Amos...yes, I suppose you wouldn't care for Randi...but what would you suspect his motives as being? As to the remark: " I believe that non-physical phenomena are important, and should be examined on terms consistent with how they work."..............

I, of course, include in my enquiries about life, one that asks "IS there any such thing as non-physical phenomena, ultimately?"

I know of phenomena like emotions and thoughts...but, when pressed, I would classify them differently--that is, with different nomenclature: perhaps subjective as opposed to objective. When I examine all my experiences, I find nothing that doesn't *seem* to have a physical basis. Some of the items in my experience can be weighed and measured, some can only be...ummmm...experienced. However, even thoughts and emotions can be monitored physically by means of electrodes and readouts. This does not 'explain' exactly how they get there, or what 'love' is and how we are able to have concepts like 'non-physical'...but it does tell me that 'physical' stuff is happening when I have emotions and dreams and ideas.

To underline what Wolfgang said, I have no need (no desire AND no requirement) to invent 'interesting' concepts to explain everything that can't be measured or understood easily. This is not to say the questions are not interesting! I have for many years collected cartoons on "The Meaning of Life", and it is absolutely fascinating to read the various (serious) historical answers in Philosophy and Theology.(I almost had a career in "meddling in everyone else's thinking") It gives me some extra input to what I consider to be the VERY most important element in evaluating life...perspective...the ability to see relationships and origins and details and see how they relate.

I do not claim to be an authority on much (getting close on types of wood)...others, and especially others here at Mudcat, have far greater knowlege of specific fields, but I do try to know 'about' many things and know where to get answers when I need detail.

I am beginning to think that, as interesting as I find these questions that we debate here, it will be extremely rare to find anyone who has their mind changed as a result. I suspect that a predilection for 'faith', belief in the paranormal, and an "interest in unexplicable wonders", like Wolfgang's friend, may be deeply programmed into many people. I have NO idea if it could be genetic, hormonal, or simply a result of complex interactions with 'life' during the formative years. As I said WAY back up there ^, I got my attitudes slowly, and it 'felt' like I was participating in the decision to become a sceptic..*BIG grin*...but maybe I just didn't nurse long enough when I was a baby.

No easy answers, hmmm?...but like Utah Phillips said.."Good, though"