Arts & Humanities - 7 August 2006

I am starting to believe that everything meaningful can be reduced to appropriate degrees of pain and pleasure. For example, nature is meaningful because it is pleasurable to the senses, it provides food (pleasure), and it destroys (pain).

First, some assumptions:

1. There is no god. There is no spirit.
2. Even if there was, we cannot understand it.
3. We cannot really believe if one action is truly preferable to another (outside of pain/pleasure)
4. Secular morality based on hard rules are impossible.

2006-08-07 19:30:19 · 10 answers · asked by Inburrito 1 in Philosophy

If a sophisticated computer is programmed to "believe" that it is conscious, and answers the question "are you conscious" with a "yes", and can describe "what it is like" to be conscious... then is it conscious? Do you think that you could convince the computer that in some sense it was not just as conscious as a "real" person?

2006-08-07 19:23:42 · 7 answers · asked by Jon 3 in Philosophy

which person is more normal?a purely logical person?a purely emotional person?a haf logical half emotional person?what kind of person you are?what's the adventages and disadvantages of your character?are you a male or a female?what's your job?

2006-08-07 19:19:11 · 13 answers · asked by unicorn 2 in Philosophy

I am 15 and I have been hoping to one day take ballet but I am not the smallest person in the world and all I ever see is pencil thin people who do ballet. Is it possible for a person who isn't skinny(or even close to it) to do ballet ?

2006-08-07 19:10:12 · 18 answers · asked by lotrpottergirl 1 in Dancing

2006-08-07 19:08:54 · 18 answers · asked by sudhir k 1 in Philosophy

I WOULD LOVE TO LEARN HOW TO SPEAK ARABIC

2006-08-07 19:07:18 · 1 answers · asked by Cesar D 1 in Other - Arts & Humanities

I was an art gallery exhibition last week and I had my work in it along with other peoples' art. There was a table where the woman served drinks. I came up to the table and smiled at her, waited patiently. She just ignored me and carried on a conversation with an older man like I wasn't there. I waited 5 minutes and I smiled at her and she glanced at me and continued talking. Other people came and she immediately stopped talking and served them. I never met her in my life, but when I came up to get a drink, I ended up serving myself. She said that she knew who I was but she was unfriendly and cold. By the way everyone in there was caucasian and I was the only asian american there. Is she just stuck up or is it subtle racism?

2006-08-07 19:02:34 · 4 answers · asked by TiredofIdiots 4 in Other - Visual Arts

If yes, what was it?

2006-08-07 18:47:42 · 9 answers · asked by Just Ask 2 in Philosophy

I need the facts

2006-08-07 18:47:35 · 4 answers · asked by o town 1 in History

When I was younger I thought Ayn Rand had given me all the answers. Now, I see her views as selfish and uncaring. Is anyone here a fan of hers?

2006-08-07 18:46:52 · 7 answers · asked by salinger 4 in Philosophy

2006-08-07 18:42:44 · 8 answers · asked by Yogesh 1 in Philosophy

where do homeless people get their buggies (aka shopping carts...)

seriously i mean! i really want to know!

2006-08-07 18:38:52 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Arts & Humanities

If love hadn't made him clumsy
if he hadn't fallen forward
had never drowned
in his own perfection
What would he have thought
about his aging face
as it altered, year after year
season by season?
In the old conspiracy
between the eye
and it's reflection, love casts
a primal shadow
Perhaps he would blame
the wrinkling surface of the pool
for what he saw
or think the blemishes
On his once smooth
were simply small fish
just beneath the skin
of the water

2006-08-07 18:36:01 · 15 answers · asked by animallover435 2 in Books & Authors

2006-08-07 18:34:10 · 4 answers · asked by Black-Widow 2 in Theater & Acting

I have not remembered my dreams (In my own home) since about 2 months ago. I can remember them at my friends houses when I spend the night, but not at my own house. Is that Abnormal?

2006-08-07 18:27:48 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Arts & Humanities

What is your favorite book (or document) that was written over three hundred years ago.

Note: Don't even bother saying the bible

2006-08-07 18:22:32 · 12 answers · asked by John S 4 in Books & Authors

What books have changed the way you think? Feel free to go beyond 5 if you must.

The Bible
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
1984 by George Orwell
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

2006-08-07 18:22:30 · 17 answers · asked by riven3187 3 in Books & Authors

What was the most boring year in the last 1200 years? and why

2006-08-07 18:20:44 · 8 answers · asked by John S 4 in History

A guy told me today that God made women to keep men busy, and they were not as smart as men. Well being a woman I highly dissagree, because, that man seem very well mannered...and believe it or not he was raised by a woman. Why do men think we women are not as smart as them, when a woman most likely raised them?

2006-08-07 18:19:32 · 14 answers · asked by DancingBarefoot 2 in Philosophy

Wandering around the net, yes having seen graphics display on certain words, such as Virgin,Virginal,Organism,Orgasm,Free-Sex,Non-Free-Sex,Anti-Free-Sex,Machine-Vision and all,
I wonders,just how many girls or women are there in comparison to men, phisiologicaly or Biologicaly ?

2006-08-07 18:17:07 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Genealogy

2006-08-07 18:16:27 · 23 answers · asked by Cap'n Donna 7 in Books & Authors

Please!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-08-07 18:15:36 · 4 answers · asked by sharpayevans_hsm 2 in Theater & Acting

what did you think of the ending?

i cried more reading this one than Uncle Tom's Cabin

what do you think happened to the Joad's ?

2006-08-07 18:11:48 · 5 answers · asked by Cap'n Donna 7 in Books & Authors

I already know about theknot.com and weddingchannel.com (searched them over again and again -- The Knot has some great stuff with Real Weddings that has helped me out) and I have been looking at Brides, Elegant Brides, Modern Bride, etc. They all seem to focus more on the dresses and rings and not on decorations or reception ideas.

We are having an outdoor summertime evening wedding next year and we want it to be in between formal and informal. I was thinking of a country (but not gingham check tablecloths and sunflowers) and sunset theme (idea from a YahooAnswers buddy...Thanks Miss D!!).

Do you know of any books, magazines, websites that would for sure have ideas for what I am talking about or anything you think might have some ideas?

If so, I would greatly appreciate any help!

Thanks!
:)

2006-08-07 18:10:43 · 2 answers · asked by ☼ lovethesun11 2 in Books & Authors

2006-08-07 18:10:04 · 6 answers · asked by animallover435 2 in History

wherever you go, someone is trying to brainwash you... i guess you might as well pick one that you like the most.

mine is sitting in front of FoxNews for 18 hours at a time with clips on my eyelids, like the dude in clockwork orange...

2006-08-07 18:09:42 · 17 answers · asked by phil manutsac 1 in Philosophy

Here's a chance to use your creative juices for a change:

According to CNN Headline News. Author J.K. Rowling states that the final word of Book 7 of the Harry Potter book series will be "scar".

Ten points to the person who comes up with the best idea on the last paragraph of the book! (must have the "scar" as the last word). Since I choose the 10 point winner, I do grade on spelling and punctuation.

2006-08-07 18:08:52 · 10 answers · asked by Searcher 7 in Books & Authors

Neville Longbottom seems like he should have been sorted into Hufflepuff. Why do you think the Sorting Hat sorted Neville into Gryffindor instead?

2006-08-07 18:05:20 · 6 answers · asked by Searcher 7 in Books & Authors

i mean like i need to stay up all night so i dont fall assleep and sleep allday

2006-08-07 18:02:45 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Philosophy

2006-08-07 17:59:53 · 1 answers · asked by joseph 1 in Other - Arts & Humanities