Winter fuel payment

[LenT]

 

2 hours ago, Phil xxkr said:

even Richard Dawkins arch atheist, evolutionary evangelist and key member of the CFI now concedes the possibility of Intelligent Design

Richard Dawkins has always ‘conceded the possibility’ of ID.  Similarly, he has always ‘conceded the possibility’ of a God.  All he has ever demanded is the presentation of such evidence to support the hypothesis that cannot be falsified.

That’s why his position is actually agnostic rather than atheistic.  This appears to be the latest YT interview and you’ll note that it’s titled “ Richard Dawkins admits to Intelligent…”. But it’s typically misleading.  What he admits to is that it’s an hypothesis that can be considered, but of course it raises the question: So who designed the Intelligent Designer?

Dawkins points out that there are much simpler explanations for the appearance of a design for purpose as demonstrated by Charles Darwin.  The fact that the current state of Human Knowledge does not extend to account for every conceivable explanation - and indeed conditions that we cannot yet conceive - does not support the invention and intercession of an imaginary third party!

All Human Knowledge is only a snapshot in time and doesn’t preclude new discoveries.  As the famous dictum goes: The absence of evidence is not evidence of its absence.  But extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence and - as Dawkins always points out - that doesn’t appear to exist.
 

 

[Boomer54]

17 hours ago, LenT said:

 

Richard Dawkins has always ‘conceded the possibility’ of ID.  Similarly, he has always ‘conceded the possibility’ of a God.  All he has ever demanded is the presentation of such evidence to support the hypothesis that cannot be falsified.

That’s why his position is actually agnostic rather than atheistic.  This appears to be the latest YT interview and you’ll note that it’s titled “ Richard Dawkins admits to Intelligent…”. But it’s typically misleading.  What he admits to is that it’s an hypothesis that can be considered, but of course it raises the question: So who designed the Intelligent Designer?

Dawkins points out that there are much simpler explanations for the appearance of a design for purpose as demonstrated by Charles Darwin.  The fact that the current state of Human Knowledge does not extend to account for every conceivable explanation - and indeed conditions that we cannot yet conceive - does not support the invention and intercession of an imaginary third party!

All Human Knowledge is only a snapshot in time and doesn’t preclude new discoveries.  As the famous dictum goes: The absence of evidence is not evidence of its absence.  But extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence and - as Dawkins always points out - that doesn’t appear to exist.
 

 

I guess because of my experience I have long since stopped looking at most things as absolutes. Life oft is not black , or white. Is not completely certain nor absolutely uncertain. This leads one to view events/issues on a probability basis. For me this whole issue is one of not proven and based upon what we currently know the probability is on the very low side that it will ever be proven. Hence, one can say the burden of proof has yet to be established, but a part of one's mind remains open to new evidence.

[Malc1]

Blimey.  Bit  2 highbrow for simple ‘ol me 

Petition now at 

569,281.   Signatures 

AGE. UK.  Petition 

Malc 

[LenT]

1 hour ago, Boomer54 said:

Life oft is not black , or white. Is not completely certain nor absolutely uncertain.

Death and Taxes, Stephen?  😊

(Benjamin Franklin!)

[Malc1]

Wrong thread really but I’ll pop in my twopenneth …… before it needs to be thruppence worth with inflation  😄

Reading some economist or other ( not Reeves who’s a quasi make-believe one ) pontificating on INHERITANCE TAX ……. of course one’s  Private Pension Pots should be totally depleted prior to death …… it’s there to support the “ owner “  during one’s lifetime NOT kids whatever ……. maybe one’s spouse, partner but def NOT others 

SO       SPEND SPEND SPEND.

 and don’t spare the horses 

But it’s not in our psyche is it to spend spend spend …… we’re far too careful for that 🤔

Malc 

I’ll be looking at 1960’s Bentleys ……. as if 😂🤣

[Boomer54]

26 minutes ago, LenT said:

Death and Taxes, Stephen?  😊

(Benjamin Franklin!)

I have often wondered if we invented death just to get away from taxes.

[Boomer54]

Just imagine there is an hereafter and the first thing to greet you is a tollbooth charge to enter. Oh the irony.

[Malc1]

if I learn anything useful about this Inheritance Tax mullarkey from some of my quite wealthy but aged buddies who are ( not quite yet ) mortified over all their planning going awry ......  I'll let you know  .. one's a farmer who's fighting, or who was fighting, the Planners to bugger off and leave him farming          farmland  100/200 acres in Thanet Kent not much value but gives us food security OR more and more homes that deplete the environment but would give him £ zillions that he can't spend nor sensibly hand down to his family fully engaged in farming of course  ......  who needs all that ££££ at our advancing years             

 

....... you can go to Portugal but be afeared that Harry and Meghan might be a neighbour ...... aaaaaagggggghhhhh 

We'll always LOSE

Malc

[Boomer54]

14 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

if I learn anything useful about this Inheritance Tax mullarkey from some of my quite wealthy but aged buddies who are ( not quite yet ) mortified over all their planning going awry ......  I'll let you know  .. one's a farmer who's fighting, or who was fighting, the Planners to bugger off and leave him farming          farmland  100/200 acres in Thanet Kent not much value but gives us food security OR more and more homes that deplete the environment but would give him £ zillions that he can't spend nor sensibly hand down to his family fully engaged in farming of course  ......  who needs all that ££££ at our advancing years             

 

....... you can go to Portugal but be afeared that Harry and Meghan might be a neighbour ...... aaaaaagggggghhhhh 

We'll always LOSE

Malc

Malc,

If you are still vertical sucking oxygen then you have not lost.

https://www.vam.ac.uk/shop/prints/portraits-and-people/dont-let-the-bastards-grind-you-down---mounted-print-115287.html

[Kevin Williams]

[Boomer54]

12 minutes ago, Kevin Williams said:

 

You know I get sick and tired of it. Those photographers just will not leave the wife alone.

[Malc1]

Let’s remember there are TWO legal challenges against the incompetency shown  by Starmer and Reeves in wantonly, without Impact Assessment, cancelling the WFP and probably causing the deaths of some few thousands of OAPs 

Its a dreadful State,  of State of Affairs we’re suffering 

Malc