"That's what consciousness is for." Consciousness is consciousness. Our reactions to the environment are behaviour. Establishing that consciousness is a prerequisite for particular patterns of reaction to the environment is equivalent to a refutation of epiphenomenalism, which frankly I don't think you're up to, old boy.

You're a very silly person, indeed.

You have taken a totally wrong-headed approach to this conversation. If someone says "In my opinion, X" then they think X is a fact. If someone says "In fact, X" then they think X is a fact. They are both opinions, and they are both asserted to be facts. You want everyone to prefix all their assertions with "In my opinion,...". But that is obviously both impractical, and redundant. Have a look at your original dig at the unpc community: "The thing I find most fascinating about people who hate PC is that they feel like somehow the dreaded “PC” has some how shackled them..." Did you say "In my opinion the thing I find most fascinating about people who hate PC..."? No. You just stated your opinion. Have you spoken to every politically incorrect person? No. Does that matter? Well if you had it would add weight to your argument, but it doesn't mean you're wrong, or that your assertion is completely unfounded. Noone came back at you with jibes about having never done a thorough survey. Richa just gave you his opinion on the matter, which was that political correctness hadn't changed our attitudes. I said I thought political correctness was symptomatic of a change in attitudes. And then you blurted in with the "most" argument. For pity's sake, you should have shared your opinion with the rest of the group when you had the chance. What do you really think most people feel about political correctness?

dear mr and mrs richa, What are you guys doing? Are you dating? Oh you’re married, I then apologize Richa for implying that your beloved is lacking in the smarty points, she is a genius. Let’s do some recaps on her cleverness: first she uses her spidey skills to get me by asking me what I meant by semantics, I mean that usually shows someone, ask them what the "big" word means, yeah that will show them, the little lady is quick, she showed me with that one, some people view that is sort of eighth grade tactic, but used properly that technique usually floors people, hey it floored me. Then she demands that I tell everyone what I think on PC, because I’m being a dunce. Oh man the word play the cleverness, the sarcastic bite, the forcefulness, the working of the logic there, my god I think she the reincarnate of Dorothy Parker. Oh and then finally her biggest gem of a post, in defense of you Ricah, when she explained to me how “some” and “most” weren’t the same which demonstrated that you, her beloved, wasn’t using semantics, my god that brought tears to my eyes, I learned so much from that post. I hope that one day when god makes me human that he will give me a brain as well developed as Dark Angel, because that girl she is …words simply can’t describe. You are a lucky human. Congratulations on the nuptials kiddies. meow, cat

dear richa, That obviously was me being mean. It made you say you'd break my little cute kitty leg, yes I said I'd scratch your futon, but that is only a minor crime, breaking a sweet kitty’s legs, that's just cruel and unusual and I can only guess that was because of my clever thought provoking comments implying that your friends were deceiving you. I’m glad I didn’t tell you about your best friend and that girl you like at the library. I in no could have privy to information that your friends do or do not have on you or what they are or are not telling you, but I will admit one thing, I was talking out my ass on the above point, so do you admit that you were talking out your ass on the most people statement. Opinion alright, but now you are trying to act as if it is a fact, dude, really. Come on, say uncle, if you do I promise from now on I'll be a good kitty that will only do my business in the litter box. meow, cat p.s. i'm a cat and cat's are known to be liars, as of right now i’m getting ready to cook and sauté your favorite goldfish, yum good.

1) 'This isn't about PC at all is it, this is about you thinking you are better than everyone else and the frustration you feel for being forced to cohabitate with people who are obviously inferior to a high IQ having, A-level taking, smart, logical, human like you.' yes. 2) '“Most” is a save, oh wait if I put little numbers on the side will that make it more true...anyway most is a save, people only use most, so if a person counters and says, "hey well I know for a fact that people in Istanbul don't think that way." you can say, "oh I said most, so I don't have to address that anomaly."' By saying most, the inference is 'not all'. That is a statement without 'savers' as you would put it. 3) 'Look UK human with a high IQ (yeah i know that you don't have a high IQ, you are bordering on being mentally challenged you were simply saying that to prove a point, damn me, damn me, damn me)' Well done, you spotted the clause 'if I said'. Unfortunately you seem to believe that by making the 'if' clause, the opposite must be true (bordering on mentally challenged). Shame you had to undo the good work. 4) 'I'm surprised you would get so angry about possibly being thought of as a racist, since everyone around you is, oh pardon me, most people around you.' This assumes the only problem one would have with being called racist is how the majority of people would react to such a label. This has no grounding in logic. 5) Common sense is merely what you are said to have when you agree with people who have rubbish a-levels and/or degrees.

