Andrew - 21 August 2011 10:31 AM

jdrnd - 21 August 2011 10:16 AM

when do I get to learn the secret hand shake?

(Andrew):  As soon as you pay your dues.

and what unit of value does one pay in?

jdrnd - 21 August 2011 01:19 PM

SkepticX - 21 August 2011 11:08 AM

jdrnd - 21 August 2011 10:01 AM

I agree Dennis didn’t use, foul language… but Dave is right we should keep the conversation civil.  If we represent reason (whoever “WE” is), we should interact reasonably.

I was, in fact, being facetious—mocking your position on the matter of “magically” offensive words by pointing it out in a situation that illuminates why it’s misguided.

... if you really wanted to know.

Byron,

The term “magically offensive” is your phrase.  and I don’t have a position on words that are “magically” offensive because I don’t believe in magic… but before this all escalates…

I get your point, I consider myself MOCKED.

Ha!

No worries about escalation though, just fu ... messing with you.

—

See what I did there? The word I started to use for that very same concept has magic powers to those who believe in them, the other does not. Since I know I’m dealing with a very devout believer here (and yes, most people are believers), I chose to refrain, at least this time, because the added magic power can change the context or power of the word on the believer’s end. For non-believers the two words are pretty much equivalent—slightly different flavors, but non-believers don’t infuse either with the magic powers believers do.

SkepticX - 21 August 2011 03:28 PM

See what I did there? The word I started to use for that very same concept has magic powers to those who believe in them, the other does not. Since I know I’m dealing with a very devout believer here (and yes, most people are believers), I chose to refrain, at least this time, because the added magic power can change the context or power of the word on the believer’s end. For non-believers the two words are pretty much equivalent—slightly different flavors, but non-believers don’t infuse either with the magic powers believers do.

Byron,

    My son just made me take him to see Conan (he’s 16 and its rated R).  Not being able to understand the dialogue (the sound was terrible) was bad enough, but you messing with my head, well now I’m done for the day.  I think I’m going to do some easy reading like Greenes “The Hidden Reality”.  At least I KNOW where he’s coming from…I think
Nice play on words. 

Jeff

Psychology looks closely at things like this and the different affects your surroundings or biases or personal feelings towards the questioner etc etc etc may affect what your response to a question is. There will always be a chance that someone is lying or even mistaken about their feelings when they are asked about them, for multiple reasons, and possibly because of this psychology may never know whether a person answering is being honest or answering to gain likeability or something similar but what psychology and psychologists can do is to do the best with what they have and make educated analysis of such situations, it can and does ask questions nobody else dares ask and attempt to answer them, so even though we may not have a clear 100% answer in the end we can have a good idea and an educated viewpoint on such things.

Sure some people and things are going to mislead psychologists but during a interview etc. there are many steps taken to try and minimize this possibility the best it can possibly be minimised. Hopefully though most people would answer as honestly as possible in such conditions. Psychology is very unlikely to give you a 100% answer on anything but it can give you a much better viewpoint, understanding and some educated assumptions on many, many very interesting and important things, much more than if psychology didn’t exist.

Essentially accurate