I spent my bitcoins way back in the day because I only "had a few" and didn't think it would ever be worth much. boyyyyyy do I regret that.  Terrible! I also forgot my password details for a small account once, not ideal to say the least.

Hmmmm, I understand the reason for concern but I don't particularly follow the logic.. Surely, even if people become rich, at least passive income, they can continue to be useful to society and contribute in a meaningful manner. Besides, it is quite a small percentage seeking out this sector..

This seems like an interesting perspective... Maybe you are right, the blockchain and cryptocurrencies are challenging a certain status quo that has probably been rather lucrative for many large companies, especially ones working precisely on data that is not encrypted and not anonymous..

This is so frightening, in my opinion. It makes me think that we really need to change our drug laws and policies. It should be possible for people to have their drugs tested so they can be safe and sure they are not taking something that could harm them or anyone else.

Wow, thanks for this honest reminder. I am new to the game but it is important to keep these risks in mind. It always helps to get this wider perspective, taking a step back from the situation. Thanks.

It's so sad that these people face such struggles in their lives. Fortunately, in my part of the world, we are more open and accepting. At least the law prohibits such discrimination. But the reality in fact is I am sure quite different. I am sure there is still a lot of ignorance

I don't think she's any less trustworthy than other politicians. In fact, it really infuriated me that there was so much bad publicity on her and so many accusations against her character. My theory is that it's because she's of the female gender and does not correspond to all stereotypes about what that means

We definitely are brainwashed. It's sad but true. Making money off manipulating people to feel they need products that give no meaning or value to their life. Being content and stuck in the clog of capitalism.

Technology as knowledge means technology as the end-product of a process of acquiring new knowledge and skills that have enabled us to build new technologies. Technology is built on knowledge, it is knowledge in application.

At some point, our Sun will die so certainly there will be an end. Nothing is permanent. However, I think it is unlikely to happen any time soon. though of course, we may make some bad decisions that bring our species to extinction. Although that is not the same as to say we will see the end of of the world.

Age is only important to a certain degree - i.e. if one person is underage, the other not, the law will not permit the relationship and in some situations, I deem that to be appropriate. However, beyond that, people should be free to do as they please..

It is simple, god has not destroyed us because there is no god. At least not in the sense of God that we have in religious scriptures. Instead, those scriptures preach that we should experience shame for our actions and behaviours, while that is simply nonsense. We are human, we are animals, we are not "perfect". Sure, we can reason and we are capable of improving ourself morally and consciously but we are not broken or evil, simply in a state of evolution.

I suppose you realise how controversial what you just wrote is...

Rape is typically defined as the absence of consent. So whether or not a woman has an orgasm is irrelevant. The relevant question is, did she consent/agree to the sexual act. If not, if there is force as you suggest, it is rape.

Then, as you said, there is the difference between statutory and non-statutory rape.

Statutory rape is where the law explicitly lays down when a sexual act is rape or not rape (perhaps even in cases where both partners consented). This is normally the case with younger children. For example, it may be rape if a 16 year old boy has sex with a 14 year old girl (if the legal age for consent is 16). Even if both consented.

I am not sure that any country legalises rape by governments but some countries do not think there can be rape within marriage.

Countries that recognise rape outside of the pre-defined parameters of statutory rape will probably focus on the issue of consent/agreement. Hence, in many countries it will not be possible for government agents to rape a woman and it not be considered as such.

Finally, "that is the price to pay"?! I completely disagree. The laws in many countries simply need to change, and to be brought up to modern day standards and values.

I disagree entirely. I do not think human happiness is a "good" in itself, to be achieved no matter what the human deems to make him/her happy. Why not? Well, becuase of the implications of that for other humans and non-humans. One human's happiness is derived from exploitation somewhere else. Also, if a human seeks material wealth, he/she will get that at the expense of nature, because the economy runs on exploitation of nature.

I think the goal of the human ought to be wellbeing, co-existence in harmony and community with others, and self-development. Goals that make us aware of the impacts of one person's actions on the other, goals that place us in our wider community.

There are many inter-related environmental problems: species extinction, biodiversity loss, loss of soil (i.e. means to grow food), water pollution, air pollution, climate change, to name a few. At the core, they stem from human activities. Unfortunately, our legal and political systems, the very things that make society work, are structurally set on a destructive course, geared towards supporting economic development and the improvement of the lives of those who have all, at the expense of the vast majority and nature. We need to address these root systemic issues if we are to have any chance of survival. That is the bottom line.

I do think that we need to move towards clean sources of energy for transportation. No doubt about it. Emissions from the transport sector count a great deal towards air pollution levels. Of course there are also other factors: industry, agriculture, etc. And there is still the problem that electric cars are simply not affordable for most people. But an alternative? More public transport, car-free cities, bike schemes, etc.

I am not so sure but it bothers me a great deal. Even in Europe, I am concerned that there are pollutants we are simply not informed about, or even aware of. How to manage it? There are of course various filtration methods but it is not so clear to me whether they actually work. I am concerned about the lack of scientific clarity on these methods that could be employed in the home. Unfortunately, though, many industrial activities will nonetheless pollute the waters no matter what we do at home. It may not be enough.

Personally, I do not think virginity before marriage is important. But then, who I am to say what is important in such a personal matter? I do not think there are any right or wrong answers here. I do wish that people have the freedom to choose for themselves how to lead their lives and whether waiting until marriage is the right approach. I can imagine, though, that some societies pressurise young men and women into particular "traditions" one way or the other. That's a shame.

In principle, I do not agree with the death penalty. But, one thing that does make me re-think the issue is the cost involved in keeping someone in prison for a lifetime. Is that really justifiable? Should we really put so much value on human life as to burden the state with costs of keeping the person alive for a lifetime? I am not sure. An alternative would be not to keep anyone in prison for so long, and there are arguments in favour of this. However, some individuals are simply too dangerous to be let out. What to do with them?

Consumption and production is off the rocket. Climate change is caused by human consumption and production habits. Our population more than doubled in 50 years, what could we expect? And we are expected to continue to increase rapidly. Of course these massive changes have an impact on the natural systems, also climate.