While Sanity is not a prerequisite for Intelligence, Enthusiasm in the Pursuit of Knowledge is a prime characteristic of Scientists, Mad or Sane. So the jury is still out!
Never mind that Dr. Lee’s exuberance in panel 3 is terrifying to us Mundanes 😉
People aren’t evil, we’re just animals that broke out of the standard evolutionary process a bit too quickly for our own good. Almost all of our “evil” behaviors stem from leftover instincts that made sense when were still living in the wilderness, competing for resources and basic survival with other species.
Those instincts aren’t evil – they’re just problematic in our current context. We’re hardwired to think and act in ways that were beneficial to our survival in the wild, but that cause serious problems in our current civilized situation.
Yes, we need to fight against our worst instincts – but not because they are fundamentally “evil”, but rather because they produce results we don’t agree with. Better lternatives exist and we have the power to achieve those alternatives.
But that requires an awareness and a mastery of our instincts that isn’t always present or even possible. To quote Carl Sagan: “Our thoughts and feelings are not fully under our own control”. Worse than that, we’re often not even fully AWARE of them, particularly in the moment. It’s a skill that requires training to develop, and even the best of us fail sometimes at maintaining our composure.
Most people aren’t evil, they’re just tripped up by ape instincts that haven’t fully disappeared yet.
The evil people in the world are those few that willingly choose to behave destructively, rather than being compelled by instinct.
Doesn’t matter. Soon the Google Good app will implement an Artificial Conscience like the magic ring of legend which pricks your finger should an evil thought or impulse arise.
After all, their company motto is “Don’t be Evil”! 😉
That said, most of the “omni” theological qualities are a bunch of hogwash only added in later centuries.
Omnipotence? Omniscience? Omnipresence? Yeah, none of that is at all consistent with the creation myths of the Abrahamic faiths. Genesis has a god who gets tired and needs rest, who makes mistakes and is surprised by them, and whose presence is often lacking or limited.
In fact, it’s exceedingly rare to encounter gods in mythology who DON’T have limits to their power, knowledge, and presence – probably because in reality gods are created in man’s image, and not the other way around, and so we project our own natures onto imagined divinity.
My point about omnipresence is that if God can be everywhere, then you can’t distract Him that easily. He can still be there watching you, and also see whatever is (or isn’t) there that you’re trying to use as a distraction.
Just because He sees something coming doesn’t mean He will choose to prevent it. He knew Mell was needed back on Earth. That was just as good an excuse as any to send her back. And it’s not like the kick really did any harm.
If he can sense what’s causing the spirits it’s presumably the _sense_ which has the biological underpinning, not necessarily the spirits. I can sense sunshine, which is a nuclear fusion phenomenon.
Tomorrow, based on Remy’s brain scans, Dr. Lee has a breakthrough that allows her to traverse the barriers between here and the other side. She finally admits her Madness after the psychologist kick her out again.
A little something I learned back when I was grading English papers: when proofreading for spelling errors, read it backwards. That way your brain isn’t expecting the next word, and you’re less likely to miss errors. When your brain knows what word is supposed to be there, it will very often see it there, even if something else is actually there. It is, in fact, a kind of reality blindness.
Well, God *is* very forgiving…
But is God also ticklish?
I do admire watching Sane Science at work! ^_^
Still desperately clinging to that belief that she’s sane, are you?
While Sanity is not a prerequisite for Intelligence, Enthusiasm in the Pursuit of Knowledge is a prime characteristic of Scientists, Mad or Sane. So the jury is still out!
Never mind that Dr. Lee’s exuberance in panel 3 is terrifying to us Mundanes 😉
Forget clinging to the believe she’s saying. I’m still trying to cling to the believe that she’s not fundamentally evil!
Oh, that’s easy. Everyone is fundamentally evil. Some just fight it harder than others.
That’s a dark philosophical stance to take.
People aren’t evil, we’re just animals that broke out of the standard evolutionary process a bit too quickly for our own good. Almost all of our “evil” behaviors stem from leftover instincts that made sense when were still living in the wilderness, competing for resources and basic survival with other species.
Those instincts aren’t evil – they’re just problematic in our current context. We’re hardwired to think and act in ways that were beneficial to our survival in the wild, but that cause serious problems in our current civilized situation.
Yes, we need to fight against our worst instincts – but not because they are fundamentally “evil”, but rather because they produce results we don’t agree with. Better lternatives exist and we have the power to achieve those alternatives.
But that requires an awareness and a mastery of our instincts that isn’t always present or even possible. To quote Carl Sagan: “Our thoughts and feelings are not fully under our own control”. Worse than that, we’re often not even fully AWARE of them, particularly in the moment. It’s a skill that requires training to develop, and even the best of us fail sometimes at maintaining our composure.
Most people aren’t evil, they’re just tripped up by ape instincts that haven’t fully disappeared yet.
The evil people in the world are those few that willingly choose to behave destructively, rather than being compelled by instinct.
