Qi (or ch'i or ki) is a mystical "life force" or "energy flow" that exists in everything and flows through the body along specific paths. When people stick pins in you or give you a footrub (but call it something else...), they are manipulating this Qi.
Supposably.
Other words for Qi include "mana" and "magic", or "non-existent" and "bullshit".
However, a lot of people seem to believe this. Some people do it to rip people off and take their money; very conveniently for them it is near impossible to expose these people as frauds. It has many similarities with christian prayer-assisted healing (aka bullshit!), for example, it never heals amputees
Other people put their Qi mastery on the line. These are martial artists. Apparently, if a martial artist concentrates hard enough, he can wield this mystical force (qi/ch'i/ki/bullshit) and use it to make his punches stronger, and feel less, or no, pain. (Oh, how I would like to meet one of these assholes and jab a fork in their eye. Can you feel that, asshole?). Some of these guys claim to be able to physically affect other people without physically touching them... e.g. punching people from 10 m distance. Oh yes... these people know how to use The Force!
Here's an example of how one such martial artist (an old guy of course, think Mr. Miyagi) defeats an entire dojo without touching anyone. It's like watching Star Wars: Revenge of Yoda!:
Or maybe it's more like watching a Christian Lunatic meeting...
But there was one guy who didn't want to take the old farts penis up his ass (start at around 1:20):
I feel sorry for the young guy, though. He obviously still has a lot of respect for the old fool, even though he just handed him his ass on a plate
Damn this is great. Sometimes when I deal with matters that are serious, I get the feeling that there is some kind of mass delusion going on, but quickly dismiss it as impossible that grown human beings can be completely and utterly convinced of something that is so completely obviously false.
Now I just have to look at that first clip to assure myself that mass delusion is indeed possible.
Could I create a program to pass the Turing test? Dunno, have never tried. Haven't given it much thought actually. It is not really a programming problem, but rather a problem of algorithms and AI. Subtle difference.
But why are you asking? It seems like quite an odd question to me...
Because if you can't, then I have every right to say, that I think, you are no programmer, but a fake, trying to live of nurturing old programs, created by intellects, superior to your own.
This is based on the same reasoning, that you use to critizise christian beliefs. Would you kindly stop it!
Do you even know what the Turing test is? Do you know that no program has really passed the Turing test? By your logic, no programmers exist at all!
What's wrong with nurturing old programs? Is a carpenter less of a carpenter if he mends a house instead of building it himself? Do I not make my own programs?
I wasn't actually criticizing christian beliefs, unless I am mistaken and Mr Miyagi and his band of martial fakers are christian. However, I am sure they're not. I did compare them to a Christian Lunatics meeting; obviously I'm talking about Pentecostals (Philadelphia í FO, etc.) where they delude themselves in quite a similar manner, and where it is common for the head honcho to walk around throwing people to the ground without touching them; only "beaming" some mystical force from their hands to the victims forehead. Yes, quite similar, indeed. According to your faith, these poor people are deluded and not really christians. Or am I mistaken? Are you one of these people? Have you been thrown to the floor by some magic force?
But... what if I were criticizing these beliefs? What if? Some might argue that I have done this elsewhere. Is that wrong? Would you be wrong to tell me that you think what I do is stupid?
Are there other subjects you'd rather have I shut up about? Could you tell me exactly what subjects are off limits, so we know what subjects are to be censored?
I believe in free speech. I believe in discussion and debate, proof and reason. I don't believe in censorship, I don't believe there are subjects which may not be spoken of, and I certainly do not believe in respecting religion. I do, however, try to respect people, but seriously, people as stupid as Mr Miyagi here don't deserve my respect.
If I have offended you (god knows how), I apologize. My intention was not to offend anyone, but to inform, enlighten, and amuse.
The Turing test is a test that, Alan Turing formulated in 1950, based on his preposition of the question, "what constitutes genuine A.I?"
The test is simply, to create a chat program, wich can truly make a human judge think he is chatting with a human being, and not a machine.
(How am I doing, Vuz?)
