The March quiz - because monster and gravdigr didn't
 

1. Why is there something, rather than nothing?

2. Do you have free will?

3. Do numbers really exist?

4. What is the source of human consciousness?

5. Is everyone's life of absolutely equal value?

6. What is love? ("baby don't hurt me" not an acceptable answer here)

7. Is there such a thing as luck?

8. Are emotions rational?

9. Is a high self-esteem a good quality to have?

10. Which is better: cats or dogs?

Look at the size of UT questions! They are huge!

I demand answers. Only one of the questions is currently considered unanswerable.

1. Selection bias. The question can only be asked in a universe with something.

2. By any useful definition, yes. By any logical definition, no.

3. Yes, in the same way that Darth Vader does, but much more usefully so.

4. Undetermined.

5. Value is not an inherent property; it is intrinsically subjective. I generally support efforts so push towards a mean as a society, though.

6. A glamour and mythology built up around instinct by creatures self-aware enough to notice the instinct as a thing in itself, rather than just acting on it without thought.

7. Yes. After the fact.

8. Not inherently.

9. Contrasted with low self-esteem, yes. Contrasted with purely utilitarian evaluation of ability, there's probably a sweet spot above that evaluation, without going too high.

10. Other people's dogs.

1. Why is there something, rather than nothing? Our universe is an expanding black hole hoovering up somebody else's universe.

2. Do you have free will? 78% of the time.

3. Do numbers really exist? Nope.

4. What is the source of human consciousness? Simple horsepower.

5. Is everyone's life of absolutely equal value? Not to us.

6. What is love? ("baby don't hurt me" not an acceptable answer here)
Putting another person's needs first,without coercion.
7. Is there such a thing as luck?
Everything is a roll of the dice.
8. Are emotions rational?
If the mind is rational the emotions are rational.
9. Is a high self-esteem a good quality to have?
Good for you, bad for everybody else.
10. Which is better: cats or dogs?
Dogs, duh.

Yes, my lawyer friend had a colleague do it pro bono for her portfolio/to make sure I got a proper one done instead of the back-of-a-cereal box one I had since it becomes really important when you don't have a spouse and when not having a spouse is a new thing that's upsetting you it's hard to bring yourself to do things.... She's a fucking rock star. Her company is all women and they know their shit.

Cats. Unless we're talking recipes....

5. No.

11. Is the correct wording "Is a high self-esteem a good quality...", or, "Is high self-esteem a good quality..." ?

1. Why is there something, rather than nothing?

Because, now eat your spinach.

2. Do you have free will?

Well, to an extent. Free will to the extent of masturbating, butt-naked on the town square with impunity? Not so much.

3. Do numbers really exist?

Sure. Ya know that little bit left on the mirror? Pick that up on your finger, and rub it on your gums. Number.

4. What is the source of human consciousness?

Oxygen.

5. Is everyone's life of absolutely equal value?

~Gravdigr

6. What is love? ("baby don't hurt me" not an acceptable answer here)

Sacrifice, tolerance, and acceptance, I think. Basically.

7. Is there such a thing as luck?

Based on personal experience, I know bad luck exists:mad:, so, I guess, yes.

8. Are emotions rational?

TW? Is that you?:p:

9. Is a high self-esteem a good quality to have?

To an extent, I'd say, high self esteem could only be a good thing.

10. Which is better: cats or dogs?

Depends? Will we be needing our love returned?

I am not an expert (but I'm pretty close to it) . . .

I would go with item the second. One could have a sense of high self-esteem, or actual self-esteem that exceeds normal levels. My impression is that you meant to refer to actual self-esteem, in which case you got it right.

I'm open to valid arguments. :)

the latter

The pro beat me to it :D

Aw, shucks. :blush:

Realistically, though, GMTA.

1. Why is there something, rather than nothing? Because nothing in a descriptive name for something.

2. Do you have free will? Yes, but still have pay a notary.

3. Do numbers really exist? Numbers are labels for quantities, the numbers exist whether the quantities do or not.

4. What is the source of human consciousness? Insomnia.

5. Is everyone's life of absolutely equal value? To themselves, yes.

6. What is love? ("baby don't hurt me" not an acceptable answer here) Don't hurt me, no more.

7. Is there such a thing as luck? Random happenstance is called luck when it affects you.

8. Are emotions rational? They are what separates us from R2D2 and tw, the reason to live.

9. Is a high self-esteem a good quality to have? High? There are levels to this thing of which you speak?

10. Which is better: cats or dogs? All answers will show bias and are to be considered irrational... unless you say dogs.

1. Why is there something, rather than nothing?
Formation of particles and anti-particles was asymmetrical—we don’t know why.

2. Do you have free will?
Probably not, if whatever I am is composed of something which obeys the laws of physics.

3. Do numbers really exist?
Insomuch as our entire reality is a neurochemical phantom created in the human brain, yes. There are specific neuron clusters for numerical quantities.

4. What is the source of human consciousness?
Our best guess is an “emergent” property of a physical state.

5. Is everyone's life of absolutely equal value?
Based on a sample size of 6, it’s 21 grams.

6. What is love? ("baby don't hurt me" not an acceptable answer here)
A strong motivator within evolutionary adaptation to be socially cooperative. Massively boosted by our short gestation period.

7. Is there such a thing as luck?
There is such a thing as operating favorably within prevailing conditions, and it can be entirely subconscious.

8. Are emotions rational?
Rationality can be a concept which influences one to act less in alignment with the definition of rationality.

9. Is a high self-esteem a good quality to have?
I mean, what’s the scale? You must put on your own oxygen mask before being able to help others.

10. Which is better: cats or dogs?
Dogs are designed to reflect what we want to see in the world, cats are a reminder of what it really is.