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Showing posts with the label Psychology

The Beneficent Mystery of Sleep

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Sleep is something we may take for granted or even resent its intrusion. Others find it a way to escape from the troubles of daily life for a while. Sometimes it simply feels good. While it is considered a restful state, there is a great deal of unconscious activity happening. There are many studies of what happens during sleep and that it or something similar is vital to most creatures. One evolutionist said that sleep is our default state, and that we evolved wakefulness. No science there, just narrative-friendly speculation. Sleeping jaguar, Pixabay / edmondlafoto Getting the proper amount of sleep on a regular basis is essential, and we feel the effects when deprived. Sluggishness, dull thinking, irritability, and so on. My experience is pertinent here. Since my beloved Charlene was stricken and died shortly afterward, I have one of many results of acute grief: poor sleep. This affects decision making, coherence, writing, and so much more. A good night's sleep is rare for me. F

Raising a Child with his Chimpanzee Cousin

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by Cowboy Bob Sorensen There is a line in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy   that states , "Earthmen are not proud of their ancestors and never invite them round to dinner." Well, I never have my ancestors round to dinner either because they are dead. In context, Douglas Adams was referring to our alleged evolutionary cousins . No, you will not find it in the book. Adams was an atheist and an evolutionist, and he probably wrote the sequence showing a chimpanzee at a formal dinner party for the BBC series . So he probably meant cousins . Formal dining with a chimpanzee, made with Bing AI image generator , modified at PhotoFunia In " When a Child and a Chimp Were Raised Together ," Denyse O'Leary wrote about an experiment in 1931. A couple of married psychologists decided to raise their ten-month-old son and a seven-month-old female chimpanzee together. Whoa there a minute, Pard. Back in 1931, Sigmund Freud was held in high esteem and the field of psycholo

Further Refutation of the Dunning-Kruger Effect

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Several months ago, we examined how the Dunning-Kruger effect, frequent fodder for anti-Christian and anti-creationist remarks, has been debunked . You know the routine: A Christian makes a statement of fact and atheopaths talk to each other as if the Christian was not seeing it, saying he is an example of the Dunning-Kruger effect. Or it is a direct insult. People who do this are not citing science. (More like they got it from the seventh planet.) The D-K effect took another hit. This time, from mathematics. Partially made at ImgFlip , plus a great deal of editing The key point for Dunning and Kruger was that people don't know that they don't know. This came from a use of statistics. In that peer-reviewed paper, those fellas did it wrong. Now it is refuted three ways. Something this child has enjoyed is showing misotheists who think they are smarter than they really are is that they are using an ad hominem  from fake science. It also illustrates how atheists and evolutionists

Irrelevant Elephant Domestication Research

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People complain about the waste of money spent on the space program or things that are truly insipid done in the name of scientific research, but where is the outcry over constant efforts to prove evolution through vacuous reasoning? Somehow the alleged self-domestication of elephants (we touched on this recently ) is being taken seriously. Part of the problem is the thinking that we are all related, having evolved from a common ancestor. Elephants are wild animals, old son, and thinking we share some personality traits does not make them our relatives. Elephant reading a book, made with  Bing Image Generator * and enhanced This self-domestication of elephants thing is based on natural selection, but where is the evidence? Assertions, presuppositions, and storytelling, sure, but that's it. Then they apply the concept to human behavior and hope it will pan out in the future. But these evolutionists don't understand their hypothesis (and calling it a hypothesis is overreaching).

