How do we think ?

mapuc · 05-30-18, 05:04 PM

If I wrote

The 50th President of USA will be the last President

Or if I wrote

The next Pope will be the last Pope.

Most of you would most likely in your response, write things like

"What have you been drinking or eating Markus/mapuc ?

There have been thousands if not millions who have tried to predict the end of the world. "

Why do we think like that, when we read these stories ?
Why is it we automatically think -"End of the world.

What if the Catholic and the Vatican decide to replace the Pope with something else

And this story about the 50th President(made up by me while writing this post)

What if it means that the people of USA wants something else than their President.

Markus

vienna · 05-30-18, 05:24 PM

...

<O>

Platapus · 05-30-18, 05:46 PM

My first reaction would be to ask what evidence do you have that supports this assertion.

Sailor Steve · 05-30-18, 06:01 PM

In both cases you would be asserting something would happen that is extremely unlikely. The Vatican is unlikely to get rid of the office of Pope in favor of something else. This is not to say that it couldn't happen, but that it is so unlikely that there is no reason to expect that it would happen tomorrow.

Likewise the President. The procedures are set in such a way that barring the entire population agreeing to get rid of the office at the same time it just can't happen. If half the people decided it was the thing to do they would have to fight the other half. The resulting Civil War could have that outcome, but it wouldn't happen in one day, and it would take the entire population agreeing overnight for it to happen that way.

If I said that tomorrow Godzilla would attack Tokyo for real the result would be the same. It is so very unlikely that people would conclude not that it could happen, but that I was either joking or crazy. When something is beyond the realm of reasonable expectation, to claim that it will (not could, but will) happen will not only invite ridicule but said ridicule will be the only reasonable response.

vienna · 05-30-18, 06:15 PM

Somewhere, Schrödinger has a big smile on his face...

<O>

mapuc · 05-30-18, 06:17 PM

I agree Steve.

But why does it have to mean end of the world.

It could very well mean the end of the Era of these thing(The Pope and the President)

I know very well, those people who write these stories, are trying to scare people with their end of the world-story.

It was me who some weeks ago, after having re-read the headlines in a rerun of this end of the Pope story.

I changed my mind from
How many believe this stuff too

To
But wait, if this author get it right, does it mean the end of the world ? What if it means something different like the Catholics and the Vatican decide to replace the Pope with something else.

Markus

fireftr18 · 05-30-18, 09:57 PM

vienna, I agree with both your comments. The rest are too confusing.

05-30-18, 05:04 PM	#1
mapuc CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Denmark Posts: 20,535 Downloads: 37 Uploads: 0	How do we think ? If I wrote The 50th President of USA will be the last President Or if I wrote The next Pope will be the last Pope. Most of you would most likely in your response, write things like "What have you been drinking or eating Markus/mapuc ? There have been thousands if not millions who have tried to predict the end of the world. " Why do we think like that, when we read these stories ? Why is it we automatically think -"End of the world. What if the Catholic and the Vatican decide to replace the Pope with something else And this story about the 50th President(made up by me while writing this post) What if it means that the people of USA wants something else than their President. Markus

05-30-18, 05:24 PM	#2
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	... <O> __________________ __________________________________________________ __

05-30-18, 05:46 PM	#3
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,360 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	My first reaction would be to ask what evidence do you have that supports this assertion. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

05-30-18, 06:01 PM	#4
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	In both cases you would be asserting something would happen that is extremely unlikely. The Vatican is unlikely to get rid of the office of Pope in favor of something else. This is not to say that it couldn't happen, but that it is so unlikely that there is no reason to expect that it would happen tomorrow. Likewise the President. The procedures are set in such a way that barring the entire population agreeing to get rid of the office at the same time it just can't happen. If half the people decided it was the thing to do they would have to fight the other half. The resulting Civil War could have that outcome, but it wouldn't happen in one day, and it would take the entire population agreeing overnight for it to happen that way. If I said that tomorrow Godzilla would attack Tokyo for real the result would be the same. It is so very unlikely that people would conclude not that it could happen, but that I was either joking or crazy. When something is beyond the realm of reasonable expectation, to claim that it will (not could, but will) happen will not only invite ridicule but said ridicule will be the only reasonable response. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

05-30-18, 06:15 PM	#5
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Somewhere, Schrödinger has a big smile on his face... <O> __________________ __________________________________________________ __

05-30-18, 06:17 PM	#6
mapuc CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Denmark Posts: 20,535 Downloads: 37 Uploads: 0	I agree Steve. But why does it have to mean end of the world. It could very well mean the end of the Era of these thing(The Pope and the President) I know very well, those people who write these stories, are trying to scare people with their end of the world-story. It was me who some weeks ago, after having re-read the headlines in a rerun of this end of the Pope story. I changed my mind from How many believe this stuff too To But wait, if this author get it right, does it mean the end of the world ? What if it means something different like the Catholics and the Vatican decide to replace the Pope with something else. Markus

05-30-18, 09:57 PM	#7
fireftr18 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 2,528 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 0	vienna, I agree with both your comments. The rest are too confusing. __________________ Of all the forms of Martial Arts, Karaoke causes the most pain!