Hello All,
As per our discussion yesterday, here is the list of discussion topics that we were going through yesterday. Please remember many of these topics will need to be rephrased and some of them can be combined to make one broader topic. Please go through them and let us know your preferences and also let us know any other topics that you would like to discuss. Please do let us know your suggestions for other meetup ideas beyond discussion as well. Use this message board or the following email (inquisitiveminds@yahoogroups.com) to give your inputs.
Thanks,
-Indy,
inquisitiveminds@yahoogroups.com

Discussion Topics

1. Will our cloned self be different?
2. Is happiness the greatest good?
3. Is morality relative or absolute?
4. Does the end justify the means?
5. Must everything have a purpose?
6. Can society (the community) be held accountable for my actions? (could be used to debate all the violence that is presently taking place all around the world).
7. Can art affect politics and society?
8. Is the transcendental self possible?
9. Do cultural products (mass media) affect society?
10. Does technology affect society?
11. Does our perception create our reality?
12. Is there life after death?
13. Is there a pure form of romantic love?
14. Is there evil without a human perception of it?
15. What is the value of originality?
16. Are there masculine and feminine natures?
17. Is loneliness the scourge of mankind?
18. Can there be lying without self-deception?
19. Can there be happiness without ecstasy?
20. Does language influence thought?
21. Can we reach peace without harmony?
22. How does surrealism influence thought?
23. Does philosophy influence actions?
24. How does the pace of life affect the quality of life?
25. Does randomness exist?
26. Can we survive with logic only?
27. Are humans rational?
28. How does education influence society?
29. Is ignorance bliss?
30. How do we get to believe what we believe?
31. Do I need to understand in order to do?
32. Are mothers more important than fathers?
33. Does the art belong to the artist or to the culture?
34. Does the meaning lie in the work of art or in those looking at it?
35. Does money have value beyond its original purpose?
36. Is there value in perpetuating our species?
37. Is it possible to use representative language to express something that is not representative?
38. Is the Internet a tool of destruction or innovation?
39. Is Religion more Important than Philosophy?
40. How Important is Truth? Why do we Lie?
41. What is the Purpose of Institutions?
42. What is the Source of Creative Energy?
43. Is there virtue in selfishness?
44. What exactly do we mean when we use the term ‘reason?
45. Does each individual have a destiny?
46. Is self-centeredness necessarily bad?
47. Can we ever be satisfied with ourselves?
48. Is the computer an innocent tool?
49. Is marriage a viable institution for the 21st century?
50. Is environmentalism overrated?
51. What is the meaning of desire?
52. Is civilization organic or constructed?
53. Does pop culture make us stupid?
54. What does it mean to be religious? How do we define religiosity?
55. What is more important, law or morality?
56. Is there fruitful order to the universe?
57. Do we have to know where we’re going in order to get there?
58. Does life have a moral purpose? Is a purposeless life worth living?
59. Is capitalism beneficial to a society or not?
60. When do principles become tyrannical?
61. Is globalization ethical?
62. Is it desirable to have a one-government world?
63. Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved?
64. Words can’t stop bullets, but, on the other hand, bullets can stop words.
65. Has mankind stopped evolving?
66. Is competition beneficial? Can we live without competition?
67. Is there a difference between a liberal and a conservative mind?
68. What should be the goal of education in a democratic society?
69. Is there progress? If so, is it teleological or spontaneously created?
70. How deeply are we influenced by the media?
71. Is it moral to be rational or is it rational to be moral?
72. Do are beliefs determine our actions?
73. How is the brain related to the mind?
74. Is religion necessary for ethical life?
75. Do we need to revise our beliefs once in a while?
76. Does the Truth Change with the Times?
77. Does Technology improve living? Does it increase happiness?
78. Are Manners an Asset in Society?
79. Can We Have Civilization Without Justice?
80. Which is Primary: Individual or Society?
81. What happens after we die? Do we have a soul?
82. What is reality?
83. Is there intelligent life somewhere else in the universe?
84. How can you dramatically alter your life for the better?
85. What is art?
86. What is creativity, how can we think outside the box?
87. What do you think of Extra Sensory Perception?... Intuition? ...is it real?
88. What is perfection?... Can we achieve it (in our jobs, life, relationships)?
89. Is God really almighty (if there is a God/Goddess)?
90. Is there a better political system?
91. Is there a better economical system?
92. Is there a limit to what we can learn?
93. What is fate?... Can we really change our destiny?
94. The Law of Attraction

I can not believe not one person has tried to answer one question here! Six more questions are needed though!

