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I don't know if is that I am a very skeptical person, that I am a Sam Harris fan, or that I grew up without a fireplace (I suspect it is this one), but I didn't

I don't know if is that I am a very skeptical person, that I am a Sam Harris fan, or that I grew up without a fireplace (I suspect it is this one), but I didn't find myself at all opposed to the information about fireplaces. Consider me an anti-fireplace convert!

cecilpl 13y ago
This is interesting to me - I had precisely the same reaction. In fact, I've noticed that throughout my life my initial reaction on reading something that contradicts my previous beliefs is not rejection but extreme interest at the possibility I may have been wrong. I don't know if that makes me very skeptical or very gullible. I think it's the former.
- shurcooL 13y ago
  I think that's an excellent quality (if used with care), and it's probably related to whether you're the type that is happy to accept critique of your code, or get offended and upset when someone points out your mistakes. I'm happy if someone finds a way to make my code better, because I can now easily improve it and hopefully learn from my mistake. I don't place much self-worth in the code I write; I care more about the end result of what I'm trying to create.
ucarion 13y ago
It continues to amaze me how Sam Harris has managed to change my mind about nearly everything he talks about, be it gun control, scientific morality, or how we should talk about "faith".
- selmnoo 13y ago
  Did he actually manage to change your mind about scientific morality though? That seems to be the one area where he's met with a lot of resistance from the secular types. Specifically that science can quatify the morality of various actions and doings. This is what his last book is all about, "The Moral Landscape". He talks about it here on a TED talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/sam_harris_science_can_show_what_s_right.html http://www.ted.com/talks/sam_harris_science_can_show_what_s_... A lot of people are unconvinced, but he's definitely the guy to be making these arguments, considering he got his PhD in neuroscience.
  - ucarion 13y ago
    Just finished reading "The Moral Landscape" -- to me it's clear that morality is just as much a science as medecine or economics is.
- sgt101 13y ago
  Read it carefully, think about extrapolations and polemic. "no safe level" (as in oxygen?) Think about the assertion that this is a Moral issue.... Sure, if you are going to live forever, or if you can identify the childhood cancer as being caused by the fire, rather than f*ing bad luck or simply "things we don't understand". This is not the work of somebody trying to find the truth, or help others come to it.
  - jodrellblank 13y ago
    "Burning wood smoke has more carcinogens and mutagens than cigarette smoke". "Oh but if we can't directly link this specific cancer with a specific fire, then burning wood isn't harmful, it's all luck, and we can carry on with it without guilt". Is how your reply reads.
shurcooL 13y ago
Yep, I grew up without a fireplace too. I have no problem giving it up. Now, if you made a similar case for computers, I would be in a different spot.
- waps 13y ago
  Talk to your kids, if you have any. I bet they wouldn't have any problem giving up computers. All they use them for is homework. Or that's my kids' opinion. Very weird.
  - shurcooL 13y ago
    Once they realize (or you teach them) that they can use computers to create simple video games or similar things, they'll never look at computers the same way. Or maybe that's just me. :P
raldi 13y ago
I did grow up with a fireplace, but still did not feel the slightest inclination to clench my fists at this new information. Based on it, I wouldn't install a fireplace in a new home, but I think I'd still like to sit by one once or twice a year. I think my lungs can take it.

cecilpl 13y ago

This is interesting to me - I had precisely the same reaction. In fact, I've noticed that throughout my life my initial reaction on reading something that contradicts my previous beliefs is not rejection but extreme interest at the possibility I may have been wrong. I don't know if that makes me very skeptical or very gullible. I think it's the former.

shurcooL 13y ago
I think that's an excellent quality (if used with care), and it's probably related to whether you're the type that is happy to accept critique of your code, or get offended and upset when someone points out your mistakes. I'm happy if someone finds a way to make my code better, because I can now easily improve it and hopefully learn from my mistake. I don't place much self-worth in the code I write; I care more about the end result of what I'm trying to create.

ucarion 13y ago

It continues to amaze me how Sam Harris has managed to change my mind about nearly everything he talks about, be it gun control, scientific morality, or how we should talk about "faith".

selmnoo 13y ago
Did he actually manage to change your mind about scientific morality though? That seems to be the one area where he's met with a lot of resistance from the secular types. Specifically that science can quatify the morality of various actions and doings. This is what his last book is all about, "The Moral Landscape". He talks about it here on a TED talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/sam_harris_science_can_show_what_s_right.html http://www.ted.com/talks/sam_harris_science_can_show_what_s_... A lot of people are unconvinced, but he's definitely the guy to be making these arguments, considering he got his PhD in neuroscience.
- ucarion 13y ago
  Just finished reading "The Moral Landscape" -- to me it's clear that morality is just as much a science as medecine or economics is.
sgt101 13y ago
Read it carefully, think about extrapolations and polemic. "no safe level" (as in oxygen?) Think about the assertion that this is a Moral issue.... Sure, if you are going to live forever, or if you can identify the childhood cancer as being caused by the fire, rather than f*ing bad luck or simply "things we don't understand". This is not the work of somebody trying to find the truth, or help others come to it.
- jodrellblank 13y ago
  "Burning wood smoke has more carcinogens and mutagens than cigarette smoke". "Oh but if we can't directly link this specific cancer with a specific fire, then burning wood isn't harmful, it's all luck, and we can carry on with it without guilt". Is how your reply reads.

shurcooL 13y ago

Yep, I grew up without a fireplace too. I have no problem giving it up. Now, if you made a similar case for computers, I would be in a different spot.

waps 13y ago
Talk to your kids, if you have any. I bet they wouldn't have any problem giving up computers. All they use them for is homework. Or that's my kids' opinion. Very weird.
- shurcooL 13y ago
  Once they realize (or you teach them) that they can use computers to create simple video games or similar things, they'll never look at computers the same way. Or maybe that's just me. :P

raldi 13y ago

I did grow up with a fireplace, but still did not feel the slightest inclination to clench my fists at this new information. Based on it, I wouldn't install a fireplace in a new home, but I think I'd still like to sit by one once or twice a year. I think my lungs can take it.