Articles written by Patrick Julius - Page 5

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About me - Patrick Julius

I am a sophomore undergraduate at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. I am of undecided major, but currently considering cognitive science, medical ethics, and secondary education.

I am the author of two books, one self-published and the other currently seeking

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Religion & Spirituality > Christian Beliefs & Culture If God loves us, why is there so much pain in the world?: 43 of 65
Any explanation that attempts to use the fact that "God lets us suffer so we can learn" (usually through analogies to parenting) neglects some very important facts: namely, if God exists, he designed and created us and everything around us. That is, this is less like a child skinning her knee in a bike accident, and more like... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Religion & Spirituality (Other) Assessing the theory of reincarnation: 32 of 48
There is no "theory" of reincarnation. There are *religious beliefs* about reincarnation, and not a one of them is based upon any scientific evidence whatsoever.Indeed, if we consult the scientific evidence, we find that when the brain ceases to function, consciousness is lost, permanently. We find that human lives and human ... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Christian Doctrine & Issues Disputing a cure: Are doctors playing God?: 4 of 6
Doctors play God because God isn't doing a good job of it himself!If there weren't suffering, pain, disease, sickness, or disability, we wouldn't need doctors to develop medical technologies that alleviate these problems. If our bodies are part of God's design, then God designed us so that we would very much need doctors!Ther... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Personal Morals & Values Optimism and pessimism about the world 100 years from now: 2 of 3
I am cautiously optimistic.I think that the majority of conflicts will blow over, global warming will eventually get under control, and stem cell research and gene therapy will find cures for many nasty diseases. I think poverty will be significantly reduced through programs such as microloans and development programs, and fa... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Feminism & Women's Rights Understanding the Equal Rights Amendment: 2 of 3
The Equal Rights Amendment is meant to codify in federal law the principles of liberal feminism and equal rights between the sexes. Some have argued that it is unnecessary or redundant; true or not, this is beside the point. The Equal Rights Amendment is about making the law of the land fair between men and women. (I'd like t... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Comparative Religion Is any one religion better than another: 35 of 52
Yes. Just as one scientific theory is better than another, and one ethical principle is better than another.There is only one truth in this universe. We don't know what it is, and we probably never will, not for certain; but that doesn't change the fact that reality ultimately can only be one way.This means, quite simply, tha... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues Why government and morality should be divorced: 11 of 16
"Morality" is a very complicated word. It doesn't describe one simple, straightforward thing which can be "wed to" or "divorced from" government.Indeed, there is one particular kind of ethical distinction that would clarify this issue quite a bit: The difference between "permissible" and "allowable." (Yes, I know they are syn... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Religion & Spirituality (Other) Can intelligent design be considered a science: 20 of 29
Not as long as the word "science" means anything at all can so-called "Intelligent Design" be considered a part of it.Intelligent Design, by its very definition, denies the possibility of explanation. When faced with an apparently insoluble problem, the ID theorist, instead of exploring it more, trying new theories, new exper... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Spiritual Insights Intuition and coincidence: 7 of 10
Homo sapiens is an evolved animal. Part of that evolutionary history involved creating systems of reasoning and inference in our brains that optimize our responses to dangerous situations.What do I mean by "optimize?" Well, if being attacked by a lion is 10,000 times worse than being startled by a false alarm, then your intui... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Thoughts on God What is your understanding of God?: 84 of 118
A figment of the active human imagination; a comforting delusion of a Father to replace the father we lose as we grow into adulthood. An indoctrinated absurdity with the power to topple nations.If it took as much effort, so much resistance to doubt and evidence, to maintain belief in fish or televisions as it does to believe ... More..