The spider in the urinal is a question I ask myself about my kids all the time. Both of them have autism, and I talk with my wife about whether we would change that condition if we could. I said I would only change it if they would have the chance to go back — because I don’t know if they’re happier with the way they…

NO YOU GUYS ARE ALL WRONG YOU DONT UNDERSTAND

Wittgenstein's private language argument is an argument against introspection viewed as internal perception, not a skeptical argument designed to show that we can't know what another person is thinking. His whole point is that we do know what other people are thinking, and so philosophical arguments that use "private…

I have a somewhat similar take. Let's assume the machine can give you any experience you want it to. But if you've never gotten out there and had real experiences, you won't even have a basis for knowing what to want. A prisoner locked in a tower can dream up some interesting experiences to a point, but only to a…

Everything in philosophy comes down to the fact that none of us can know anything objectively. However, in the real world we don't worry about pure "truth"... Accordingly, we just must accept things like our fellow humans are conscious, and what our society and science deems "knowledge" without worrying about the…

And if you just move this bottom toothpick to the top...

Humans cannot express their expertise in voice recognition nor visual perception. How do you hear? How do you see? How do you distinguish one object from another based on visual input? You have no idea, yet somehow you do. I think the problem is simply a matter of degree. If a child were to continuously ask why or…

My goodness, The Trolley Problem. Just had a massive debate which eventuated into a nasty argument with my medical doctor sister, a couple days ago. To be clear, I love her to bits and she is everything a good sister could be, and a fantastic doctor to boot. We were discussing 'unspoken rules' in the medical…

7. The Spider in the Urinal

Not sure, this is an overpopulated world, better to kill them all.

Can I just throw out there that the Prisoner's Dilemma is game theory (economics) and not philosophy.

The Prisoner's Dilemma was created by mathematician and game theorist John Von Neumann. He applied it to the international strategic situation in the '50s, and concluded that we should nuke the USSR before they could nuke us. Because he had been highly instrumental in creating the hydrogen bomb, he was listened to.…

#2. seems to be happening today with synaesthetes. I have no idea what the number 23 tastes like, or how green sounds.

What would having a lawyer accomplish unless he was to get the other charged person's lawyer to agree to stay quiet? And in that case, the accused themselves could just talk to each other. The point of the thought experiment is that the individuals involved can't speak to each other and agree to stay quiet to benefit…

I've always disliked the whole 'veil of ignorance' concept. It seems very telling to me that the thought experiment leads not to people assuming they could end up anywhere and so pursuing a just and fair society rewarding excellence, but instead to people worrying they'll be towards the bottom and so pursuing equality…

"Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying."

I was promised 9 Thought Experiments that would keep me up at night. I got an intro to Philosophy tutorial that could be experienced at any halfway competent University. I expected more from you sir.

Outcome: Learn how often your cleaning people sweep the restrooms by placing items on the floor. A whole week to get swept up!

"He who represents himself has a fool for a client" - Abraham Lincoln

That spider one made me feel excessively empathetic towards the spider, and I am not comfortable with that because spiders are evil hell-beasts who do not derserve sympathy.