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By anonimouse (Tue Dec 02, 2008 at 09:32:38 AM EST) non-working life, pussy, cats, kids (all tags)

Several weeks since my last diary so here's an update

Work: Where is it? Hopefully am waiting to hear results from interview today, so I hope has gone well. Whilst income is non-existent, spending continues as if it wasn't :-(. Really could do with $newjob as change from £260 to £400/day would mean I'll be keeping pace with teh sinking pound... however that's a chicken counted before has hatched.
$exManager has given me general refence letter describing my godlike powers in all matters computational, so that's good.

Cats: Found dessicated mouse in bedroom. Cats paid no attention when I told them off about that. We have a rabbit, which despite my misgivings seems to be on reasonable terms with the cats.

Kids: Not happy with Mr Minimouse, has changed from being star of school to surly and rude and he's not even going through puberty yet. Also very selective and limited as to what he deigns to eat. Miss Minimouse (7) has resumed philosophical discussion she started a year ago about whether she really exists as a physical person. Help me, sugar spun, you're my only hope!!
_{Well I'm sure everyone else will throw in their opinion too}

Medieval 2: I kick ass!!! Only problem seems to be teh Huns and other Tamur(lane/lame). Teh huns kicked me out of Jerusalem only 3 turns after I'd been declared Defender of Christendom having killed teh Moors, Sicily, Spain, Portugal and given a jolly good hiding to Venice, Holy Roman Empire and told the (French!!) Pope to set up shop in Corsica instead of Rome because I wanted it.

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A Stuff Diary | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback

I guess the cats read Watership Down by georgeha (4.00 / 2) #1 Tue Dec 02, 2008 at 10:02:45 AM EST

or watched Holy Grail.

Maybe they watched by wiredog (2.00 / 0) #2 Tue Dec 02, 2008 at 10:59:39 AM EST

The movie version of Watership Down.

If you rent that be aware that it's fairly dark, especially considering it's a cartoon about rabbits. Not really suitable for preteens.

Earth First!
_{(We can strip mine the rest later.)}
[ Parent ]

Book and Film by anonimouse (2.00 / 0) #3 Tue Dec 02, 2008 at 11:06:31 AM EST

..are equally dark.

Girls come and go but a mortgage is for 25 years -- JtL
[ Parent ]

: One of the few movies by wiredog (2.00 / 0) #8 Tue Dec 02, 2008 at 01:29:08 PM EST

that sticks close to the book when adapted.

Earth First!
_{(We can strip mine the rest later.)}
[ Parent ]

Kids by Phage (2.00 / 0) #4 Tue Dec 02, 2008 at 11:31:53 AM EST

Tempting experiments on the subjective nature of reality express themselves. Thought about Turing test conversation ? If you can't tell ? What difference does it make ?

So M1 is looking for attention ? Give it to him only when he's not being rude or refusing to eat greens. Don't get angry, just take the meal away, and he can stay hungry. Surly and rude ? no treats. Good manners, beaucoup largesse.

The Czar of Accounting. No Nit Too Small To Pick

Recommendation by sugar spun (4.00 / 2) #5 Tue Dec 02, 2008 at 12:05:55 PM EST

There's a book called If Minds Had Toes that is aimed at 12-16 year olds and talks about some of the basic questions of philosophy. Maybe read it yourself before letting a 7 year old at it, but if she's asking questions like that it might be good for her.

Other than that, you could talk to her about what it means to be a physical person - look at objects that change completely over time, or build a snowman and watch him melt.

The snowman changes because the physical properties of the thing that makes him change, and he ceases to hold form. People don't; their form remains the same, although unanimated, once they're dead. That covers the "person" angle in a way that's not philosophically sound but should appease a seven year old unless you have a scary prospect on your hands.

Build something out of bits of wood or Lego, and have an identical number of unused Lego to the side. Gradually replace all the bits. Is it still the same thing or something else entirely? Most people will say it's the same thing, and you can then get into talking about how identity changes over time.

The short answer is that even if she's a complete idealist. she still has to behave as though she were a physical being because otherwise things would start to suck pretty quickly. So the fundamental nature of what constitutes a person might be mysterious to her (and it should be; she's seven) but she should still behave as though she were a real, existent being in a real physical world.

You could also tell her the story of what Samuel Johnson said when he learned of Berkeley's idealism. He kicked a rock and said, I refute it thus! He broke his foot, I think.

Thanks by anonimouse (2.00 / 0) #6 Tue Dec 02, 2008 at 12:40:10 PM EST

I shall set forth to the library soon...

..I notice that refutation that physical effects constitute reality can be argued if one wishes to persue that line.

I'm not sure about pursuing analogies involving dead bodies... :-)

Girls come and go but a mortgage is for 25 years -- JtL
[ Parent ]

She might surprise you. by sugar spun (2.00 / 0) #7 Tue Dec 02, 2008 at 12:56:43 PM EST

Some kids that age are inordinately gory. I wanted to be a pathologist when I was that age ~~and look how I turned out.~~

[ Parent ]

Not quite the issue by anonimouse (2.00 / 0) #9 Tue Dec 02, 2008 at 02:17:27 PM EST

I am more surprised that a (then) 6 year old could adopt what is a fairly complex philosophical point of view about whether reality is truly real, and how to respond to such a point of view.

Since she prefers Torchwood to the more age appropriate Sarah Jane, I somehow don't think gore is an issue.

Girls come and go but a mortgage is for 25 years -- JtL
[ Parent ]

: Maybe by sugar spun (2.00 / 0) #10 Tue Dec 02, 2008 at 03:10:32 PM EST

talk about watching a movie, and how the movie itself isn't real. but the characters aren't able to just opt out and say, But I'm not real! and refuse to perform.

It has the potentially terrifying possibility of leading you in to a free-will/autonomy debate, but it could be interesting.

[ Parent ]

dead bodies by Merekat (4.00 / 1) #12 Wed Dec 03, 2008 at 04:57:44 AM EST

Yeah, if she knows about decomposition, the holding form argument will fail for a start.

[ Parent ]

I subscribe to a very simple philosophy of being.. by Tonatiuh (2.00 / 0) #11 Tue Dec 02, 2008 at 03:18:23 PM EST

I hurt, therefore I exist.

Make the inquisitive child pull on of her hairs every time she doubts this most simple premise.

This may have the beneficial side effect of gently guiding the young soul to something more productive, like lion taming...

A Stuff Diary | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback