WHO POSTED THIS FOR THE PUREST, p.1

a variable color averaging a moderate to reddish purple

today was still a four day ... (on a scale of 0-10, 5 being "normal" and 0 being suicidal) - I'm doing ok with this being alone thing, but I've fallen in to a cycle of sitting at the computer and laying down on the bed - I'm afraid I won't sleep tonight.

it snowed - that was really cool! snowed for most of the day. I want to make a snowman with _____ when he comes home tomorrow ... but we've only got one pair of gloves. we can make a small one - I'm sure I'll have the patience for that!

so we've got this sort of public pedestrian street that runs in front of our windows, and it's pretty busy, with people walking by all day. there's a ramp built inot the street - for bicycles, and this mother and son were using it as a sledding hill. (hills are scarce in ______ - you take what you can get) - and the kid looks up at me, watching them through the window - I was FASCINATED! - and I'm like, all smiles and going, "Leuk, hey?" (That's like "that looks like fun!") It was kind of a cool moment.

Member Description:trying to get my mind back in order ...stay tuned

I don't know whether I joined this forum out of free will or not. I resisted the temptation for a while, but eventually a mind shaped by genetics, education and years of experiences reacted to a combination of circumstances, and I was impelled to read and respond. Could I have done otherwise, given who I am?

I'm not sure that I can even be held responsible for being the person I am, if "I" was determined by biology, the circumstances into which I was born, critical events and choices which may have been inevitable.

I do not believe that the exact makeup of the universe or any individual was predetermined since they depend on quantum interactions which are not predictable, but I suspect that our reactions to events are constrained by programming that we do not fully understand or control. The ability to make good decisions can be impaired by psychosis, mental defects, brainwashing, drugs, disease, injury, and age. It can be enhanced by education, experience, exercising self-discipline, feedback and reinforcement.


________, you asked "how would a society such as ours function if it could not hold people responsible for their actions. If the Devil of determinism makes us do what we do, then we'll simply have to get rid of our penal system and put up with all kinds of disruptive actions."

We would hold self and society jointly responsible for the actions of each individual. Disruptive action would not be tolerated, but treatment of the causes of negative behavior, reeducation to provide internal motivation for positive behavior, and incentives to rejoin society as a productive member would replace the pointless incarceration of people for an arbitrary amount of time.

Whether or not we have truly free will, the belief (instilled by secular education or religious tenets) that we have an ethical obligation to act for the common good may be sufficient to elicit that behavior, with rewards, threats of punishment, and other behavioral controls used as necessary.

reaching for the stars

I believe it's aight for anyone to critique isn't that what makes us better writers and people? I mean the only way to achieve what we are desiring to achieve is to learn learn and understand that people that critique you're work aren't trying to hurt you, they are just trying to help you out and stating there opinions. Yes, some might be a little harsh but if they don't you will

serious consideration

Mapleleaf, methinks your clues be way too easy. I can often guess correctly just by reading one clue, without ever seeing the author's quote. :wink: