Susan Blackmore

Susan Blackmore's Opinions

Religion Do we have an immaterial soul? Disagree Imagine a world in which each of us has a special inner core - a ‘real self’ - that makes us who we are, that can think and move independently of our coarse physical body, and that ultimately survives death, giving meaning to our otherwise short and pointless lives. This is (roughly speaking) how most people think the world is. It is how I used to think -and even hope - that the world is. I devoted 25 years of my life to trying to find out whether it is. Now I have given up. The Convert Pitch   Edit Pitches 01 Jan 2001    Source Is rebirth/reincarnation plausible? Disagree I cannot believe in anything like ... the idea that something of a person survives the death of their body and goes on to appear in some other human or animal body at a later time. I think this is rubbish both because it makes no scientific sense and because it conflicts with the most fundamental insight of the Buddha which is that the self is not a persistent entity that lives through a lifetime - let alone a persistent entity that can live through lots of lifetimes. Edit Pitches 08 Jan 2010    Source Supernaturalism Are psychic powers real? Mostly Disagree The recent resurgence of funding for parapsychology means there are several new labs and many new researchers at work. If psi does exist then one day one of them will find a way to demonstrate it and a theory to explain it. If that happens I shall be back like a shot, but until then, happily, I have given up. The Convert Pitch   Edit Pitches 01 Jun 2001    Source Do ghosts exist? Disagree I spent twenty-five years of my life as a parapsychologist, hunting for, and never finding, such paranormal phenomena as telepathy, clairvoyance, ghosts and premonitions. The Convert Pitch   Edit Pitches 03 Feb 2009    Source

Philosophy Are people who reject theories as unscientific closed minded? Disagree To me an open mind means you are prepared to change your mind if the evidence suggests you should. This sounds simple, but is not. It is a balancing act between having a mind so open that it changes every time the wind blows, and so closed that impossible standards of evidence are required to change it. It is a world away from the kind of ‘open mind’ that critics love to flaunt - the kind that really means “If you agree with me you have an open mind - if you agree with scientists you don’t”. Edit Pitches 01 Jun 2001    Source Is truthfulness a characteristic of a politician who is good for the people? Agree When it comes to moral leadership we are right to expect a great deal of our politicians and right to be disappointed. I want to live in a society where most people are honest, care about others, and work not solely for their own financial gain but at least partly for the common good. I'm not completely unrealistic. ...a complex modern society cannot function at all – let alone fairly – if the majority of people aren't basically honest. And for that we need leaders we can admire and emulate. Edit Pitches 10 Jun 2009    Source Cognition Is the unconscious philosophical zombie possible? Disagree If consciousness has a function - if it does something - then natural selection could get to work on it. Conscious creatures would have a selective advantage, and so would pass on their genes for being conscious. ... If you believe in the philosopher’s zombie, then you believe it is possible that we might have evolved the way we have, doing everything the way we do, but without any corresponding consciousness. But this is magic. Edit Pitches 01 Oct 2001    Source Can reductionist methods help explain consciousness? Agree Neuroscience is developing fast. Artificial intelligence and neural modelling are increasing our understanding of the brain. ... But is this all just working on the ‘easy problems’? Will the really ‘hard problem’ remain to haunt us for ever? I doubt it. I think that one day psychologists will look back and laugh at the silly muddle we got ourselves into. To them the way out will be obvious. The trouble is that right now, like everyone else in the field, I cannot see it. Edit Pitches 01 Oct 2001    Source Drugs Should psychoactive drugs be legal? Agree ...every year in the UK billions of pounds are controlled by criminals instead of by legitimate traders and the government. This black market funds global terrorism, as well as enabling the control of prostitution by pimps, sexual slavery, illegal munitions trade and other appalling crimes... We should take all recreational drugs under state control to be sold in shops, taxed, and controlled by legislation. Edit Pitches 20 Mar 2003    Source

Comparisons with Other Experts and Influencers

The similarity between Susan Blackmore and each expert and influencer is calculated by looking at how the same questions were answered. These figures are used to calculate conforming, nonconforming, and projected opinions. The accuracy of the analysis depends on Susan Blackmore's coverage, which grows with the number of their opinions entered into TakeOnIt.

Conforming Opinions

Susan Blackmore's conforming opinions are opinions that align with the group of experts and influencers Susan Blackmore typically agrees with.

Nonconforming Opinions

Susan Blackmore's nonconforming opinions are opinions that contradict the group of experts and influencers Susan Blackmore typically agrees with.

Projected Opinions

Susan Blackmore's projected opinions are opinions Susan Blackmore is expected to have if their opinions align with the experts and influencers that they typically agree with.