[DonQuichotte (OP)]

Just thought I'd leave this here, you know, for purposes of reference. 

http://corkskeptics.org/2011/05/03/the-common-sense-fallacy/

[/quote]

Speaking of the common sense or of the logical fallacy , why don't you try to pay us all a courtesy visit in the consciousness thread to see how Hume was so right by rejecting induction, how Bertrand Russell failed to solve it , and how Karl Popper succeeded so brilliantly in doing so , and much more ...

Take care

[alancalverd]

Seconded. The value of scientific research is in the extent to which it confounds your preconceptions. If everything was obvious, there would be no need for investigation.

[Ophiolite]

Chimps might be better in memory ....but , they cannot match our intellect as a whole , our imagination, creativity ....not even remotely close thus .

Until I see a chimpanzee, or indeed any other animal, worshipping a god, or killing another member of its species for not worshipping the same god, I shall continue to regard human beings as the least intelligent, rational or moral species of all. Creativity, however you measure it, is a very minor virtue in comparison with these. 

We certainly have instances of chimpanzees being killed by their fellows for failing to conform to the power structure of the troop. That is equivalent to acts of religiously motivated violence.

[alancalverd]

Not at all. The power structure of a troop clearly exists and has some purpose. Egregious nonconformity of action defines crime in a civilised society. Presumed nonconformity of thought can only offend the mentally unbalanced or the sort of criminal scum that use religion as an excuse for evil.

Have you observed a chimpanzee attacking another because of what he thought his victim's mother might have done on Sundays? Have you watched brainless idiots stoning schoolchildren in Northern Ireland?

[Ophiolite]

I see you are a digital thinker, not an analogue one. Don't you find that restrictive?

[alancalverd]

One who thinks with his fingers? Arguably the case for an octopus, but I'm not that clever.

[mandy789]

I always believe that we are not alone in the universe.
Maybe some aliens have reached our planet. Of course they just have a tour in Earth.