healthy posing as ol' s'quatch

Looks about right to me....lol

Well done Dominique. I really should have taken a look at Cryptomundo.....

---

Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

[quote]Yeah...Looks like a hairy costume to me.

Here's some more Bigfoot fodder to toss around. These trail-cam photos where reportedly snapped the middle of September in Pennsylvania. The BFRO site below has enlargements and the 'rest of the story'.

BFRO - Jacobs photos/story



When a mangy bear is just a mangy bear.

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Yeah...Looks like a hairy costume to me.

Here's some more Bigfoot fodder to toss around. These trail-cam photos where reportedly snapped the middle of September in Pennsylvania. The BFRO site below has enlargements and the 'rest of the story'.




BFRO - Jacobs photos/story


_________________
*** Anyone who doesn't believe in Bigfoot never met my ex-mother-in-law

Hmmm....very interesting. Nice find, Scarecrow.

Thanks. :-)

---

Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

Tonight on Coast to Coast AM airing at 1am EST :

Thu 10.25 >>
Researcher Nick Redfern will talk about many cryptozoological creatures including Bigfoot & Mothman.
First Hour: Linda Moulton Howe of Earthfiles, reports on Sasquatch images and India's red rain.

Live stream courtesy of KFI 640AM Los Angeles

Coast to Coast AM affiliates in the USA, Canada and XM Satellite radio

* A classic Coast to Coast tonight...Mothman...Bigfoot...and cryptozoology....gotta love it.

---

Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

Yeah...Looks like a hairy costume to me.

Here's some more Bigfoot fodder to toss around. These trail-cam photos where reportedly snapped the middle of September in Pennsylvania. The BFRO site below has enlargements and the 'rest of the story'.




BFRO - Jacobs photos/story


_________________
*** Anyone who doesn't believe in Bigfoot never met my ex-mother-in-law

Tonight on Coast to Coast AM airing at 1am EST :

Wed 10.24 >>
Investigator and radio host Ross Hemsworth will discuss his latest explorations of orbs and EVPs.

First Hour: Uri Geller talks about the new TV series Phenomenon.

Live stream courtesy of KFI 640AM Los Angeles

Coast to Coast AM affiliates in the USA, Canada and XM Satellite radio

---

Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

Tonight on Coast to Coast AM airing at 1am EST :

Tue 10.23 >>
California Fires Special: Guests address the fires from different perspectives.
Hour 1: Talk show host Lee Hamilton talks aout being evacuated from Rancho Bernardo, followed by San Diego's 'Radio Mayor' Roger Hedgecock.
Hour 2: Prophecy expert John Hogue comments on the fires and climate change.
Hour 3: Glynis McCants presents the numerological aspect.
Hour 4: Dr. Louis Turi shares his predictive & astrological analysis.

Live stream courtesy of KFI 640AM Los Angeles

Coast to Coast AM affiliates in the USA, Canada and XM Satellite radio

---

Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

Tonight on Coast to Coast AM airing at 1am EST :

Mon 10.22 >>
Expert on cults, the occult, and supernatural phenomena, Rev. Bob Larson will discuss extreme evil and the rise in demonic activity in the United States.

First Half-Hour: Consultant Rick Sterling gives an update on NASA.

Live stream courtesy of KFI 640AM Los Angeles

Coast to Coast AM affiliates in the USA, Canada and XM Satellite radio

Rise of demonic activity!? Is he coming to exorcise the forums? :-P

---

Founder of BOINC team Objectivists. Oh the humanity! Rational people crunching data!
I did NOT authorize this belly writing!

Tonight on Coast to Coast AM airing at 1am EST :

Mon 10.22 >>
Expert on cults, the occult, and supernatural phenomena, Rev. Bob Larson will discuss extreme evil and the rise in demonic activity in the United States.

First Half-Hour: Consultant Rick Sterling gives an update on NASA.

Live stream courtesy of KFI 640AM Los Angeles

Coast to Coast AM affiliates in the USA, Canada and XM Satellite radio

---

Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

<off topic - for a minute>

Congratulations Rush on Your Moderator Status . . .

<back on topic>

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BOINC Wiki . . .

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Wasn't this all shown to be fake?
The short answer: No.

That, of course, is just silly.

The longer answer:
The Patterson footage has never been debunked as a hoax. No one has ever demonstrated how it was done. Neither the original "costume," nor a matching costume, has ever been presented by honest skeptics, nor by various imposters who claim to have worn the costume.

Except, well, that it has been debunked per se. There's no reason to "demonstrate[] how it was done," because it self-evidently can be a person in a costume. There need not be a "matching costume," because that is of no relevance--the film is nearly worthless for determining such details and any smart hoaxer would have destroyed the original.

If you're interested in a stabilized version of the Patterson film, you can see it here. That seems to be a site that supports the Bigfoot theory, but there is nothing in that film that could not be a person in a costume.

Large amounts of money have been spent trying to make a matching costume. The best Hollywood costume design talents have been brought to the task, but have never succeeded. The British Broadcasting Corporation spent the most money so far. They failed miserably.

