>Is there, or could there be an after-life?
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Category Archives: Other
>How and why is it that we start life so similar to one another, and yet grow into such different adults?
>Babies are very similar to one another, yet as we grow we change into very different people. Why? If we change so much before having children then why aren’t our children more different to those of the neighbour (and don’t say maybe they’re the neighbour’s children)?
>Has the bailout of multi-national companies put the existence of nation-states as the world’s dominant force at risk of collapse?
>Debt has moved from MNC balance sheets to Sovereign state balance sheets. Further exapserating the high public debt levels is the philosophy of the sovereign countries that they must spur growth with their own money, in order to save themselves in the long term.
This deficit level spending adds further fuel to the nation-state debt levels.
Although economic theory and experts agree that spending must occur to avoid a depression, will the final outcome be bankrupt nations?
Governments can only view the bailout as an investment, spend now to recoup later.
But MNC’s, the greatest beneficiaries, able to restructure their legal status and domiciles, it is quite likely that governments will not recoup their bailout money from taxes paid in future from MNC’s.
With the proliferation of off-shore structures and global tax avoidance schemes, even large national and local companies are starting to lessen their tax burden through inventive structures.
This could leave too large a burden on SME’s to help nation-states recover healthy economic footings, which may not be feasible.
If this occurs, could we see many OECD countries default and become bankrupt?
What would the ramifications of that be? Banana republics?
>Do you believe in the supernatural e.g. Christianity, Islam etc?
>Do you believe the supernatural is possible? If so do you think it is probable?
Someone approached me today asking if I believe in Jesus Christ. I answered that I think he was a good person but not a supernatural being. I would add that he was a great philosopher who has had a profound impact on humanity’s social evolution. Do you agree? Is it possible that Jesus was in part supernatural?
>Must David always become Goliath? Must the hero become the villain?
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In 1947 Israel was seen as David, a small power facing huge Arab Goliaths, and worthy of pity because of it. Yet now Israel is seen as a clumsy bully, and sometimes even stupid in its stubborn persistance with its ‘Iron Wall’ philosophies. The ‘Iron Wall’ philosophy was developed in the 20s, so before Israel even existed. It says any sign of non-compliance with Israel must be met with over-whelming force. And there is little doubt that from then till now that philosophy has created a bully. So was the process inevitable?
Have you ever heard the phrase “You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain”? I’m afraid it doesn’t have a great intellectual source. It’s from the new Batman film (unless it was said elsewhere before). Do you think it’s true? Do good guys, heros, liberators and such forth always become the bad guys of the future?
P.S. I apologize for putting something else into biblical terms Sean. It just seems appropriate with Israel.
>What should the purpose of the criminal justice system be?
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Justice systems are different all around the world. Our ideas about justice are also quite different. Some believe in ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’, yet others believe we should forgive, forget and ‘turn the other cheek’.
It all comes down to what you think justice actually is and what it’s for. So what do you think? What’s the purpose of the criminal justice system? And is that right? What should it be?
>What role should the International Criminal Court play?
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The ICC is a permanent tribunal set up to prosecute individuals for: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. It was created by the Rome Statute only 8 years ago. Yet despite the opposition of big powers like the US and China, it’s commonly seen as having been succesful to date. It has indicted people, inlcuding a serving President, in Sudan, Uganda, Congo, Central African Republic and Kenya.
However, throughout its existence it has not had the power to excercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression, and it is now being debated as to whether we should give the ICC that power. What do you think? Is it practical? Is it desirable? And should we be discussing giving or taking away even more power than just this?
>How old do you have to be before you become fully responsible under the law?
>There was a case this last week of two 10 year old boys being tried for rape in England. If such a case passes in England the children will have the charge on their records for the rest of their lives. The age for criminal responsibility is even lower in Scotland, at 8 years. Yet throughout much of the rest of Europe that age lies somewhere between 12 and 16.
Where do you think that age should be? And should children be treated differently under the law?
>Is Artificial Life a step too far?
>Dr Venter (along with a team of others in Maryland USA) has realised a scientific breakthrough of the kind our great-grandchildren may well be reading about in school. He created a new set of DNA from their chemical elements, and then succesfully inserted them into living cells, thereby creating what many describe as a new life form! This new life has succesfully duplicated billions of times already and is a stable life form.
There will most likely be many implications of this discovery, but will they be good or bad? Will Venter be awared a Nobel Prize for developing the technology that triggers a new industrial revolution, or will he be known as the man who created the technology to build the Earth’s most deadly weapons?
For more details see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/news/2010/05/100521_synthetic_life_nh_sl.shtml
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