Tim Howes

Biologist ,Menlo Park, California

10 Beliefs discovered | 10 Totals Votes

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MY BELIEFS

Which form of government works best and treats people best? I think there's no one right answer, and the answer may need to change over time to reflect changing conditions on Earth. We need to optimize overall societal stability without unduly restricting personal freedom.
We cannot control the circumstances of our birth, so it is important that we allow opportunities for people to change their circumstances. Public education plays a key role in this. "Achieving fulfillment" can also be thought of as "the pursuit of happiness."
Learning about the world and expressing new thoughts are the activities that human beings are specialized for. Pursuing these activities leads to personal fulfillment. Even if you are not the one making the discoveries or creating the art, the works of others can enrich your life
Curiosity is one of the core attributes of humanity. From the time we are born, we start absorbing and seeking out information about the world. Every kind of research furthers our goal of knowing more. Some of it may turn to be useful, but even if it doesn't it still enriches us.
As humans, we agree not to harm each other in order to form a more stable society. Animals can't reciprocate on a social contract, so they shouldn't necessarily receive the same rights. But when we choose to treat them well, we extend to them the benefits of our peaceful society.
The brain is made of cells, molecules, and electrochemical signals. It has a complex architecture that we don't understand, but it is subject to physical rules. It's complexity, however, means that for all practical purposes, our thoughts are self-generated and unpredictable.
Our perception of self-awareness remains difficult to understand in terms of material phenomena. Perhaps, as we build more human-like machine intelligences, its origins will become clearer. The origin of the universe (and/or existence of things beyond) may not ever be accessible.
Religious people believe god is necessary to explain the things that science can't explain. But it is better to base beliefs on evidence, and if there is no evidence about something, simply appreciate the mystery and try to think of ways it might be solved.
I take this to mean "don't fall into despair about our problems, because there will always be some problems in the world, and working toward solving problems is part of what makes life worth living."

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"Awesome" meaning literally awe-inspiring. The scale and scope of things that exist is fun to ponder: stars and galaxies, atoms and molecules, living things, human history and culture. You can always find something to explore.

BELIEFS I VOTED ON