If you reproduce to create a better gene pool that is a purpose. What creates that purpose to reproduce to provide a better gene pool? Why not just live and die. Or why live at all.
Value need not be "recognized"... it's something which IS... recognized or not. Value is not up to me to "appreciate"... "Engineering", "purpose", "designer"... all false. What IS real, at this time... I gotta go take a leak and feed my dogs...
What is the purpose of emotions. Why would you feel them. Darwin says people want sex to reproduce, for better genes. So why would you feel emotions. And yes you have to appreciate because if you do not appreciate you are not aware. If you are not aware then how can you question anything.
Taxing the rich is a great idea. The only problem is ALL the members of the congress are part of the 1%.
Not only did I find the arguments in this thread a bit strained, but i found the arguments in both the Tatchell and Morgan articles in the Huffy Puffy Post to be a bit strained also. If the Morgan article was to be a response to Tatchell, might it have been better to begin it with a synopsis of Tatchell's, one-off, 20% tax proposal and then proceed to rebut the proposal bit by bit? Had this been done, the intended context would have been clear. In the context of the recent tax proposals in the U.S., however, the Morgan article seems to be nothing more than a poorly argued rant against raising taxes on the wealthy. You've made it clear that the Morgan article is a response to Tatchell, and I assume by extension it is not to be considered a rebuke of recent U.S. proposals to up the tax rate on the rich. Very well then. I'm inclined to think it is not much better in the context of the Tatchell article either. There is a silver lining here though: at least the rather bizarre, but innovative, Tatchell article was entertaining.
Towards what end? That is exactly the question. We can either accept God (or something God-like), or we can accept that there really is no purpose to existence (which many people do, and are comfortable with). There are no other viable choices.
No I did note it originally in fact I wrote it as a direct response to the Tatchell article. The huff post gave me my own blog and decided to post it internationally instead of in the UK with out the link to the Tatchell paper. If there is a bias it is the huff post. The arguments are generic though. I have no agenda but have to point out there will be detrimental consequences of the tax increase on anyone.
You have kind of accepted my argument in a round about way. You say there is an acceptence of God or no purpose. The point I am making is that when you appreciate things there is clearly a purpose, partly in the appreciation in itself. There is a greater point to life than simply living and dying in the experiences you have during it. It is when people are pushed to the emotional limit they gain an appreciation for their life and experience things other people do not. Through those experiences and the pains and joys in them they appreciate there is a higher level to life which exceeds the darwinian explanation. As people who have gone through difficult times who adopt a faith. You will see a resounding change from that. The difficult time made them appreciate there is more to life than what they previously appreciated. They may not understood emotions previously conveyed until they experienced them themselves. They may have not felt pain in that way before or a sense of a guiding hand or hopelessness. And no I don't think belief in God is a reaction to situations out of ones control but more an appreciation of a greater level of consciousness or emotions they were previously unaware of. I think this is where many people become enlightened in their life to a greater point to life.