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  • Human Consciousness

    From Lee Lofaso@2:203/2 to Michiel van der Vlist on Thu Feb 18 18:25:36 2021
    Hello Michiel,

    I have a question for you.
    Just one.
    Although everybody else can also feel free to answer.
    Actually, I'll make that two questions.
    Not just one.

    The first question is -
    How would you like to win a million bucks (US)?

    I am sure your answer is "yes" - as would be everyone else's.
    So let's move on from there.

    The second question has to deal with how to win that million bucks.

    All you have to do is answer one question.
    One very simple question.
    I am sure you can do that.

    What is the question? Here it is -

    "What is the best available evidence for the Survival of Human
    Consciousness after Permanent Bodily Death?"

    Robert Bigelow is offering $1 million bucks (US) to three people
    who answer that simple question. He wants to know if it is possible
    "the survival of human consciousness beyond death."

    From a scientific viewpoint.

    Applicants are not allowed to quote scripture.

    Deadline for applicants is February 28.

    1st place - $500,000
    2nd place - $300,000
    3rd place - $150,000

    www.bigelowinstitute.org


    Bigelow does not want to be convinced of the possibility of having
    a consciousness beyond death because he says "personally I am totally
    convinced of it." What he wants is a scientific answer.

    So. Feel free to download an application form and submit your
    own answer. Your answer can be up to 25,000 words, and must also
    be in English (sorry, thems the rules).

    Deadline for submitting your answer is August 1.
    Winner to be announced on November 1.

    It would also be nice if you would be so kind as to answer the
    question publicly in this echo so all of us could read it ...

    --Lee

    --
    Impossible is nothing

    --- MesNews/1.08.05.00-gb
    * Origin: news://eljaco.se (2:203/2)
  • From Michiel van der Vlist@2:280/5555 to Lee Lofaso on Sat Feb 20 09:53:16 2021
    Hello Lee,

    On Thursday February 18 2021 18:25, you wrote to me:

    The first question is -
    How would you like to win a million bucks (US)?

    I am sure your answer is "yes" - as would be everyone else's.

    I do not know about everyone else, but IMNSHO "yes" is not the right answer to a question that starts with "how". My answer to that question would be "with as little investment and effort as possible". Had the question been "would you like to win a million bucks (US)?" then the answer would not have been "yes" either. It would have been something to the effect of: "only if the required investmentt divided by the chance of winning is substantially less than one M$".

    What is the question? Here it is -

    "What is the best available evidence for the Survival of Human Consciousness after Permanent Bodily Death?"

    Then I say "pass". The estimated chance of winning is too low to justify the required investment.

    Deadline for applicants is February 28.

    1st place - $500,000
    2nd place - $300,000
    3rd place - $150,000

    www.bigelowinstitute.org

    Sorry, not interested.


    Cheers, Michiel

    --- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
    * Origin: http://www.vlist.org (2:280/5555)
  • From Björn Felten@2:203/2 to Michiel van der Vlist on Sat Feb 20 11:15:42 2021
    1st place - $500,000
    2nd place - $300,000
    3rd place - $150,000

    www.bigelowinstitute.org

    MvdV> Sorry, not interested.

    You might have added that in most of the developed world, including e.g. the Netherlands and Sweden, the comma is used as a *decimal* separator.

    Come to think of it, I seem to recall that the comma is used all over Europe except for some Anglo-parts.

    Five hundred US bucks doesn't seem like a lot of money... 8-)


    ..

    --- Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; sv-SE; rv:1.9.1.16) Gecko/20101125
    * Origin: news://eljaco.se (2:203/2)
  • From Michiel van der Vlist@2:280/5555 to Björn Felten on Sat Feb 20 11:55:06 2021
    Hello Bj”rn,

    On Saturday February 20 2021 11:15, you wrote to me:

    1st place - $500,000
    2nd place - $300,000
    3rd place - $150,000

    www.bigelowinstitute.org

    MvdV>> Sorry, not interested.

    You might have added that in most of the developed world, including e.g. the Netherlands and Sweden, the comma is used as a *decimal* separator.