You are in no position to judge who is smart and who is not. You are unable to separate hypothetical (i.e. if .... is .... then....) from the concrete. This is no surprise as cats have no neo-cortex and are as such incapable of reasoning.

dear "now I'm very angry and I will show you, you damn cat", Break my leg, what a very mean human you are. “Most” is a save, oh wait if I put little numbers on the side will that make it more true...anyway most is a save, people only use most, so if a person counters and says, "hey well I know for a fact that people in Istanbul don't think that way." you can say, "oh I said most, so I don't have to address that anomaly." So it is a save. Your IQ example can't be used it's a standard test that people take throughout the Western part of the world and you could say with confidence if you IQ was 1% that you were smarter than most people in regards to a particular IQ test, but prejudice is a bit more subjective than that so using terms like most or some are kind of your way of giving yourself a save and slanting the facts to favor your opinion, and that is what it is, an opinion, unless you can find me a test that measures open-mindedness. I didn't say you agreed with anyone, I simply said you don't know everyone, so you can't speak as if you do, well you can, but you might get challenged, i.e., you are being challenged right now. Look UK human with a high IQ (yeah i know that you don't have a high IQ, you are bordering on being mentally challenged you were simply saying that to prove a point, damn me, damn me, damn me), I didn't say you were a racist, but I'm surprised you would get so angry about possibly being thought of as a racist, since everyone around you is, oh pardon me, most people around you. Oh I get it you were trying to say that you are better than the people around you, oh so we are back to the "common" comment. This isn't about PC at all is it, this is about you thinking you are better than everyone else and the frustration you feel for being forced to cohabitate with people who are obviously inferior to a high IQ having, A-level taking, smart, logical, human like you. My deepest sympathies, I wish you could be a stupid cat like me… but i'm going to use your favorite shoes as my litter box. meow, cat

'I guess no one told you that is not the case' Did you interview more than fifty percent of the population to arrive at this statement then. Disclaimer: This would be the logical conclusion had what you said about me not having known most of the population meaning I can not judge how well liked minorities are. This reasoning should not be attached to the author of the comment and further argument toward the man should be avoided.

I didn't necessarily call you a dunce. What I said was: "You're a dunce if you think people can't use the word 'most' just because they haven't spoken to more than 50% of the population." > Why don't you put on you deductive logic wings and figure out what I think genius? You probably think: "I have no idea what other people think about politcal correctness." But consider this: If I jabbed a group of people with a red hot poker, what would they think about it? Can you honestly say you have no idea at all? > apparently you are in agreement with Richa that you can predict most people's human behavior. I obviously can't flawlessly predict human behaviour. I have an opinion on what I think most people feel about political correctness. It is based on the people I meet, conversations I overhear, things I see on TV and read about in the News. P.S As regards the 'semantics' thing, I have spent the last three years studying formal semantics in theoretical computer science. Formal semantics in this context is mathematically formalising the meaning of computer programs. I know what the word actually means, which is probably why I didn't understand you. For your information, I think the phrase "it's just semantics" is more popular in America than in Britain. I haven't met anyone who has used it in conversation. That is why I asked.

dear dark angel pi aka "The PhD award winning Psychologist, Sociologist, Mental GIANT", Dark Angel calls me a dunce, the angel that asks me what semantics means calls me a dunce? I wasn’t sure if you were a smarty or ignorant, I always assume people are true until they have proven themselves to be false, but I see you have answered, so now I will answer your questions in a tone you will appreciate. Why don't you put on you deductive logic wings and figure out what I think genius? If you give the wrong answer I'll explain it to you, since apparently you are in agreement with Richa that you can predict most people's human behavior. Let's see how smart you are smarty. a coughed up hairball to you sweetie. meow, cat

Being polite is one thing, but is it polite, for instance, to let an ethnic into University because they are an ethnic, even though that ethnic has performed worse in his examinations than ten other non-ethnics? I'm not saying that sort of thing happens all the time, but there are definitely situations in which political correctness comes at the expense of the majority. I probably agree with positive discrimination up to a point, but does my good heartedness and tolerant nature extend to letting coloureds into Higher Education? Good Christ I hope not. Thanks for listening.

