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Just Chat! / English Word That Means Uncle Or Aunt.

« on: 27/07/2023 17:49:27 »

Is there any English word that means "uncle or aunt"? The reason why I ask is because I was interested in the artificial language Esperanto a while back. And their word is geonklo I think.

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Just Chat! / Re: Is There Any Evidence For God?

« on: 21/07/2023 01:45:22 »

Also I was going ask, what about philosophical terms like ultimate reality, transcendental absolute and unmoved mover? Are they still used in modern philosophy? How are they defined? I think unmoved mover is just a very old term from Aristotle.

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Just Chat! / Is There Any Evidence For God?

« on: 20/07/2023 10:22:06 »

You will notice I put this in the science section. Is there any evidence for God?

I know there's no proof. And a lot of the claims of religions, like miracles and divine intercession, seem even unlikely. But is there any support for him at all?

Because you know Albert Einstein was pantheist. And some people think Carl Sagan was an agnostic. But no one is sure. And he did say things like "Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality."

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General Science / Is Medicine A Science Or An Art?

« on: 13/07/2023 16:29:58 »

I guess I can tell you. Every other year I have to have a colonoscopy. I have colitis. It's fortunately under control, unlike my mother's case. But I have to sign a waver before each procedure. And it says medicine isn't exacting. Because it's an art, not a science.

I'm sure they are just saying that to cover their butts, in case I feel the need to sue them for malpractice (which I am sure will never happen--I have a very good doctor). But it got me wondering.

Is medicine a science? Or an art? Because I know the culinary sciences are a definite art. Psychology and psychiatry may be an art, I don't know. But what about medicine?

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General Science / 'Everyone Has An Accent But Me'...

« on: 06/07/2023 12:14:17 »

When I was a little kid, I thought British people all had thick accents. So did Australians, apparently. But you know, we all have accents. I have an American accent. People in Windsor, Canada near where I live have Canadian accents.

But what is that called when you think everyone has an accent, except you? I once heard the term ethnocentrism. That might apply. There's also the word culturocentrism.

And what is the explanation for this? Why does everyone seem to have an accent but you? Do the language centers of the brain have anything to do with it?

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General Science / Infinity...

« on: 29/06/2023 15:36:32 »

I was wondering. Can anything physically literally go onto into infinity?

I know hypothetically things can. The number line goes onto into infinity in both directions. And on a line, between points A and B, there are an infinite number of points. But that's not what I am talking about.

Also, I was wondering. We live in a universe. But there is a bigger multiverse, isn't there, of many universes. Is the process of universes going in and out of existence, infinite and eternal?

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Just Chat! / How Can the Cell Phone Company Always Find You?

« on: 22/06/2023 16:18:25 »

I usually just call people locally. But you know, no matter who you call, anywhere in the world, the cell phone company seems to locate them. You could call someone in Siberia, in outer Mongolia. And your call would be routed right to them. Almost immediately, right?

How can the cell phone company locate everyone everywhere in the world? Especially now that there are so many people using cell phones.

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Just Chat! / What Gives Money Its Value?

« on: 15/06/2023 05:24:06 »

I was shocked to learn in HS that money basically has no value. Our teacher, Mrs. L, told us that it isn't backed up with anything at all. Up until 1971, 5% of U.S. money was backed up with gold. Now its backed with nothing. But then she asked us. If someone gave you a hundred dollars, what would you do? Burn it or spend it? So it obviously has some value.

A couple of things. There's not enough gold to go around, since population has expanded. If we relied on gold, we'd all starve. Also, I was thinking. What really gives gold it's value? There's very little of it. And it's recognized as the medium of exchange. Is that what gives money its value?

29

Just Chat! / Heat-Treating Rubber Bands...

« on: 08/06/2023 05:48:09 »

Interesting story. I had some rubber bands in my attic from some time back. And they were pretty old, several years at least. It gets pretty hot in my attic because I don't cool it. And the rubber bands were in perfect condition.

This seems odd to me, at least. Because it seems rubber bands deteriorate and warp almost immediately, or so it seems. This has happened to me more than once too. Heat seems to make my rubber bands last longer.

What gives?

30

Just Chat! / Why Does Latin Need A Vocative?

« on: 01/06/2023 05:11:30 »

The vocative case in Latin is the noun of direct address. Why does it need it?

According to Shakespeare, Julius Caesar's last words were Et tu, Brute? meaning "Even you Brutus?". Brutus is in the vocative case. But I just said it without using it. And you understood what I meant.

So why did the ancient Latins think they needed this special case?

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Complementary Medicine / The Benefits of Air Baths...

« on: 25/05/2023 08:36:07 »

Are there any real benefits to "air baths"? Benjamin Franklin reportedly used to take them. He basically just sat around the house naked for a couple of hours. I assume he put a rob on if he had any guests. But is there any real medical benefit? Nudists are welcome to this discussion.

