Philosophical Question - Amiguing

[bloodline]

That's a great question hbarcellos, for me it is the original architecture of the Amiga system, be that the hardware (which is now totally redundant when compared to even the most basic machine- ie raspberry pi). But far more interesting is the Operating system, and I'm keen to know how the Amiga OS architecture works on modern hardware, for that reason I'm involved with the AROS project (and have been for nearly 15 years), which unlike the other "next gen" amiga OS projects, is AmigaOS 3.1 running on modern hardware, and I find that exciting.

[bloodline]

We are not a body with a soul but a soul with a body.

Or maybe we are just a very special body

[bloodline]

Well let us just say that human beings aren't quite the purely rational, utility-maximising beings certain Enlightenment philosophers and modern economists would like.

Also anyone who doesn't like the Amiga has no soul.

That's not fair, I don't think I have a soul... But I still love the Amiga

[bloodline]

I'm not sure Humans do have the ability to control their own destiny... We perhaps have the potential to do so, but really we are mostly just slaves to the common animal functions of eating and trying to reproduce... And then patting ourselves on the back and marvelling at how easy we have made it to do these things.

[bloodline]

Oh of course, I just wanted to stress the point that's all.

It is written many times in the Qur'an and also narrated in the traditions of Prophet Muhammad(pbuh&hf) and his legitimate successors (The 12 Imams) that man was placed on Earth purely as it's vice-regent with the sole task of taking care of it.

As strange as it may seem, at first glance I agree with the above statement... Then, when I actually think about this statement I realise that I don't agree with it.

I don't think we are here to be caretakers of the Earth, the earth runs just fine as a system in its own right... Far better we minimise the inevitable impact we will have upon it, but even then if we screw up our world... Something will survive, something will continue and eventually flourish. We aren't really that special, and I suppose we just don't realise that... Which leads us to squabbles over lines in the dirt and the need to satisfy our every whim.

We, as a species, behave like spoilt children... All thinking out little group is better than all the others.

Sorry for the philosophical rant, just typing out aloud really.

[bloodline]

What I find most comical is that many atheists seem intent on converting believers to their way but I personally couldn't give a damn about trying to convert someone to my way.  I don't see the point in even trying.

Many? That's a bit harsh

"Those who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) are deaf and dumb in darkness. Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the Straight Path whom He wills." Al-Qur'an 6:39

I'll always answer questions people ask me about what I believe and I'll always correct incorrect assumptions people have but thats about the length and breadth of it for me.

edit:

If I'm wrong then I'll just die and my life will not have been worse off for believing either.

As long as one's beliefs don't conflict with causing someone else any harm, I have to agree with you

[bloodline]

<=49.9% then?

That's... better? Hahaha

Oooh I'm so tempted to quote another verse. lol

careful, you'll just be throwing a flammable substance on an already ignited object

[bloodline]

I wrote a long reply and then scrapped it because I really couldn't give a toss whether you do or do not believe in anything.  It's irrelevant to me.

Ultimately everyone has to accept the nature of the reality they perceive around them, and it isn't necessarily a bad thing that the views may be different.

Though sometimes I feel a little sorry for the old Saxon/Nordic/Greek/Roman/etc deities that almost no one believes in them any more! :-(

[bloodline]

Since this is an off topic thread, I will continue

I'm not going to discuss the possibility of a god/gods/etc and the validity or otherwise of the various religions... My feelings are well known and I have little interest in changing others views

But what does trouble me is the idea of a soul or thy humans are in some way special... I feel that puts other organisms in a very unfair position. But worse, much worse than that, it implies that a machine could never be "intelligent" or "creative" or even be considered as sentient. This to me seems absurd, I think it's perfectly reasonable to have sentient machines and for that I will argue

[bloodline]

Pure science fiction, the idea of sentient machines.
Machines that mimic sentient behavior so well that it seems realistic?
Sure.

Now your point on animals?
I wholly agree, they deserve consideration.

Your assertion is prejudiced, you like organisms that operate along the lines by which you operate... That's a bit unfair

[bloodline]

I can't speak for other religions but according to Islamic belief all the animals have souls.

The difference is that humans can sin, other animals can't so they all go to paradise.

Again, I feel that is a bit arrogant (trying to think of a less pejorative word here), it suggests animals can't be responsible for their own actions. We can see clearly in the higher primates and other social animals, that individuals can commit acts that are considered "wrong" by their peers and are punished within their society, they are clearly responsible for their actions... To use religious language, they have sinned!

[bloodline]

Sinning is to rebel against God, not society. God never told animals to do or not to do anything, so nothing is "wrong" for them.

I just hope there are mosquito nets in heaven.

That assumes you are an authority on what god decided to disclose to you and the animals... It seems like an arrogant position to me, I prefer not to assume I know everything

[bloodline]

It's a good point, I never caught my dog reading the Bible but maybe there is divine inspiration in some of the things he sniffs.

Maybe that which is revealed to dogs is far more important than that which is found in the bible

[bloodline]

A sin is a breach of a contract between man and God. No such contract exists between the other animals and God.

My use of language was remiss then, I still have a problem with the human centric concepts that put animals and machine subservient to them

[bloodline]

Machines are subservient perhaps but not animals.

Doesn't answer the question, if a machine can be sentient?