1. yes of course! Our genes are triggered by outside influences.
2. No. It is the result of dealing with the struggles in life.
3. Relative. Morality depends on the situation.
4. No. The end is never a sure thing, life is a crap shoot.
5. Yes, but an evolving one.
6. No, but it should be capable of detecting the warning signs of a threat.
7. yes, but art is the result of politics and society.
8. Only for the truly empathetic.
9. Yes because most of us are naive and easily manipulated
10. Yes, this is called Moore's law.
11. Yes and we only see a small fraction of what is right in front of us.
12. No, unfortunately, but I am sometimes wrong. Rarely!
13. yes, but I have only experienced the fleeting kind!
14. No, only the human species is calculating enough to be truly evil.
15. It could be priceless, worthless or it is just different!
16. Yes of course in varying degrees.
17. No, selfishness is!
18. Yes, some lies can prevent suffering. There are many types of lies.
19. Yes, happiness comes in different orders of magnitude.
20. yes, but thought creates language.
21. Yes, true peace is a constant work in progress. Harmony is fleeting.
22. Surrealism is a thought.
23. Philosophy is the history of actions.
24. Life is consumed by the pace our life runs at. I like slow, steady and forever.
25. From our perspective at least!
26. Most of us don't have logic and survive fine and those who have are tormented by it.
27. No only very lucky.
28. It manipulates it, crushes creativity and fosters incognizant obedience.
29. Yes, that is why I am a miserable bastard!!! Someone help me please!
30. Most follow the crowd for fear of isolation and never know what they believe.
31. No most (including me) figure it out as we go.
32. Depends on the individual mother and father.
33. The artist is the source but then it can flows out and into time from there.
34. The greater the perspective a piece of art has the greater that piece is.
35. Money is made by man so is it potential use.
36. If we are ethical yes otherwise I am not sure.
37. Everything is but some things are not worth bothering, like this question.
38. It can be both.
39. No religion is man made while philosophy is a branch of science.
40. Truth is priceless and see 18.
41. Go ask those working there!
42. A life time of experiences.
43. Yes, survival of a worthless one.
44. We can act with reason but a falling rock will just fall!
45. Yes and it is a good thing we have prisons!
46. No, I just don't like those who possess it.
47. I hope so. I pity you otherwise!
48. Yes of course. What we do with it is another matter!
49. Yes but different for different people!
50. Only if it is supersedes the value of humanity! Tough question.
51. It is the purpose of life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
52. First it is organic then it is constructed.
53. Not all of us! Pop culture is stupid though!
54. Ignorant complacency!
55. Morality, law is not absolute!
56. No it is just so vast that fruitfulness is guaranteed though luck.
57. Depends on how much time and energy you have.
58. What is the alternative?
59. A little good and a lot of bad.
60. Again when selfishness enters the equation.
61. It can be when selfishness exits the equation.
62. No but it has already happened and the owners are still just settling in.
63. Tough question. Depends on my mood.
64. That is why I have an F.I.D. card and will not give it up!
65. No we are now evolving faster than ever. Knees, eyes, and brains mostly.
66. Yes it can be good. No we should not. Cooperation is better though.
67. Interesting! I would like to see an fMRI of that.
68. Teaching is part of learning and we should all be learning!
69. Progress is a two way street. We only need to be prepared to move!
70. The media is why we are so stupid!!!
71. Depends on what you’re being rational about but they are the same thing.
72. Yes, when we can let them.
73. Like paint is to a painting!
74. No, just look at me, ha, ha, ha!
75. Yes or else what value do they have?
76. No we just have more of them.
77. No it just makes it more interesting and "must" always be improving.
78. Only for those who require them.
79. No, Civilization is built upon a civil form of justice.
80. Without the Individual there is no society.
81. Our soul is in the memories and words we leave behind.
82. I study quantum mechanics for that.
83. I hope so there sure isn't any here!
84. The lottery! No honestly by loving and being loved.
85. Anything that makes you think!
86. Forget fads, fashion and learn to disagree and express it then WAKE UP!
87. ESP is just coincidence and some good intuition that is all.
88. No you can only strive to come close.
89. No God is a man made fictional character we made almighty.
90. Yes, N.E.P. New Ecological Paradigm.
91. Yes Aeonomics The economics of an immortal society.
92. No, just look at all the savants in the world.
93. I hope so otherwise I am screwed!
94. It is all about symmetry.

