Critical thinking, Why? Because apparently I am rubbish at it.

[The Accountant, OBE, KC]

Dear Gabriella,

See! I just can't help myself, I did have a accident when I was very young ( life and death stuff ) but it is the equivalent of someone saying to me "were you dropped on your head as a child" as I say I just can't help myself and anyway this post match analysis started by our good friend Dicky is so much fun ( if I remember Dicky is very good with the Higher Criticism argument )

Anyway as our post match debate continues, I will try to stick to the human interest side, The film the Accountant, excellent film, not a fan of Ben Affleck, but he was brilliant in that film, as for the Prof being a Prof, if he says so, but from a human interest side, many posters will now be thinking " I wonder what wee Chip is chuntering on about today, or is that just me

So back to the studio for more unbiased post match analysis from our slightly more ( you did say slightly Chip ) Atheist panel.

Gonnagle.

PS: For the record, Gonnagle, Keeper of the history, singer of songs, Bard and last but not least player of the Mousepipes ( although the Polis have never caught me, yet!! )

Yes I thought The Accountant was a hoot too - enjoyable though highly implausible, bit like Chip and his professorship 

[ProfessorDavey]

Yes it tells you that when you tried to claim that you are a professor of ethics and therefore an expert on consent and your opinions carry more weight than those of other posters, I laughed at you and said it would be more useful to look at whether your arguments are strong enough to stand on their own merits rather than needing your supposed credentials to try to bolster them.

After that, it's just fun to remind you of that.

You just cannot let it go, can you VG - your bizarre obsession with my academic and professional credentials really is rather worrying.

Oh and by the way, my chair isn't in ethics, it is in a branch of bioengineering which is where my main academic research profile lies. But of course most academics will have additional areas of expertise beyond their main research area, where they may teach and support the administration of the university with academic practice and leadership. One of mine is ethics (which you will of course recognise has significant relevant to the development of novel medical technologies). Interestingly my professional involvement in ethics (including an MA in medical ethics and law) predated the award of my chair by a few years. For example I have been member/chair of university or NHS research ethics committees continuously for the past 30 years.

[The Accountant, OBE, KC]

You just cannot let it go, can you VG - your bizarre obsession with my academic and professional credentials really is rather worrying.

That's sweet that you worry about me. Thanks. I worry about you too 

[The Accountant, OBE, KC]

You know me Gordon once I get a shovel in me hand.
Besides, as forum villain it’s my duty to keep grinding to dust while cackling loudly and twirling me moustache.

. <Applause>

[ProfessorDavey]

That's sweet that you worry about me. Thanks. I worry about you too 

No need to worry about me VG, I'm absolutely fine. But thanks for your concern

But we do have a very well regarded psychology department at my university - I'm sure someone there would be really interested in your bizarre obsession with my academic credentials as a case study. Happy to make an introduction

[Aruntraveller]

It really is fun watching people compete to see how high up the wall they can piss.

[ProfessorDavey]

It really is fun watching people compete to see how high up the wall they can piss.

Maybe that's why they call the place where I work an institution of higher education

[Gonnagle]

No need to worry about me VG, I'm absolutely fine. But thanks for your concern

But we do have a very well regarded psychology department at my university - I'm sure someone there would be really interested in your bizarre obsession with my academic credentials as a case study. Happy to make an introduction

Dear Prof,

Me first I sometimes think I am the reincarnation of Albert Einstein but I am now leaning more towards Socrates, do you think I am a suitable candidate or is this considered normal

Gonnagle.

[ProfessorDavey]

Dear Prof,

Me first I sometimes think I am the reincarnation of Albert Einstein but I am now leaning more towards Socrates, do you think I am a suitable candidate or is this considered normal

Gonnagle.

Trust me - I know a lot of academic colleagues with poor publication records who consider that they are Einstein as he had a huge gap in publication before publishing his seminal works. They aren't Einstein, of course, merely unproductive.

[Gonnagle]

Trust me - I know a lot of academic colleagues with poor publication records who consider that they are Einstein as he had a huge gap in publication before publishing his seminal works. They aren't Einstein, of course, merely unproductive.

Dear Prof,

Damn here was me thinking I was unique, oh well! and after further rumination I most certainly can not be Socrates, history tells me he was bit of a ugly chap with a penchant for young boys, definitely not me

Gonnagle.

[ProfessorDavey]

Dear Prof,

Damn here was me thinking I was unique, oh well! and after further rumination I most certainly can not be Socrates, history tells me he was bit of a ugly chap with a penchant for young boys, definitely not me

Gonnagle.

Sorry to disappoint gonners. Although I don't think I can recall any colleagues thinking they are Socrates.

[Bramble]

It really is fun watching people compete to see how high up the wall they can piss.

Apparently, we're made in the image of God.