Replacing Religion with Evolutionary Psychology

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There is no need for religion since we are moderun people, so it has no valid explanatory power. At least, that is the view of atheistic naturalists They suppress the truth of God (Rom. 1:18-23) and disparage a wrong definition of Christian faith. But they have their own faith. They turn science into the secular religion of Scientism , and descent with modifications evolution is a primary dogma. Secularists use religious trappings and even corrupt ideals they stole from Christianity. This is easily seen in evolutionary psychology . Creepy AI-generated Charles Darwin as a psychiatrist, made at Simplified Evolutionary game theory answers questions and solves problems, they think, so cooperation evolved. How do they know? Is that a good thing? Evolutionists also try to evaluate happiness, which is...truly bizarre since happiness is subjective. Joy in serving the Lord would probably short-circuit their minds. Another weird thing is to use weak thinking to say that the alleged self-domestic

That Sense of Awe

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People are inclined to feel awe over many disparate things including music, expanses of nature, great buildings, and so on. Sometimes it can be overwhelming; I have been moved to tears by great classical pianists seeming to become one with a concerto — and showing joy in the process. People in groups seem to share a sense of unity when experiencing something awesome. Atheists may try to deny awe because it seems religious, but they feel it too. Indeed, many places in the Bible tell of people overwhelmed with awe when shown the glory of God. It seems that we are born that way. Bridal Veil Falls, Waikato, New Zealand, Flickr / Adam Campbell ( CC BY-ND 2.0 ) The concept of awe has been difficult for scientists to define. They try to study it, but it is an intangible part of humanity like consciousness or the soul . (You don't see our alleged evolutionary cousins the apes staring at the night sky in awe — it is uniquely human , and we were created to have it.) But it is human nature

Evolutionary Psychology is Absurd

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When people have mental health difficulties, it is often recommended that they see a psychologist. The largely discredited Sigmund Freud probably comes to mind, but there are many versions of psychology. They are all wrong. Talking to a therapist may help and whatever medication cocktail that is prescribed may benefit (even though they do not really know how those medicines work). Pretty much all kinds of psychology are based on atheistic materialism. The worst of the lot is evolutionary psychology . Psychologist, Pexels / Alex Green Give it some thought. They believe there is no God and presuppose evolution, then try to justify their malarky by building on a faulty foundation. Their philosophies and conjectures are fraught with contradictions. Do you want to trust you mental health to someone who believes in luck but has a nihilistic outlook on life? No Creator, no hope, no final justice or rewards, no joy. Some of the newest ideas are...truly bizarre. One tinhorn thinks that psychop

Schizophrenia, Materialism, and Psychology

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In several posts over the years, we have seen that psychologists are struggling to understand the mind and the brain. (No, the brain is not  the mind — the mind uses  the brain.) There are numerous approaches to psychology, and they are based on evolution and atheistic materialism. There are many reasons to think that psychology is not actually a science at all, especially since it does not follow the same rules that are expected of the "hard" sciences. Psychologists do not understand mental illnesses such as borderline personality disorder , and schizophrenia is under scrutiny. Psychology puzzle, assembled from graphics at Openclipart  and with Paint.Net Schizophrenia is a large category and several other problems are under that umbrella. A very small percentage of the population is diagnosed with it, so that means there are also undiagnosed people trying to live their lives with that condition. Several possibilities for the cause are offered, but no one really knows. People

Freedom and Evolutionary Psychology

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What is arguably the best job security for a secular scientist is something that has the word evolutionary  in the title. Those things are self-serving, requiring assumptions of Darwinism, then working from there in efforts to prop up evolution and do research that has no practical value. It is interesting that atheists sometimes say that Christianity does not allow free will, but they use theirs to reject God. Then they argue from their materialistic presuppositions and preach evolution — which means that we are all just animals responding to our electro-chemical impulses. Wolf pack, Unsplash / Thomas Bonometti What atheists and other evolutionists don't understand is that ought  or should  that can not be justified in their worldview. If an atheist complains that a Christian is doing something wrong (or creationists "lying" about evolution by presenting material that refutes it), they are appealing to a higher moral standard . By doing so, they are tacitly admitting tha

