Are humans the only animals that commit suicide?

[Sava]

Barring some sort of supernatural revelation, the causes of all human behavior exist in the brain. There's no fundamental difference between a human being's and a Lemming's suicidal actions in the sense that everything happens in the brain. We just have the ability to assigning meaning to such things via our language skills.

I'd be content with saying human beings may be the only animals we know of that have a concept of suicide and are aware of the experience as it is happening. However, impaired impulse control leading to such actions is often the result of alcohol, drug use or some other neurological event that compromises the instinctual will to survive.

It's more a question of semantics than anything else.

[regexcellent]

When I google "deserts" Taklamakan doesn't show up in the top 100.

It shows up here. That's probably where he got it. He probably saw "in China" and figured that would give him sufficient regional diversity.

Molly's problem is he tries to find arguments to use facts in, as opposed to find facts to use in arguments. Well, that's the charitable explanation that assumes he actually knows some of the stuff he's talking about. Otherwise he's just grabbing random bits of trivia off the internet to mask his lack of real understanding.

[ColdWizard]

I've heard of the Taklamakan. I'm gonna go get myself a cookie.

[DaShi]

It shows up here. That's probably where he got it. He probably saw "in China" and figured that would give him sufficient regional diversity.

Molly's problem is he tries to find arguments to use facts in, as opposed to find facts to use in arguments. Well, that's the charitable explanation that assumes he actually knows some of the stuff he's talking about. Otherwise he's just grabbing random bits of trivia off the internet to mask his lack of real understanding.

You are incorrect. There are a lot of posters here you can't keep up with. That you are having difficulties with Molly should be no surprise.

[Sava]

Molly's problem is he tries to find arguments to use facts in, as opposed to find facts to use in arguments.

I understand what he tries to do... I just don't find it to be funny due to the overly obscure nature of his references. He's either really good at picking up random bits of information, or he has an encyclopaedic knowledge of cultural references. I often imagine a very dry delivery when I read his posts. But when the material is so far on the end of the bell curve, it's just confusing. I could research every little factoid he throws out there and still not know why the confluence of inanity is supposed to be funny.

Deadpan is the wrong method if the material is confusing. But to each his own.

He seems nice and smart.

I hope you don't take offence, molly. I'm not trying to be mean... just offering some feedback.

[regexcellent]

You are incorrect. There are a lot of posters here you can't keep up with. That you are having difficulties with Molly should be no surprise.

I never said I couldn't keep up with him. I can keep up with him just fine. His obscure references are pretty easy to look up. My issue with him isn't one of comprehension; it's the fact that his posts are 90% noise and the 10% that's on-point is idiotic.

He's better than you, though, because you usually have no point at all.

[Hauldren Collider]

Just put DaShi on ignore. He's a complete idiot who hasn't made a post in years that hasn't simply been "Evidence?" or some permutation thereof.

[regexcellent]

He is on ignore. I'm just a sucker for "view post."

[Sava]

what about me... should i be/am i on ignore list?

[regexcellent]

Wouldn't dream of it while you have that avatar.

[Sava]

word

[DaShi]

I never said I couldn't keep up with him. I can keep up with him just fine. His obscure references are pretty easy to look up. My issue with him isn't one of comprehension; it's the fact that his posts are 90% noise and the 10% that's on-point is idiotic.

You've yet to demonstrate that you can keep up with him. Rather you do to him what you complain that I do to you: use ad hominem rather that address his points. The difference is that I'm right.

He's better than you, though, because you usually have no point at all.

Just because you don't understand my points, doesn't mean I'm wrong. Frankly, I feel that I dumb down a lot of my posts for you. However, I do appreciate your amusing misunderstanding.

[DaShi]

Just put DaShi on ignore. He's a complete idiot who hasn't made a post in years that hasn't simply been "Evidence?" or some permutation thereof.

I'm merely curious as to where you get your information. You regularly post unsubstantiated "facts" and whinge when asked to support them. You seem to fear actual facts more than the Chinese government.

[DaShi]

I understand what he tries to do... I just don't find it to be funny due to the overly obscure nature of his references. He's either really good at picking up random bits of information, or he has an encyclopaedic knowledge of cultural references. I often imagine a very dry delivery when I read his posts. But when the material is so far on the end of the bell curve, it's just confusing. I could research every little factoid he throws out there and still not know why the confluence of inanity is supposed to be funny.

Deadpan is the wrong method if the material is confusing. But to each his own.

He seems nice and smart.

I hope you don't take offence, molly. I'm not trying to be mean... just offering some feedback.

I agree with this. I don't find them that funny, but that doesn't mean that they necessarily aren't. I do appreciate that Molly brings a different perspective than those who parrot certain blogs and clearly don't understand the concept beyond them.

[molly bloom]

It shows up here. That's probably where he got it. He probably saw "in China" and figured that would give him sufficient regional diversity.

You never cease to make me laugh. Just keep doing what you're doing....

In the United Kingdom we have mysterious storehouses and repositories of knowledge. To the initiated, they are known as libraries and museums.

In 2004, the British Library had this exhibition:

http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/silkroad/main.html

Earlier than that, in 1998, there was a documentary produced called: 'Mysterious Mummies of China' about fair skinned red haired remains in the Taklamakan. Or Takla Makan. ...

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2502chinamum.html

I do hope that's sufficiently simple for you to understand. If not, there was an article in 'History Today', Volume 54 (5) , May 2004, by Susan Whitfield, head of the International Dunhuang Project: http://idp.bl.uk/

The part which stuck in my mind was:

Lost in the sands of the Taklamakan (spelled just like that, Al) Desert in western China, there are few places as remote or desolate today as Dandan-Uiliq, Niya or Miran. Lacking strategic or economic importance, their names are known to very few. No roads lead to them and the nearest railway stations and airports are hundreds of miles away.

A good place for fundies to blow themselves up without killing any other people, I'd have thought.

Molly's problem is he tries to find arguments to use facts in, as opposed to find facts to use in arguments

It is ? Wow thanks for clearing that up.

Well, that's the charitable explanation that assumes he actually knows some of the stuff he's talking about.

You mean like you and H.C. on 20th Century southern African history and politics ? That was such a gas. And hey, how about you on the Viet Nam War? Baby, you were so funny, I thought I'd need a sedative.

Otherwise he's just grabbing random bits of trivia off the internet to mask his lack of real understanding.

So not at all like you and H.C. then. I mean, you read a whole book by a member of South Africa's apartheid regime's security forces, which apprently turned you into an expert on the destabilisation of the Front Line states. I was so impressed. And then you read a book by an Iranian C.I.A. stooge, which again, turned you into an expert on post-1979 Iranian society.

My, but you're a quick study.