"They failed miserably?" Sheesh, you should see the garbage that the BBC used to get away with for crappy special effects and costumes. If you have any doubt, just look at the old Dr. Who programs. I'm not sure they could "fail[] miserably" at creating a suit and then filming it out of focus, from too far away, with a crappy camera, and while jiggling it up good. Would it be exact? Of course not. Would be similar enough to demonstrate the making of a really crappy film clip? Yes.

Every attempt and failure to make a similar costume strengthens the case for authenticity of the Patterson footage. Comparing a man in a costume side by side with the Patterson creature in motion helps highlight the striking anatomical peculiarities.

Uh huh, as you can see from the stabilized video above, there's no reason that can't be a person in a suit. Chest to thick? Padding. Problems with the "thighs?" Bunched up clothes or padding. Arms too long? Extensions.

That whoever wrote this finds anatomical differences that are striking is simply silly--while he is entitled to his opinion, a casual observer looking at the same film can reasonably conclude that Biggy is a guy in a suit.

If you hear debunking claims in the future, be ready to ask the obvious questions:

Where is the costume?

It's been 40 years or so. It's gone. Lost. Likely even purposely destroyed.

If the original costume is gone, why can't they make an identical costume and do it again? Why is that so hard?

It's not. There is nothing in that video that is beyond the capabilities of a guy in a suit.

Why does the news media always trumpet every half-baked "man in the costume" story that comes along without asking for the obvious proof, which should be so simple to provide?

Odd, this guy seems to understand the reason behind something being so simple, yet denies it when it comes to his own pet theory. What is the simplest explanation? It's a guy in a suit.

Of course, the second the writer catches one or comes up with a dead one, anyone with 1/2 a brain will change their minds instantly. However, even if that were to happen, he had better have caught the exact Biggy that participated in that specific video. Otherwise even with a live Bigfoot, the video will still look most like a guy in a suit.

After seeing the stabilized video...I can easily see where George Lucas got his inspiration for Chewbacca...Yeah...Looks like a hairy costume to me.

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PROUD TO BE TFFE!

Wasn't this all shown to be fake?
The short answer: No.

That, of course, is just silly.

The longer answer:
The Patterson footage has never been debunked as a hoax. No one has ever demonstrated how it was done. Neither the original "costume," nor a matching costume, has ever been presented by honest skeptics, nor by various imposters who claim to have worn the costume.

Except, well, that it has been debunked per se. There's no reason to "demonstrate[] how it was done," because it self-evidently can be a person in a costume. There need not be a "matching costume," because that is of no relevance--the film is nearly worthless for determining such details and any smart hoaxer would have destroyed the original.

If you're interested in a stabilized version of the Patterson film, you can see it here. That seems to be a site that supports the Bigfoot theory, but there is nothing in that film that could not be a person in a costume.

Large amounts of money have been spent trying to make a matching costume. The best Hollywood costume design talents have been brought to the task, but have never succeeded. The British Broadcasting Corporation spent the most money so far. They failed miserably.

"They failed miserably?" Sheesh, you should see the garbage that the BBC used to get away with for crappy special effects and costumes. If you have any doubt, just look at the old Dr. Who programs. I'm not sure they could "fail[] miserably" at creating a suit and then filming it out of focus, from too far away, with a crappy camera, and while jiggling it up good. Would it be exact? Of course not. Would be similar enough to demonstrate the making of a really crappy film clip? Yes.

Every attempt and failure to make a similar costume strengthens the case for authenticity of the Patterson footage. Comparing a man in a costume side by side with the Patterson creature in motion helps highlight the striking anatomical peculiarities.

Uh huh, as you can see from the stabilized video above, there's no reason that can't be a person in a suit. Chest to thick? Padding. Problems with the "thighs?" Bunched up clothes or padding. Arms too long? Extensions.

That whoever wrote this finds anatomical differences that are striking is simply silly--while he is entitled to his opinion, a casual observer looking at the same film can reasonably conclude that Biggy is a guy in a suit.

If you hear debunking claims in the future, be ready to ask the obvious questions:

Where is the costume?

It's been 40 years or so. It's gone. Lost. Likely even purposely destroyed.

If the original costume is gone, why can't they make an identical costume and do it again? Why is that so hard?

It's not. There is nothing in that video that is beyond the capabilities of a guy in a suit.

Why does the news media always trumpet every half-baked "man in the costume" story that comes along without asking for the obvious proof, which should be so simple to provide?

Odd, this guy seems to understand the reason behind something being so simple, yet denies it when it comes to his own pet theory. What is the simplest explanation? It's a guy in a suit.

Of course, the second the writer catches one or comes up with a dead one, anyone with 1/2 a brain will change their minds instantly. However, even if that were to happen, he had better have caught the exact Biggy that participated in that specific video. Otherwise even with a live Bigfoot, the video will still look most like a guy in a suit.

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Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...

. . . again - i repeat - KM, You Sir are doin' one 'knock-up' job with Your Thread . . . KEEP it Up Sir!

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