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07-16-2015, 06:04 PM
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Banned
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Holmes crazy act doesn't work.
The jury finds him guilty of murder.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/17/us...-shooting.html
PS - if somebody can edit my typo in the topic line and make it " Holmes' ", that would be great. Thanks.
Last edited by Ike Bana; 07-16-2015 at 06:08 PM.
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07-16-2015, 06:31 PM
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Area Man
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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What is the dividing line between "sane" and "insane", Ike? Or is that to simplistic a question? I've always thought "insane" would mean an individual is not truly in charge of his own thoughts/actions.
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"When the lie is so big and the fog so thick, the Republican trick can play out again....."-------Frank Zappa
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07-16-2015, 06:47 PM
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Ready
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Join Date: Oct 2013
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But a person isn't 'in charge' of their actions, who is? I haven't heard of anyone actually being controlled by radio waves from aliens or the CIA.
In fact 'being insane' means 'makes very bad decisions as to what to do.' What else can it mean? We distinguish between persons who's decisions largely make some sort of sense, and persons who are so fucked-up they don't eat unless they randomly collide with food. Somewhere in there we make a line and say the far side of it is 'legally insane.' How we describe that line seems pretty fuzzy and semantically odd to me. So i have no idea what side of it to put Holmes on.
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If you Love Liberty, you must Hate Trump!
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07-16-2015, 06:56 PM
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Loyal Opposition
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Johnson County, Kansas
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueStreak
What is the dividing line between "sane" and "insane", Ike? Or is that to simplistic a question? I've always thought "insane" would mean an individual is not truly in charge of his own thoughts/actions.
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There are plenty of philosophical questions surrounding the insanity defense. You have identified the central one. I have always thought that it takes some sort of mental flaw to engage in cruelty, including murder. On the other hand, one might suppose that there is simply such a thing as evil. That, of course, leads to the question of what is the cause of evil. There are theological theories on the nature and origin of evil, but many do not subscribe to religious explanations for anything.
Do those who would reject theological definitions of evil nevertheless recognize that some force motivates some people to treat others with cruelty and disdain, even when there is no gain other than the satisfaction of such acts? Even when there is a supposedly rational motivation immense cruelty, such as marshaling power, can use of such means still be described as evil?
I believe that evil motivates people to act in ways that can otherwise be described as cruel, immoral or unethical. I don't think that we can objectively discern the source of such evil.
Regards,
D-Ray
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Then I'll get on my knees and pray,
We won't get fooled again; Don't get fooled again
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07-16-2015, 07:29 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 5,172
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.... How, or why, does that seed of evil get planted and take root in some individuals and not others?
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07-16-2015, 07:45 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Sierras
Posts: 14,210
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barbara
.... How, or why, does that seed of evil get planted and take root in some individuals and not others?
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I believe that it is because those people lack empathy.
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White Christian Nationalism:
Freedom for us, order for everyone else, and violence for those who transgress.
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07-16-2015, 07:57 PM
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Senior Member
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BeamOn
I believe that it is because those people lack empathy.
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Yes, they lack empathy. But how did that happen?
Are people hard wired from birth to not have empathy? Are they born with it and lose it somewhere along the way?
I'm leaning toward believing that some people are just born evil and no matter what their early life experiences are.... They are destined to carry out evil acts.
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07-16-2015, 08:33 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Sierras
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barbara
Yes, they lack empathy. But how did that happen?
Are people hard wired from birth to not have empathy? Are they born with it and lose it somewhere along the way?
I'm leaning toward believing that some people are just born evil and no matter what their early life experiences are.... They are destined to carry out evil acts.
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Yes, I believe that they are born that way and no amount of psychiatric help can change their thinking.
__________________
White Christian Nationalism:
Freedom for us, order for everyone else, and violence for those who transgress.
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07-16-2015, 09:42 PM
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Loyal Opposition
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Johnson County, Kansas
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Is evil an objective standard?
Regards,
D-Ray
__________________
Then I'll get on my knees and pray,
We won't get fooled again; Don't get fooled again
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07-16-2015, 09:49 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Edge of America
Posts: 1,509
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barbara
.... How, or why, does that seed of evil get planted and take root in some individuals and not others?
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Bad genes and a bad upbringing - nature and nurture. Get one of them right you have a chance of overcoming the effects of a substandard other.
Both bad - looking at a big mess down the road if some environmental variable doesn't change the inevitable.
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Try to rely on yourself as much as possible - when things go to hell, you will know who to blame.
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