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Just Chat! / The Linguistic Status Of 'Thrice'?

« on: 18/05/2023 09:19:48 »

What exactly is the linguistic status of the word "thrice" now? Words are acceptable. Then they become archaic. Then they are obsolete. It's obviously not obsolete yet. But is it archaic?

In the US, where I live, it's used more in an ironic or humorous sense. People rarely use it otherwise. What's it like in other English-speaking countries? Because I would argue it is archaic. But Webster's New World Dictionary claims it is not yet.

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That CAN'T be true! / Spring-Heeled Jack.

« on: 11/05/2023 06:16:11 »

I think I've chosen the right forum for this. Who was Spring-Heeled Jack? Spring-Heeled Jack was a fantom that terrorized England from 1837 to 1904. The circumstances surrounding his appearances are interesting. Here is the Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring-heeled_Jack

So what exactly was he/she/it? There must be some rational explanation for him. What was it?

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Just Chat! / The Detroit River Is Actually A Straight.

« on: 11/05/2023 06:10:08 »

It's really interesting. I live in Detroit. But the Detroit River is actually a straight. The word Detroit is actually a name that comes from the French word detroit meaning "strait". The flag or pendant of Detroit represents the three regimes that once ruled Detroit. The French, the British, the United States, and then the United States once again. The upper right quarter contains three couchant lions, representing Great Britain, which controlled the fort from 1760 to 1796.

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Physiology & Medicine / What's the Evolutionary Significance of Fashion?

« on: 04/05/2023 11:36:52 »

What is the evolutionary significance of fashion? The styles people wear and the make up women use. Because it is not related to things like fertility or health. So it seems important to attraction.

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Just Chat! / Re: If Religion Wants To Survive...

« on: 27/04/2023 11:37:36 »

When an African American finds religion, it can make them more open-minded, too.

That's pushing the boundaries of our policy on racial slur.

The implication is that that ethnic group is somehow not open minded until they find religion.

Was that what you meant, or did you just not think?

It's also implausible anyway.
A person would need to be open minded enough to consider religion in order to "find" it.
So it's not possible that religion makes them open minded.
On the other hand, religion frequently makes people closed minded.
Have a look on any flat earther page to find plenty of evidence.

Okay, I can't express myself as well as some people. And I certainly am not the type of person who would use a racial slur.

I will try to avoid the subject in general from now on. But since you brought it up, I have to ask you. Did I really use a racial slur? My post may have seemed a little indelicate, perhaps. Or perhaps you just misunderstood it. But read my posts carefully. I mean, "racial slur". That's rather strong of a discription anyways, don't you think? As I said, it was not my intent. I will try to be more careful in the future in any event. And apologize if I was misunderstood.

EDIT: And when I use terms like African American, I am only talking about cultural differences. I don't believe there are any racial differences.

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Just Chat! / Re: If Religion Wants To Survive...

« on: 27/04/2023 05:30:54 »

Anyways, I hope I'm not taking this thread in a different direction. But I also I wanted to add. When an African American finds religion, it can make them more open-minded, too. And socially-conscious. A religious African American is less likely to support capital punishment, for example. And when white Southerners find religion? Let's not go there.

But in the North I think the white and black people tend to be more spiritual, not religious. I think there is an important distiction there.

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Physiology & Medicine / Bullying And Groupthink.

« on: 27/04/2023 05:29:44 »

When I was a kid, there was this girl in grade school. Call her A. And she was so sweet. But the kids picked on her mercilessly, apparently because she was a little different.

We really didn't have a class president, because we were a small school. But one time we tried it. And she ran, probably because her therapist or someone told her to (I still don't know the details of her case).

Out of about 90 kids, only three people voted for her. She obviously voted for herself, and we later figured the teacher probably voted for her. So really only one kid voted for her, I still don't know who.

One or two kids picking on someone is bad enough. But why does everyone seem to do it then?

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Just Chat! / Re: National Anthems and the Ode to Joy...

« on: 23/04/2023 18:10:52 »

Good point/s.

Anyways, just to answer bored chemist's question...

Well, I already knew the European Union. I thought Esperanto movement used it. But they don't.

I knew at least one African country used it. It is "Rise, O Voices of Rhodesia" (or "Voices of Rhodesia"), the national anthem of Rhodesia.

Also, this quote is interesting:

Over the years, Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" has remained a protest anthem and a celebration of music.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ode_to_Joy

So alancalverd I'm curious. Why did the european Union adopt it as their anthem?

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Just Chat! / National Anthems and the Ode to Joy...

« on: 23/04/2023 17:09:47 »

I just wanted to ask this question, if anyone knows the answer. Why is the Ode to Joy the default melody for every new national anthem? There are a lot of classical melodies after all.

As I said on another message board, I was thinking "He Shall Feed His Flock" from Handel's Messiah. Or perhaps even another one.

Plus the Ode to Joy? It's kind of catchy. But I don't know if I like it that much.