Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson commented on Yo Kass' answer
I completely agree Kass. The backlash attackers were trying to terrorise Muslims in return, not attack individuals; if that's not terrorism then we should not be using the word at all. It would be more helpful to call all such attacks the crimes that they are, and not assign the 'terrorist' badge of honour to … Read more
Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson answered Sam Wilson's question

It could be argued there shouldn't be anything to learn from the Woolwich murder that we don't know already. Justification and roots are familiar, and despite the visible horror, it still represents a incredibly rare event event in the West (thanks in part to significant ongoing efforts to identify and monitor the radicalised). However, … Read more

Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson thanked Yo Kass' answer

Everyone probably has their own beliefs on the role that religion plays in society, and I guess the part it plays in global peace is directly relevant to that.

Whilst it's true that many of the world's worst atrocities have been religiously motivated, it's also true that a lot of our moral, ethical and philosophical background … Read more

Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson answered Kyle Risi's question

It's probably worth defining religion in the context of the question before going too far with this. Let's stick to definitions that emphasise the “belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power..” (Oxford) for now, although the label is often applied to other reverent beliefs and controlling principles involving obligation and solidarity.

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Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson commented on Dan Banks' answer
Part of the problem of course is that private health providers get paid per treatment, not for quality of outcomes. This encourages unnecessary treatments and sucks cash away from where it could do more good. The NHS is far from perfect (abysmal in many areas to be honest!), but managed care at least discourages the … Read more
Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson commented on Dan Banks' answer
Great answer Dan - you are right, even if it does go smoothly, it won't move the USA towards 'socialism' and nor should it. It might show how government, by regulation and statute, can make a grossly unfair market both more fair and more efficient at the same time though.. You would think the shame … Read more
Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson commented on Sam Wilson's answer
Yeah, as an ex-hippy, I instinctively recoil from the 'you have to buy everything from us and pay the price' approach that Apple push. It smacks of the kind of monopolistic tendency that Microsoft used to get panned for, only worse because you can't even use somebody else's hardware or services. The Apple Macintosh started … Read more
Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson answered Dan Banks' question

Christian's drift to the pejorative proves Sam's point!

It all depends where you are coming from. My company provides business management software for manufacturing companies, on both Apple and Wintel machines. I also use a mixture in the home. I have therefore worked for many years with people who use both, or who use mostly or … Read more

Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson commented on Kyle Eschenroeder's answer
Yes, many more could work for themselves, and at least survive if not prosper. However, most of those that choose to do it almost certainly put up with higher levels of uncertainty and responsibility, in return for satisfying their greater drives for autonomy, wealth, status and self-esteem. I am one of those that don't think … Read more
Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson answered Christian Bell-Young's question

I think the decision was made for us Christian, by the necessity to survive! Even in the most abundant environments, with enough fruit, vegetables and game for all, it was necessary to hunt and gather most days, and on off-days to make shelters, weapons and clothes, and to cook and preserve food. If we … Read more

Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson commented on Kathryn Wright's answer
You say "when all we did was hunt and gather food, farm the land, rise and sleep with the sunlight - it sounds so idillic." Yes, it is tempting to take a rosy view of the past. However, any reading of the history of human work-life balance shows unequivocally that a worker in the rich … Read more
Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson voted up Adam Groom's answer

It's hard to imagine how a terrorist can bring themselves to bomb innocent people.

I can only guess events in their lives have reduced their feelings towards others, or created so much hate for Americans that they thought such action could be justified.

They must think they have a point, organising a  successful bombing would involve … Read more

Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson answered Kathryn Wright's question

I think what we can't avoid is that people can act in such a callous way, given the right  psychological profile, personal history, circumstances and manipulation. I suspect that very few people would be immune to the right combination of these, and that most of those that actually do commit an act of terrorism, … Read more