Would absolute truths exist in a universe absent sentience? Please discuss reasons for believing the way you do in the comments. Also describe how you define absolute truths.
@hugo 2+2=4 is not a totology. 4 could be defined by 3+1 or 2x2. And what about "in a triangle, the square of the...

Disagree.
Ever study the Riemann sphere?

The Riemann sphere can be visualized
as the complex number plane
wrapped around a sphere
with the pole set to +- infinity.

The sphere allows us to view
all of "math"
from a different perspective that
includes division by zero
parallel lines that cross
other events that are "not possible"

For example:
any rational function
can be extended to a continuous function
any meromorphic function
can also be thought of as a continuous function

This allows us to contemplate
other disciplines
such as quantum mechanics.

It is very much "breaks" the rule
of the "absolute truth"
that so many people think exist in math

I am convinced there are other projection of math
[not yet discovered]
that will further demonstrate that
if there is a truth
we have yet to discover it

Is this argument on equal ground with the Kalam Cosmological Argument? Mine. Premise 1: Nothing that begins to exist can come from no things, Premise 2: The universe came from either something, or no thing, Premise 3: The universe exists, Conclusion: Therefore the universe began to exist out of something. The Kalam. Premise 1: Whatever begins to exist has a cause, Premise 2: The universe began to exist, Conclusion: The universe has a cause. Definitions: Universe - the totality of all existence, time, space, energy, matter. No thing - absolute absence of existence. (All other definitions are their dictionary definitions, to my knowledge.)
@Maelthus I forgot to add an explanation. I have been "debating" this guy on another site over the validity of the Kalam, my...

I do not see this as excluding a god

it only excludes
the possibility
that god came from
no thing

If there is a god
then it would
have to come from some thing
and so on

Capitalism. It is based on an outdated model that requires unlimited natural resources, consumable outputs, and growing demand. It is a three legged stool with one short leg and it is about to tip over. Until about 30 years ago the tripod was stable, it is no longer sustainable.

Why do atheist hate Christianity? They love to attack Christians.

I hate no one. I attack beliefs, not people (no ad hominem for me)

Whenever I argue about gun control, people bring up the countries, like Switzerland, and Iceland, which seemingly have high gun ownership, and low crimes. When I point out that this says nothing about the carry laws, and the owner restrictions, they always seem to ignore my statement. While yes, they both have high gun ownership, and low violent crime rates, they also have heavy restrictions on who can own guns at home, and who can carry them in public. I say we emulate the laws of these countries, make it harder to open carry, or concealed carry, in the U.S., and require more extensive background checks and waiting periods to purchase a gun. Personally I like Switzerland (if I'm not mistaken), they allow anyone who served in the military, to carry a gun, but no one can keep ammunition with their guns, they buy it when they go hunting, or at the shooting range. But that's just a personal belief. I also think the government is right in being able to place these restrictions, in the same way they restrict free-speech (it's illegal to yell "fire" in a crowded theater), as it is to protect the citizens safety.

This is a cause very important to me and I've done quite a bit of research and read tons of studies about it and so I wholeheartedly agree with you but I also think the biggest problem we have to focus on first in the USA at least (because trying to implement a complete gun/ammo ban would never work in the present moment) is on classes/training/background & mental health checks/ID being needed before being able to purchase a weapon. Consider how many children have shot their siblings, parents, friends because the gun owner left their gun loaded and available to be picked up? A gun training class would stop a lot of accidental gun deaths by teaching how to store weapons, load weapons, clean weapons, etc and knowing is half the battle...

We should also ban sales between anybody other than a licensed firearm dealer such as online sales, sales at gun shows, and weapons being given as gifts by family, friends, etc because it's much harder to make sure everyone got background checks and had to verify identity before receiving the weapon, and it makes it easier for stolen weapons to be passed around.

And in the case of the mental health checks it should be something that has to be renewed each year. This will help stop mass murders that tend to happen due to mental illnesses and mental illnesses can pop up unexpectedly at any time of life, such as schizophrenia where it usually does not begin to show symptoms until you are in your mid to late 20s.
This could also stop a lot of suicides since it has been shown that people commit suicide more often when there is easy access to kill themselves, and guns are the most easy and lethal way to do so. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/mag...e-hidden-toll/.

The things listed will do a lot to curb gun violence/accidental death but unfortunately the approaches you listed about guns is the best approach so it won't stop gun violence. But education plays an important part in stopping unnecessary deaths in regards to any type of violence and the sad truth is that there is little to no education provided in the purchase of a weapon in the USA.

Whenever I argue about gun control, people bring up the countries, like Switzerland, and Iceland, which seemingly have high gun ownership, and low crimes. When I point out that this says nothing about the carry laws, and the owner restrictions, they always seem to ignore my statement. While yes, they both have high gun ownership, and low violent crime rates, they also have heavy restrictions on who can own guns at home, and who can carry them in public. I say we emulate the laws of these countries, make it harder to open carry, or concealed carry, in the U.S., and require more extensive background checks and waiting periods to purchase a gun. Personally I like Switzerland (if I'm not mistaken), they allow anyone who served in the military, to carry a gun, but no one can keep ammunition with their guns, they buy it when they go hunting, or at the shooting range. But that's just a personal belief. I also think the government is right in being able to place these restrictions, in the same way they restrict free-speech (it's illegal to yell "fire" in a crowded theater), as it is to protect the citizens safety.
You wonder why, while half the world is starving, half the people you know are trying to lose weight. Amirite?
@1990161

There are 3 or 4 companies
that control 90%
of food production on this planet.

The men (mostly)
who control these companies
[Cargill, Monsanto, Archer Daniels and Potash]
literally control the planet.
They control the supply chains
from top to bottom
they pay $hundreds-of-millions$
to control virtually every government world-wide.