This is not the place to debate the origins of man, so let’s just leave it at “I intensely disagree with you.”
Doesn’t matter. Soon the Google Good app will implement an Artificial Conscience like the magic ring of legend which pricks your finger should an evil thought or impulse arise.
After all, their company motto is “Don’t be Evil”! 😉
I thought their company motto was “Don’t get caught being evil”
This leg sweep is gonna be ginormous!
“Look! A group of Israelites casting an idol because they think you’re neglecting them!”
Bam! Leg sweep!
There we go!
Wouldn’t work. God’s omnipresent, so you can’t actually distract him.
Omnipresence isn’t the same as omniscience.
That said, most of the “omni” theological qualities are a bunch of hogwash only added in later centuries.
Omnipotence? Omniscience? Omnipresence? Yeah, none of that is at all consistent with the creation myths of the Abrahamic faiths. Genesis has a god who gets tired and needs rest, who makes mistakes and is surprised by them, and whose presence is often lacking or limited.
In fact, it’s exceedingly rare to encounter gods in mythology who DON’T have limits to their power, knowledge, and presence – probably because in reality gods are created in man’s image, and not the other way around, and so we project our own natures onto imagined divinity.
My point about omnipresence is that if God can be everywhere, then you can’t distract Him that easily. He can still be there watching you, and also see whatever is (or isn’t) there that you’re trying to use as a distraction.
“Look! Scientists tampering in your domain!”
Despite omniscience, God tends to fall for BAM! Legsweep!
Great minds warp alike!
And instantly I flash back to Mel Kelly kicking God in the nuts, the original of which is in my office! Wheee!!!
What with that omniscience thing, you’d’ve though he would’ve seen it coming.
Just because He sees something coming doesn’t mean He will choose to prevent it. He knew Mell was needed back on Earth. That was just as good an excuse as any to send her back. And it’s not like the kick really did any harm.
Also, Mell might have been mistaken about just who she kicked in the nuts…God’s got the omniscience thing going, but Mell hasn’t.
According to Mell He took it pretty well, so He probably did see it coming and just didn’t care.
And then there is the issue of The Plan.
What if God actually wanted Mell to kick him in the nuts?
This is a weirdly appropriate conversation to be having on Good Friday.
I’m Jewish, but it also kind of works for Passover.
Hey, look, the entire Egyptian pantheon.
Then — BAM — leg sweep!
So Jeff is doing the uploads.
Now you’re getting the idea, Remy!
If he can sense what’s causing the spirits it’s presumably the _sense_ which has the biological underpinning, not necessarily the spirits. I can sense sunshine, which is a nuclear fusion phenomenon.
All: Oh! I have slipped the bonds of Annex One
Nick: Traversed the skies on *laughter-silvered* rotors
Tip: Basements descended, heard the bariton’
of silverfish ̣— and done a hundred daughters
dressed like a daydream.
Mustachio: Wheeled, restored, and wound
I run Reception. Contemplating there
How once I chased the screaming crowd around.
Dr. Lee: I chased my eager craft, now we’re a pair!!!
Sweetheart: Why is this form an unnaprovèd blue?
The rules are clear. This filing’s a disgrace.
Marcie: Give here, I’ll re-irradiate its hue.
UNITY: While I, whith nanite-lifted mind have trod
The unsuspecting sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and punched the face of God.
Nick: Traversed the skies on *laughter-silvered* wings
Tip: Basements descended, heard the bariton’
of silverfish — and had a hundred flings
—-
Oh, for an edit button…
Prize-winning nevertheless!
Epic
Seriously Cool!
With unreserved apology to John Gillespie Magee Jr. and his poem ʿHigh Flightʾ.
Bravo! To either version!
Applause! (deep bow)
I want to upvote this, but I don’t see any way to do that.
Brilliant!
This week’s set of punchlines has made me so very happy. I both love and fear Dr. Lee.
She DOES have Mel’s brain!
Well… a carbon copy of it, anyway.
Does that make her a carbon-based lifeform?
Naturally.
Or, as in her case, unnaturally.
Tomorrow, based on Remy’s brain scans, Dr. Lee has a breakthrough that allows her to traverse the barriers between here and the other side. She finally admits her Madness after the psychologist kick her out again.
I know I typed in psychopomps that time.
Toldja!
…et voila! Hit and miss corruption.
Or simple oversight, and firm denial.
A little something I learned back when I was grading English papers: when proofreading for spelling errors, read it backwards. That way your brain isn’t expecting the next word, and you’re less likely to miss errors. When your brain knows what word is supposed to be there, it will very often see it there, even if something else is actually there. It is, in fact, a kind of reality blindness.
Sorry, that’s my story and I’m stickngi to it!
Well, that is the meaning of “firm denial”.
She’s making a lot more assumptions than he ever did.
Come on Unity! Just say “Look! A beloved archangel saying it would be better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven!”, and then BAM! lEG SWEEP!