Understanding Mental Illness Confuses Psychologists

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Once again, I will mention that I have had struggles with depression for many years. I gave up medications and therapists years ago because they were not all that necessary. In my case, and it seems true in other cases I have read, that continuing treatment is in the best interests of clinics, but not so much for the patients. They really do not know how the mind and brain work, and the reasons some medications have an effect are not completely understood. Pixabay / Beate Bachmann Some years ago, I read a definition of eccentric : someone crazy that's rich. Psychologists and psychiatrists make diagnoses, but their science is constantly changing. Add to that personal biases and cultural influences. Unlike operational science and even origins science, psychology has direct impact on people's lives. There are several models for what are considered mental health problems, and sometimes they are grouped together. These professionals are admitting that they don't know how to defi

The Defective Dunning-Kruger Effect

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by Cowboy Bob Sorensen, edited for clarity 2 November 2021  This material should come in handy — especially the featured article linked below. When defending Darwin, The Mighty Atheist™ online is reflexively confrontational. The content that put a burr under his saddle is not dealt with adequately, however. There are several common tactics that are used in their efforts to dehumanize Christians and creationists. (Do not expect civility from a misotheist, because that indicates you are a person.) Their  ad hominem  attacks involve "Poe's Law", "projection", and the Dunning-Kruger effect. Partially made at ImgFlip , plus a great deal of editing Although many who have Atheism Spectrum Disorder insist that they love science and want extraordinary evidence from creationists (which they promptly ignore), many accept internet parlance when it suits their purposes. We know that ridicule is usually their first course of action. (A newer trick on socialist media is when

Children are Wired Differently

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Just like when we surprised people that science confirmed men and women are different , it may come as a surprise to some that there are stark differences between adults and children. Most people know that children are not miniature adults. If you study on it a spell, there are some things about the differences that are quite remarkable. They can do things adults cannot, with more enthusiasm and energy. The Master Engineer built differences into adults and children. Playing child photo from FreeDigital Images /  nenetus , modified at PhotoFunia Designers of artificial intelligence cannot build robots to learn like children. Also, kids generally can't sit down and muzzle up, focusing on one subject for a long period. That's adult stuff, but young'uns are taking in all sorts of information. Physically, their are able to hear sounds differently, have higher metabolisms, are born with more taste buds, and other differences. Kids are typically lighthearted, energetic, unaware of

Mentally Disturbed Social Darwinists

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by Cowboy Bob Sorensen First, a reminder that when people use the word  Darwinism today, it partly a convenience. Classical Darwinism was dying a few decades after it was set forth, but was changed and is now called the neo-Darwinian synthesis, modern evolutionary synthesis, and so on. When discussing origins, it is expected that people know what is being discussed when the words Darwinism and evolution are used.  Moving on. As shown previously, Darwinism is not just a biological theory, but a worldview. Social Darwinism  has been around almost as long as classical Darwinism, and applies survival of the fittest principles to societies. Mostly made at Atom Smasher It was popular in the last century, giving rise to eugenics , scientific racism , ruthless capitalism, and more. Karl Marx saw his economic and political views expressed in Darwinian natural selection . Take a look around at what is happening in the world today. A form of Marxism has been zombified and is walking around, co

Worthless Psychotherapy and Borderline Personality Disorder

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Although Sigmund " Frood-dude " Freud tried to make psychotherapy into a science, it has very little to do with real science. Indeed, there are many schools of psychology, so if someone is told to "see a therapist", it could be any of several forms — several of which drew from Freud . Modern psychotherapy is actually dangerous, and labeling people with a condition can be quite harmful . There is a condition known as borderline personality disorder (BDP), but on the border of what is debated . Pexels / Alex Green Psychologists really don't know what's going on in their fundamentally-flawed Darwinian-based pseudoscience. There's almost an even chance that someone will improve over time. I've been open about my own struggles with depression, and that I was seeing therapists and taking medication. That's long past. Don't get me wrong, there are times when therapy is necessary, but to spend huge amounts of money for months and years is wasteful.