    Good catch! ;-)

    Five hundred US bucks doesn't seem like a lot of money... 8-)

    Indeed. But I did actually read it as 150 thousand. It must heave been the combination of three zeros behind the comma and the $ that made my mind switch automatically in US mode. ;-)

    Confusing it is these differences. Well it could have been worse. At least they use decimal numbers. They could have used that old mixture of sexagesimal and duodecimal numbers...


    Cheers, Michiel

    --- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
    * Origin: http://www.vlist.org (2:280/5555)
  • From Lee Lofaso@2:203/2 to Michiel van der Vlist on Sun Feb 21 13:30:35 2021
    Hello Michiel,

    The first question is -
    How would you like to win a million bucks (US)?

    I am sure your answer is "yes" - as would be everyone else's.

    MvdV> I do not know about everyone else, but IMNSHO "yes" is not the right answer
    MvdV> to a question that starts with "how". My answer to that question would be
    MvdV> "with as little investment and effort as possible".

    Free money is free money. I get it with no strings attach preferred.
    But that usually is not an option.

    MvdV> Had the question been "would you like to win a million bucks (US)?" then the
    MvdV> answer would not have been "yes" either.

    Face it. Nobody is going to just walk up to you and give you
    a million bucks. In any currency. Unless he/she is running away
    from something or somebody and just wants you to hold onto the
    cash for a little while ...

    MvdV> It would have been something to the effect of: "only if the required
    MvdV> investmentt divided by the chance of winning is substantially less than one
    MvdV> M$".

    There is no entry fee. But only those who apply can win the prize.

    What is the question? Here it is -

    "What is the best available evidence for the Survival of Human
    Consciousness after Permanent Bodily Death?"

    MvdV> Then I say "pass". The estimated chance of winning is too low to justify the
    MvdV> required investment.

    The only investment is your time.

    Deadline for applicants is February 28.

    1st place - $500,000
    2nd place - $300,000
    3rd place - $150,000

    www.bigelowinstitute.org

    MvdV> Sorry, not interested.

    Wha'? Not enough sugar for a nickel? Geez. How much can
    a nickel be worth today? Used to be a nickel's worth was
    worth a real nickel. Which could be converted into lots
    of sugar ...

    A candy bar used to cost a nickel.
    Today that same candy bar costs thirty nickels.
    Or more, in some places.

    --Lee

    --
    No justice! No peace!

    --- MesNews/1.08.05.00-gb
    * Origin: news://eljaco.se (2:203/2)
  • From Michiel van der Vlist@2:280/5555 to Lee Lofaso on Sun Feb 21 14:08:32 2021
    Hello Lee,

    On Sunday February 21 2021 13:30, you wrote to me:

    MvdV>> Then I say "pass". The estimated chance of winning is too low
    MvdV>> to justify the required investment.

    The only investment is your time.

    The older I become and the more the wear and tear on my body is showing, the more I realize that my time is finite and irreplacable. So I am not going to waste it on the infinitisimal chance of winning a million Dollars.

    Sorry, I am not playing.


    Cheers, Michiel

    --- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
    * Origin: http://www.vlist.org (2:280/5555)
  • From Lee Lofaso@2:203/2 to Michiel van der Vlist on Sun Feb 21 16:23:44 2021
    Hello Michiel,

    MvdV>>> Then I say "pass". The estimated chance of winning is too low
    MvdV>>> to justify the required investment.

    The only investment is your time.

    MvdV> The older I become and the more the wear and tear on my body is showing, the
    MvdV> more I realize that my time is finite and irreplacable. So I am not going
    MvdV> to waste it on the infinitisimal chance of winning a million Dollars.

    MvdV> Sorry, I am not playing.

    To me, answering such a question is like chasing rainbows.
    What is the purpose? What purpose does it serve? If one has
    plenty of time and nothing else to do, then perhaps it can
    make sense. But only to that individual.

    The man who posed the question, and is offering a reward,
    lost his son due to suicide. This was decades ago. Since then,
    he has been obsessed with this subject. He believes human
    consciousness continues, but wants scientific evidence, or
    proof that human consciousness (life) goes on.

    When people asked Jesus about their friends coming back
    due to reincarnation, he took them to the graveyard and noted
    the bones of King David are still there.

    That was about the closest anybody got to getting an answer.

    --Lee

    --
    Sleep With Someone New

    --- MesNews/1.08.05.00-gb
    * Origin: news://eljaco.se (2:203/2)