Blacknad wrote:

[QUOTE]
Reason and logic can certainly get to the bottom of things, but it is also true that conclusions that we have reasonably come to have been proven false by empirical research.

So the question is, how do you know that your reasoning is accurate? There is nothing in what you post that would lead me to believe that it is anything other than your very strongly held opinion, and the degree of strength with which we adhere to an opinion is no indicator of its veracity.

You can state these opinions without anything objective to support them, mainly because they are beyond argument. I cannot prove we are capable of altruism, and you cannot prove we are not. You BELIEVE that all of our decisions are based purely upon self interest, and I do not.

Impasse. Just like free-will/determinism. Maybe you have a definitive answer for that one too

Interesting debate, but you will have to present some evidence of your conclusions if you wish to be taken seriously on this site.[QUOTE]

Going by what you have written, your reason tells you that ?reason can certainly get to the bottom of things? but is always subject to new evidence coming to light which could cause it to be ?proven false?. Which boils down to the idea that there are no certainties ? except, of course, your idea that there are no certainties.

As you can see, your point is poorly thought out. Perhaps your use of reason needs more practice.

I also thought it very funny indeed, you stating that you could not show evidence of the existence of altruism, and that that was to be accepted as good enough, but continue on by telling me that without my showing any evidence of the non-existence of altruism, my thinking on this subject will be rejected outright.

Are you trying to be funny?

Is this your idea of a joke?

I have spent post after post giving detailed evidence of the truth about this topic. So far, not one person has brought anything to the table that was anything more than their whimsical feelings on this issue.

How about you use the little reason you possess to figure out the truth about this issue. I would welcome the debate.

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Sue