There are opinions an there are reseach-based findings that are testable by others.The latter can include personal research, aka life experience, working hypotheses, etc. None are ultimate truth in an epistimological sense, but they tend towards being reliable -- some, the more rigoursly reseached oned, very much so. Quantum mechanics makes predictions accurate to 6o7 digits, I am told.
An example, personal preference (I like republicans or I like democrats) is an opinon and turrq's stories of contradiction may be relevant in characterizing this and many other like opinions. However, that some are not be able to distinguish between opinion and research-based reliabile findings is interesting and a bit dangerous. Stories "AIDS is a deadly sexually easily-transmitted disease. Its risk can be sharply diminished by use of condoms and knowing ones sexual partner(s) well." "AIDS is a conspiracy and hoax of the medical establishment and is not sexually transmitted at all, and if I have sex with 100 strangers without condoms, I will never get it." "Walking in front of an oncoming bus is very dangerous and can be fatal." "Buses are just quantum soup, as am I. I can walk in front of an oncoming bus, and our quantum soups will just pass through each other. Besides I am wearing my magic gemstone and crystals, so I am safe, I am invincible." "Going to work everyday brings in a paycheck with which I can pay expenses and save some." "Going to work is a stupid con of THE MAN. Mother nature is cool, she will provide me with everything I need as I lay here in the park, just enjoying. Say, pass that doobie over here brother" --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Jason Spock <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > The ability to appreciate several points of Views simultaneously is a very powerful Taoist technique that will enable you to see the larger picture and see how it all fits in. > > I'm curious to know TomTraynor's opinion on this.?? > > TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Date: Thu, 31 May 2007 08:49:41 -0000 > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Stories > > > Maharishi is one of the greatest spiritual teachers > the world has ever known. He is a living saint, fully > enlightened, and thus incapable of doing anything that > is not fully in accord with the laws of nature. There- > fore anything that anyone says against him is false, > and indicates that the person saying it is either > deluded or has some malevolent intent towards this > great saint. He's one of the world's 'good guys,' and > anyone who speaks ill of him is a 'bad guy.'" > > "Maharishi is a con man who has systematically ripped > off the gullible seekers who have followed him for > decades. He promises them everything -- including > enlightenment -- and delivers on almost nothing. And > to protect himself he has created an autocracy that > punishes any questioning of his authority or his > essential 'right' to dictate to his followers what > they should do and think with excommunication or > worse (legal action should they violate the copy- > rights he has taken out on common domain techniques > and knowledge). He's a 'bad guy,' and anyone who > tells the 'truth' about him (as defined above) is a > 'good guy.'" > > "Global warming is a serious problem that threatens > the future of humanity and the Earth, and those who > attempt to diminish its importance are enemies of > humanity." > > "Global warming is a scam perpetrated by 'scientists' > who are in it for the money, and who are putting over > one of the biggest frauds in history on their fellow > human beings." > > "Polticians of the Republican/Democrat ic Party (pick one) > are 'good guys' who have the welfare of the population > as a whole in their hearts. Anyone who says something > negative about them is doing so because they *oppose* > the welfare of the population as a whole. Such people > are liars and are not to be trusted." > > "Polticians of the Republican/Democrat ic Party (pick one) > are 'bad guys' who have sold out to the interests of > those who control them from behind the scenes. The only > thing they care about is themselves, and putting more > money and more power in their pockets. Anyone who says > something negative about them is doing so because they > *oppose* these self-interested actions, and are acting > from a sense of heroism, 'protecting' the welfare of the > population as a whole. Such people are heroes and are > to be trusted implicitly because they *are* heroes." > > "I am 'right' because because the sources I have quoted > to support my position are 'better' than yours." > > "You are 'wrong' because because the sources you have > quoted to support your position are 'lesser' than mine." > > "My view of who I am and what I do and why I do it is > 'correct' and yours is 'incorrect,' because I say so. > No one could *possibly* believe the things you're saying > about me, so the fact that you're saying them means that > you are intentionally 'lying' about me." > > "Your view of who you am and what you do and why you do > it is 'incorrect' and mine is 'correct,' because I say so. > I *do* believe the things I'm saying about you, and you > just can't handle the possibility that they're true." > > What do all these stories have in common? First, obviously, > they're all Just Stories. NONE of them are 'true' or > 'truth' -- they're just stories that we tell ourselves > and others. > > The other thing that all of these stories have in common > is that they are all OPINION. No matter how many 'facts' > or 'sources' one trots out to support them, opinions they > are and opinions they remain. There is NOTHING you can > do to make them more than opinion. > > Can't we all just get along? Can't we have opinions of > our own without believing that the opinions of others > are "lesser" or "wrong" and that the others who hold > these opinions are "lesser" than we are or less "right" > than we are? > > What if we lived in a universe in which ALL of the stories > we tell to ourselves and to others are "true," and just > *seem* to be contradictory? What if the universe supported > ALL of these seeming contradictions, without missing a > step, and found a way to reconcile ALL of them? > > It seems to me that we DO live in such a universe. If > it can reconcile all these seemingly contradictory > stories, why can't we? > > > > > --------------------------------- > Looking for earth-friendly autos? > Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center. >
