Re: [lakeside-freethinkers] Digest for lakeside-freethinkers@googlegroups.com - 5 updates in 2 topics

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Chad Olsen

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Sep 15, 2025, 11:59:09 AMSep 15
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Thank you, Stephen, for diving deeper into the "razor's edge."  I learned some things I either never knew or (more likely) forgot. Fleshed out a little more, and it could be an entertaining and informative presentation--hint, hint.

Chad


On Sun, Sep 14, 2025 at 9:34 AM <lakeside-f...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Chad Olsen <lakesidefr...@gmail.com>: Sep 13 11:59AM -0700

[image: 545559976_1228128302663050_2396299556678086800_n.jpg]
Most (all?) of you have undoubtedly seen this quote before. It is my
favorite for many reasons-faith/god/logic, for starters. I just wanted to
share it.
 
*Chad*
Felix Billingsley <svang...@hotmail.com>: Sep 13 07:07PM

I love that quote!
 
Frosty
 
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________________________________
From: lakeside-f...@googlegroups.com <lakeside-f...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Chad Olsen <lakesidefr...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2025 11:59:15 AM
To: Lakeside Freethinkers <lakeside-f...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [lakeside-freethinkers] Hitchens
 
[545559976_1228128302663050_2396299556678086800_n.jpg]
Most (all?) of you have undoubtedly seen this quote before. It is my favorite for many reasons-faith/god/logic, for starters. I just wanted to share it.
 
Chad
 
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Donna Steadman <dab...@gmail.com>: Sep 13 12:36PM -0700

This assertion seems logical to me. Will have Rich put it to the test on
Thursday!
 
Thanks, Frosty,
Dab
 
On Sat, Sep 13, 2025 at 12:07 PM Felix Billingsley <svang...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
 
Stephen Segall <sseg...@yahoo.com>: Sep 14 04:19PM

It has a name: Hitchens' Razor
What is a razor? "In philosophy, a "razor" is a principle or rule of thumb that helps to eliminate unlikely explanations or unnecessary assumptions when evaluating phenomena or solving problems." 
I'd modify that to say a way to order ideas in terms of likelihood rather than eliminate options.
 
Most know Occam's Razor - unnecessarily complicated explanations are less likely to be correct. 
And most know Hitchens' Razor even if not by that name: "What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence." Of course, dismissed doesn't mean ruled out, just disregarded despite not being rebutted.
Sagan's pronouncement that, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence," can be called Sagan's Razor. 
Popper's assertion of falsifiability can be called Popper's Razor: "For a theory to be considered scientific, it must be possible to disprove or refute it." The implication is that ideas not considered scientific can be disregarded, but they also cannot be ruled out, either. They go to the bottom of the list, like claims involving supernaturalism, but not off of it.
There are a few colloquialisms that do the same kind of thing. "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence or stupidity" has been called Hanlon's Razor. 
"If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck" can be considered a Razor (the Duck Razor?). 
And we had one in medicine for evaluating symptoms - "When you hear hoofbeats, look for horses, not zebras," zebras being rare diagnoses. Rare things occur rarely, so rule out likelier (and also more time-sensitive) diagnoses first.
Anecdote: There used to be a site called Pete's Pond set in a game reserve in Botswana that was a real-time camera (now defunct) of wildlife drinking at a pond. One night, I was watching and heard clop clop clop, and thought to myself, that's odd - horses in Botswana. Then I saw them when they came into the light. Zebras. Of course. I was embarrassed at myself and had a good laugh recalling the medical razor. I wonder if African medical students are taught that when they hear hoofbeats to think zebras, not horses. Context is everything.
 
Stephen
On Saturday, September 13, 2025 at 01:36:57 PM CST, Donna Steadman <dab...@gmail.com> wrote:

This assertion seems logical to me.   Will have Rich put it to the test on Thursday!
Thanks, Frosty,Dab
On Sat, Sep 13, 2025 at 12:07 PM Felix Billingsley <svang...@hotmail.com> wrote:
 
I love that quote!
Frosty
GetOutlook for AndroidFrom: lakeside-f...@googlegroups.com <lakeside-f...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Chad Olsen <lakesidefr...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2025 11:59:15 AM
To: Lakeside Freethinkers <lakeside-f...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [lakeside-freethinkers] Hitchens 
Most (all?) of you have undoubtedly seen this quote before.  It is my favorite for many reasons-faith/god/logic,for starters.I just wanted to share it.
 
Chad
 
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Lakeside Freethinkers <lakeside-f...@googlegroups.com>: Sep 13 11:43AM -0700

Hello, Valued Members!
 
Just a reminder that we have our monthly meeting coming- up on Thursday,
Sept. 18th at 4pm. local (Ajijic) time. Chad will be sending out a ZOOM
link in a few days.
 
Rich will be the main presenter talking about his system for evaluating the
veracity of information and Lloyd has a little something "out of the
ordinary" (maybe even extraordinary!) planned for the second half of this
meeting!
 
We'll also be checking with you to see if our current regular meeting time
is good for the majority of active members.
 
Enjoy your weekend!
-Dab
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Stephen Segall

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Sep 15, 2025, 12:04:15 PMSep 15
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Thanks for the kind words, Chad

I really have nothing to add to what I wrote, but thanks for the offer and encouragement.

Stephen


Felix Billingsley

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Sep 15, 2025, 12:06:05 PMSep 15
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So sorry, but Patti and I will be missing the Zoom meeting on the 18th. See you live in Ajijic next month. Yay!

Frosty

Sent: Monday, September 15, 2025 8:58:55 AM
To: lakeside-f...@googlegroups.com <lakeside-f...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [lakeside-freethinkers] Digest for lakeside-f...@googlegroups.com - 5 updates in 2 topics
 
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