Evolution, Atheism, and Groupthink

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by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  In an article about climate screams , the word groupthink was used. It sounds like something from George Orwell, but is actually a psychological phenomenon. In some ways it is like herd mentality where everyone goes in the same direction, but groupthink is more complex. Even though I've used the word and had a cursory knowledge of the concept, I wanted to get a better understanding of groupthink. I found a good article to which I will add my own thoughts, linking to it later. Credit: Unsplash / Eric Herni Conformity involves people changing their actions (and probably their thoughts as well) so they can fit in with a group, but groupthink involves the decision-making process. What do you think happens when people appeal to the consensus, whether it is evolution, climate change, or something else that is highly charged? There is an appeal to emotion. Psychologist Dr. Irving L. Janis coined the word in 1972. People go with the views of a group and practice sel

Evolution and Human Consciousness

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Believers in particle-to-protester evolution have struggled for a mighty long time to cogently explain the origin of consciousness. Not just awake or asleep, but the way that humans have far more ways of exhibiting the ability to think and having a mind. This is obvious when comparing us to apes. Image modified from morgueFile / lemai13 Ever have an ape make a snide remark disparaging your intelligence? Of course not, that was a silly question. The Bearded Buddha scientifically evaded the problem of the divide between human consciousness and the lack of it in apes, and engaged in wishful thinking. When evolutionists use what is essentially "maybe someday", that's not science, old son. There are some criteria that seem reasonable that show how humans think on a much higher level than apes. One of these is the use of tools. Sure, chimps can bang rocks against walnuts to open them up, but they cannot design and build tools of any complexity. Another example is artwor

Evolutionary Psychologists Deride Religion

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Psychoanalysis was pioneered by Sigmund "Siggy" Freud, who mixed his Jewish heritage with atheism and evolutionism. Today, there are many schools of psychology that do not really work, and few if any address the real problem of the human condition. Meanwhile, evolutionists ridicule religion. Evolution supposedly capitalizes on beneficial mutations and the choices of the false god of natural selection . Darwin's acolytes also extrapolate ad hoc ideas to explain human behavior — free of actual evidence, of course. You would think that religion is a good thing by evolutionary standards because it benefits humanity and brings people together. Although atheists are religious , its adherents deny this fact. Can they make up a story about how and why atheism evolved? Not hardly!  Meanwhile, evolutionary psychologists liken physical disgust with emotional disgust to conjure up another tale about the origin of religion. The "study" lacked many of the elements of

Baby Yoda and Evolution

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by Cowboy Bob Sorensen This is not a review of Star Wars -related entertainment, although I did like the first three movies that were released (Episodes 4, 5, 6) somewhat. However, an evolutionist took a notion to use an almost fanatical devotion to Darwin and commence to asserting that The Child ("Baby Yoda") figures into human evolution. Credit: Pixabay / K. Some time ago, we looked at the science of cuteness and how evolutionists have tried to make it seem that we evolved to respond to cute things. We like babies. Near the first of the year, stores are filled with calendars, and you can expect to see some of baby animals. Someone offers to show pictures of their children or grandchildren, and people (usually the women folk) make ooh and aww noises over them. I find other ways to be occupied. From my observations i t seems that males are less inclined to involve themselves in the adoration of infants. All of this is supposedly based on an evolutionary urge to r

The Worship of Artificial Intelligence

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Many advances have been made in the development of AI, and such non-human intelligence is usually based on the particles-to-programmer worldviews of the designers. They even tie evolution into ethics (see " Artificial Intelligence and Evolving Morality "). It is possible to have AI that is, well, disturbing (see " Artificial Psychotic Intelligence "). Despite the obvious possibilities of disaster, some owlhoots want to design a church based on artificial intelligence. Credit: Pixabay / Gerd Altmann Although science fiction stories have been written about people with good intentions making a powerful intelligence for the good of humanity, disaster usually ensues. Have you ever heard the old Emerson, Lake and Palmer song, " Karn Evil 9, Third Impression "? It involves a futuristic war and a computer. At the end, the man says that he is all there is. The computer argues with him, "I let you live". He objects, "But I gave you life!" T