1) Most is not a save. Unless you expect me to say everyone hates homos even the homos. 2) Ever heard the concept of a sample. For instance if I was to measure reaction times to different stimuli, I may test 300 people. If the sample is representative the findings can be inferred as though everyone in the uk was tested. It is a bit like saying my IQ is in the top 1% of the UK population. Would your reply be only in the uk? Mine is in the top 2% in the world. 3) At no point did I say I agreed with them. So you can add poor comprehension skills to your list of dunceton-ness. 4) Scratch my futon again and I will break your leg (it is ok cats are not sentient).

P.S His use of 'most' isn't 'just semantics'. If he had said 'some' that might be 'just semantics'. It's obvious he doesn't think all people agree with racial slurs.

dear dark angel pi, Your welcome angel baby. I would like to add that I view PC as personal courtesy, is it going to hurt me to think a little harder in describing another human being, no, if I can add to the planet in my dealings with other why not? Especially in writing, terms that are rude are also clichés, in writing what's more deadly than clichés? Madonna was shocking in 1985, is she shocking now, no, she's become irrelevant, even kissing another, oh my god, woman, couldn't even jumpstart her career. People on the far right being against using courtesy I understand, liberals who think the same thing, I'm simply confused. No censorship for topics simply be mindful in how you say things, the point is you should think and thinking before you open your mouth isn't usually that bad of a thing. Maybe the US wouldn't have such a big obesity problem if people thought a bit before opening their mouths. Impulse control beyond a five year old, why is that so horrible. meow, cat

Look nobody here has done a survey to see what most people think. But richa can at least make a sort of judgment based on what he reads in the news, on the people he meets, or the conversations he overhears. You're a dunce if you think people can't use the word 'most' just because they haven't spoken to more than 50% of the population. You must have some sort of idea as to what most people where you live think about political correctness. I suggest you share your views with the rest of the group.

dear "mocking others insight, but yet tries to be clever and insightful himself, but in the real people way", So now you my dear human are acquainted with most people, I don't know most cats, but what a well traveled human being you must be with your A-levels and holidays, you must be one of those British humans from the upper classes with lots of inheritance to be able to travel the planet speaking and talking to most people. I liked your save though, the “most” addition (SEE YOUNG HUMANS THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF SEMANTICS “MOST”, HE DIDN’T WANT TO SAY ALL, BECAUSE WHO KNOWS EVERYONE, BUT HE KNOWS MOST, OK.) I have a cousin cat that lives in Laytonville, when you go there on your weekly trips to meet most people, could you give tell him to remember to use the litter box. Wow a person who knows most people and assumes everyone is like him, I guess no one told you that is not the case, because they didn't want to hurt your feelings and make you feel badly about your life, damn that PC, keeping people delusional. And in the future maybe you should just say all, come on really, “most” …lol… A scratch to your futon frame. meow, cat

I think political correctness is symptomatic of changing attitudes towards ethnics and gays and other minorities. It only came about because it became increasingly unpopular to be thought a bigot. In this country, any prominant person who is heard uttering racial slurs is instantly slated in a News. By God Sir, it wasn't always like that. I don't think most people these days would agree with a homophobic lewd, or an anti-semitic lewd, or a sexist lewd. When the phrase "political correctness" was coined, it became popular to be politically incorrect for comedy value. But people only find political incorrectness funny because they think it's so outrageous. It's an obvious tautology, but political correctness is only stupid when it conflicts with actual correctness. Thanks for listening.

Oh how wonderfully insightful. Well let me instead be inciteful. Noeone thinks you are a jerk if you use anti-semitic, homophobic, racist, sexist remarks. Most people will agree with you. That is why it is 'political' correctness. Nothing changed in attitude with its invent. It just became illegal to call a spade a spade.

Of course personality depends on being conscious. Personality is what informs our reactions to the environment. That is what consciousness is for. To help us organise our behaviour outside the strictly hard wired - 'eat the brown berries in the forest, get bad tummy' I dropped a caterpillar in a bowl of water, it wriggled around a lot (it was hardly going to survive). Should I attribute that to its tenacious personality. It is not conscious.