The last six questions. I like even numbers.

95. Can love be controled?
95. No it has to be free and unrestrained!

96. Is it possible for one person to be right and everyone else wrong?
96. Yes, we are just now beginning to learn the truth. Humanity has always been wrong!

97. Does man have the right to dominate other life on earth?
97. No we choose to and should be living in harmony with all life on earth. I know not possible!

98. Does love have to be monogomus?
98. Depends on those involved!

99. Can you die of a emotionaly broken heart?
99. Yes, it causes so many physical symptoms!

100. Is humanity superior to all other forms of life on earth?
100. Not at all. Bees and ants work better together. We are not the strongest and far from being the smartest.

Here are the correct answers.

1 Yes
2 No
3 Absolute
4 Never
5 Yes
6 Conditional
7 Unfortunately, yes.
8 Who Cares
9 Unfortunately, yes.
10 Unfortunately, yes.
11 Nope
12 No one knows
13 Probably not
14 No
15 Absolute
16 Absolutely
17 Answer: Subjunctivism
18 Yes
19 Of course
20 It can either enhance or restrain it
21 Why should we want to?
22 In very bad ways
23 Yes
24 Faster = Worse
25 Yes (ultimately)
26 No
27 On a scale
28 A purely academic education is a very bad thing.
29 For more than half of humanity
30 By not learning (mostly)
31 Most people don't
32 Only to (some) mothers
33 the ages
34 Ideally they approach uniformity
35 Unfortunately, yes.
36 Without a shadow of a doubt
37 Everything is representative
38 Destruction, but also good things (but not innovation)
39 No
40 1) Of absolute importance. 2) I don't.
41 It has changed.
42 Deep roots
43 No
44 Reason.
45 I do
46 Yes
47 I am.
48 It's not really a tool, but yes.
49 I have no idea
50 No, just completely misguided
51 It means to want something
52 The good parts are organic, the bad parts are "constructed (contrived).
53 Yes, completely stupid.
54 Narrowmindedness.
55 Morality
56 Yes
57 Wherever we get to is where we were headed, but it's nice to know in advance.
58 1) Yes 2) No
59 Not
60 When people allow it
61 No - though this needs much clarification
62 I don't think so.
63 And it's better to have lived and died than never to have lived
64 Not really, but they can stop people from speaking (sometimes the words live on)
65 Most everyone but me (and a few others)
66 1) Yes 2) No
67 Not very much of a difference.
68 To teach people how to live off the land (the earth)
69 1) very little 2) Both. Good progress is teleological
70 Me? Not much - Almost everyone else, too much.
71 Both
72 Not as much as most people would like to think
73 They're father and son.
74 Absolutely not
75 We need to eliminate them (except one)
76 Dumb question
77 Does more harm than good
78 Yes. More than is generally understood.
79 No
80 Individual
81 1) No one knows 2) Yes (broadly defined)
82 Just look around
83 Waste of time
84 Yes. I have time and time again and still do constantly.
85 An expression of prior physical experience
86 Creativity springs from experience as form springs from function
87 Probably
88 We can approach it
89 Of course (if he exits, which no one knows)
90 Is there a less bad political sytem would be a better phrasing
91 Same as above
92 Yes, but we can never reach it so it is for all practical purposes unlimited
93 We can't help but to
94 Go away