Thread: 32: Godless
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Old 08-29-2012, 08:17 PM   #8 (permalink)
MichaelApproved
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveNJ View Post
Just wanted to say that the Idiocracy nonsense about dumb people having kids is, well, nonsense. Beyond the fact that the Flynn Effect suggests the exact opposite trend is occurring
It's true that I only have anecdotal information about how many children people are having but the Flynn Effect is a different subject.

From Wiki: The Flynn Effect is the name given to a substantial and long-sustained increase in intelligence test scores measured in many parts of the world.

The point the movie was making, and I was continuing, is that it seemed like "rational" people tend to talk themselves out of having children. They say to themselves "Now's not a good time to have a child." Which leads to them having few or no children.

I don't remember the show exactly but I probably made another argument that it seems the world is getting dumber. The Flynn Effect is an argument that counters my assertion so I'll accept that and revise.

Two ideas I'm considering
1) Perhaps, each year, the media is putting a larger spot light on more uneducated people in the world. If the number of uneducated people stays the same, while the attention they get grows, it may seem like it's a growing problem.

2) Perhaps the number of uneducated people is growing but it's being offset buy the intelligence of the more educated people. Much like the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.


Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveNJ View Post
it's usually used as a coded way for "rational" people to break out the amateur eugenics without having to support their point with science.
From Wiki: Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually a human population.

Eugenics programs usually sterilize "undesirables" so they won't have babies. It's a terrible program and a disgusting notion.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveNJ View Post
That the focal point of reference is a Luke Wilson movie would be comedic if it weren't so tragic that folks tend to believe the stuff they hock in this regard.
Nothing wrong with referencing a movie while making a point. It's pop culture reference that illustrates the point well. It's just like using an analogy. Now, if you disagree with the point, that's a different story, but there's nothing wrong with referencing a movie scene.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveNJ View Post
All of which seems to inform me that people are selectively rational when they feel it is in their interest to do so.
It sounds like you're saying we were cherry picking information but that's not the case. I'm comfortable changing my views if you give a good argument for a different point of view.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveNJ View Post
Confirmation bias is a bitch, atheist or theist.
It certainly is! No matter what you believe, it's hard to avoid. Open discussions like these go along way in preventing it.
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