The general tone in several of your forum posts, is that anyone who believes in any deity or similar, is per definition an idiot, and is not deserving of the air they breathe on this planet. This is getting tiresome to me, as I apparently am the only one on this site that has the balls to acknowledge my faith, and therefore I simply ask you to tone down your critical tone, and if your need to press the matter of faith vs. idiocy persists, then I kindly request that you make a forum thread for that alone.
You're right on the money with the Turing test. I still can't make sense of your earlier post, but apparently the point is moot.
I don't think that anyone who believes in a deity is an idiot; but the statistical evidence is against me (btw, that was a joke). But seriously, if a person holds irrational beliefs, doesn't that technically make him an idiot?
I don't think anyone's beliefs should be sacred and stand clear of scrutiny. You may challenge my beliefs as you like, in fact I welcome it. That is, so long as it is warranted and reasoned. I did not mean to be tiresome, but I don't think it is the volume of posts that has made you feel this way. If you count the offending posts I think you will find that out of the over 200 posts I have made on this site, only a handful have criticized christians. I don't think this is an unreasonable amount, and they shall surely get company in the future.
Speaking of Turing and regarding our recent Homo debate:
In 1952, Turing was convicted of "acts of gross indecency" after admitting to a sexual relationship with a man in Manchester. He was placed on probation and required to undergo hormone therapy.
Turing died after eating an apple laced with cyanide in 1954, sixteen days short of his 42nd birthday. His death is regarded by most as an act of suicide. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing
How 'bout that!
Think about who created the law banning homosexuality and what their reasons might have been.
My feelings are that (irr)rationality is depends on the axioms or fundamental principles your rationality is based on. I can’t remember what the base axiom for our maths is (1+1=2 rings a bell I think), but if somebody used a different one then it would be difficult for people to see the rationality/irrationality in each others claims.
Logically both would be equally valid, but nobody would agree. (Is my logic valid?)
Vuzman seems to believe that any talk of a supernatural force (any?) is bullshit – and that is fine. He makes his points repeatedly through humorous digs and sarcastic comments. (The good way)
But if we were to imagine for a moment that some supernatural force really does exist then surely we must agree that it changes things pretty drastically, the basis on which we judge irrationality on many issues changes.
Hence I think this conclusion is flawed.
I don't think that anyone who believes in a deity is an idiot; but the statistical evidence is against me (btw, that was a joke). But seriously, if a person holds irrational beliefs, doesn't that technically make him an idiot?
However right/wrong is not the same as rational/irrational… Hmmm let’s not go there just now, there is work to be done.
Moving on:
As for me, the reason I do not sting back at Vuzzy for making these little quips slating my faith is that
A: I am not as funny as Vuzman When I can think of something I will
B: At the risk of being accused of lurking and not speaking up about my faith, let it be said that I am definitely a Christian and do not consider myself to be an idiot. I can live with the fact that other people think I am an idiot.
C: We all know how quickly a discussion can turn sour when discussing things of this nature. I am pretty far removed from all of you and so would rather primarily use this facility to enjoy the cyber company of mates rather than argue since I don’t have the chance to make up with my adversary over a beer or game later on.
I believe that Liverpool FC (and Havnar Boltfelag) fans are misguided and irrational though…
It's great to have balls, preferably two. Trying to convince an atheist that you (christian) are per definition not an idiot, is kind of like pissing against the wind. But if you like your own pee, thumbs up from me.
Because the normal method of atheists is, that because those who believe in a deity, can't "prove" its existence, therefore they are wrong in their beliefs. Thus, I say, "prove" the Turing test, or I shall bugg you forever more. Just because there is ambient evidence of the existence of programmers, doesn't necessarily make their existence plausible.
Let's say it's similar to me pointing out the existence of God, by the fact that we exist, or photosyntesis for that matter. As far as I have been able to determine your reasoning for God not existing, and thus me being a bullshitter, is the fact that you can not see or touch any evidence of his existence. Well, I can't read any programming codes, that you use to make programms work, are you non-existent, or your work, for that matter?
