Bill it IS a most interesting and refreshing thread! And thank you for the links re philosophy above - I read them with MUCH interest. My oldest son just graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours degree in Philosophy, and I intend to go over them with him when he comes to visit tonight. It's been years since I've studied Philosophy - I majored in Psych and Soc - and I need his expertise to help understand the terms again...

"We can all be decent, happy, caring people no matter how we feel about the nature of existence..." Hear hear!!!! :-)

Just can't help asking though - do you think there's really any such thing as "random firing of the neurons?" Gads I love pondering stuff like that ....

daylia