u/hiphoptomato

For most people who study science and lay people who understand it, there is no "problem" of consciousenss insofar as we know that the brain creates it. It's not a mystery where it comes from. It comes from the brain. A lot of theists like to point to the hard problem as if it's some mystery that asks where consciousness even comes from, when it's not. Why physical matter in some arrrangements creates consciousness at all is quite a mystery, as well as why some arrangements create what appear to be higher levels of consciouesnss vs others. All of this still accepts that brains do, in fact, create conscoiusness.

Similarly, with the "source" or origin of the universe - it's pretty common for cosmologists and the like to accept that there is no "origin" of our universe and that it is as equally likely as anything else, if not more likely, that our universe has no "source" and just exists by brute fact that it always has. Theists like to point to the fact that the big bang claims that all matter and energy expanded from a single point as if that is pointing to the creation of our universe from nothing or rather, by something or someone. All the big bang claims is that everything expanded from a single point. We know that matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed. They just change forms. Thus, it's more likely than anything that all of the matter and energy that is in our universe is all there ever was and all there ever will be and needs no "source".

I say all of this to say, that these are the two of the last big "mysteries" that science has yet to answer and very well may never be able to answer (not, what "created" our universe, but in what state did it exist before the big bang and why was it like that). Three, if you want to count the origin of life from non-life, but I digress. *Jerk off motion* Neil Degrasse Tyson quote about God being an ever-receeding pocket of ignorance, but it's a salient point. These really aren't "problems" to most non-theists, or actually even a lot of theists. Most of Christian apologetics is creating problems that don't actually exist, and claiming that their god is the only solution. These two are the most glaring examples in our modern world.

Did you switch medications? What did you do? I’m worried these could become permanent or something I don’t change something soon.

I've had recurring brain zaps for the past few years that are getting much worse and more frequent. It feels like a giant chill running down my spine starting at the base of my skull and traveling out towards my limbs. These usually make my limbs jerk uncontrollably and are accompanied with a verbal tic more often than not. I get them multiple times a day, mostly at night, and sometimes they happen every few minutes. My doctor is insistant that these are not a result of my biploar meds, and that they could be a sign of something neurological happening. Is anyone familiar with these? Are these something I need to be worried about?

I had to take one of these my first year of teaching at a title 1 public school. I remember at the time thinking this was a good thing, and that all teachers should know this. Basically some administrators came in and gave us a class on when it’s ok to restrain a student, where you can and can’t touch them, how to bring them to the ground, etc. we then broke out into groups and practiced the holds on each other. Looking back on this now, this is so surreal and backwards. I understand there may be a time when every teacher has to do this for their safety or the safety of others, but it just seemed like it was normalizing student violence like, “Yeah, this is just a normal part of your job now, and besides teacher, counselor, therapist, babysitter, and janitor, you are now also a bouncer.” Has anyone else ever had to take a training like this as a teacher? What are your thoughts?

I swear I remember some fairly prominent math rock guys made an album with that Rayon Base guy and now I can't find it for anything. Does anyone have any idea what I'm talking about?

How do I get the ACLU and The Southern Poverty Law Center involved and when do we burn down a Target?