[The Accountant, OBE, KC]

No need to worry about me VG, I'm absolutely fine. But thanks for your concern

But we do have a very well regarded psychology department at my university - I'm sure someone there would be really interested in your bizarre obsession with my academic credentials as a case study. Happy to make an introduction

Cheers but not sure I'd trust your recommendation of the psychologist you use - they don't seem to have helped you resolve the chip on your shoulder....or your delusions of being a professor 

[ProfessorDavey]

Cheers but not sure I'd trust your recommendation of the psychologist you use -

Who said anything about using a psychologist. They are academic psychologists - you know folk doing research (e.g. developing a case study of a person with a bizarre obsession with another person's academic and professional credentials). Not sure you get that do you. But then why would you, you aren't in academia, unlike me.

- they don't seem to have helped you resolve the chip on your shoulder....or your delusions of being a professor 

Crikey I must be a really good imposter as they seem delighted for me to chair various academic appointment panels as our academic rules require a member of the senior leadership of the university to chair panels for the appointment of the most senior academics, e.g. profs. Also they seem very happy for me in my current and previous roles of oversee their preparations for the various REF exercises (off you go VG, google away).

[Gonnagle]

Cheers but not sure I'd trust your recommendation of the psychologist you use - they don't seem to have helped you resolve the chip on your shoulder....or your delusions of being a professor 

Dear Gabs, ( can I call you Gabs )

Leave it, just leave it I am trying to lift this forum to a more higher level, we have a more Socratic debate, we ruminate on our ruminations, contemplate on our contemplations, conjugate on our conjugations ( not sure about that one ) think more about our thunking, and I am sure wee Chip agrees with me

Gonnagle.

[The Accountant, OBE, KC]

They are academic psychologists - you know folk doing research. Not sure you get that do you. But then why would you, you aren't in academia unlike me.

Crikey I must be really good imposter as they seem delighted for me to chair various academic appointment panels as our academic rules require a member of the senior leadership of the university to chair panels for the appointment of the most senior academics, e.g. profs. Also they seem very happy for me in my current and previous roles of oversee their preparations for the various REF exercises (off you go VG, google away).

Cheers - but still don't trust your recommendation of the folks who did a case study on your delusion of being a professor. But this has got to be useful material for their case study on your delusion 

[The Accountant, OBE, KC]

Dear Gabs, ( can I call you Gabs )

Leave it, just leave it I am trying to lift this forum to a more higher level, we have a more Socratic debate, we ruminate on our ruminations, contemplate on our contemplations, conjugate on our conjugations ( not sure about that one ) think more about our thunking, and I am sure wee Chip agrees with me

Gonnagle.

Ok - since you asked  - won't respond to Chip's "ethical" worries about my mental state or his delusions that his posts carry more weight on the topic of ethics - since you are trying to lift the forum.

[ProfessorDavey]

Cheers - but still don't trust your recommendation of the folks who did a case study on your delusion of being a professor. But this has got to be useful material for their case study on your delusion 

Well not sure whether they'd be interested in a case study about a person with a delusion of being a professor, but if they were they'd have to find a suitable research participant. I don't think I could help as I don't know anyone who fits the bill and there certainly isn't anyone on this MB who would be suitable.

They also, of course, would need to get ethical approval for the study as it would involve human participation - here I would be able to help and the application might even come to the ethics panel I chair.

But if they are interested in a case study involving someone bizarrely obsessed with someone else's (completely bone fide) academic and professional credentials to the extent that they even deny they are genuine. Well, we have the perfect research participant right here on this MB. They would still, of course, need ethical approval for the study.

[Dicky Underpants]

It really is fun watching people compete to see how high up the wall they can piss.

But we should remember that this activity comes with a lethal divine sanction, as the good book of Samuel saith:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.agameforgoodchristians.com/blog//killing-everyone-who-pisses-against-a-wall-1-samuel-2522%23:~:text%3DSo%2520when%2520in%25201%2520Samuel,he%2520is%2520often%2520forgotten%253A%2520a&ved=2ahUKEwjM9L_uiL-NAxVyQUEAHee8LakQFnoECBkQBQ&usg=AOvVaw0btAd-NPVnWE9b-b0b1aUs
Perhaps Gabby has perfected a method of 'squatting and spraying", in which case she too may be in danger of being smitten.

[Gonnagle]

But we should remember that this activity comes with a lethal divine sanction, as the good book of Samuel saith:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.agameforgoodchristians.com/blog//killing-everyone-who-pisses-against-a-wall-1-samuel-2522%23:~:text%3DSo%2520when%2520in%25201%2520Samuel,he%2520is%2520often%2520forgotten%253A%2520a&ved=2ahUKEwjM9L_uiL-NAxVyQUEAHee8LakQFnoECBkQBQ&usg=AOvVaw0btAd-NPVnWE9b-b0b1aUs
Perhaps Gabby has perfected a method of 'squatting and spraying", in which case she too may be in danger of being smitten.

Dear Dicky,

I do try to be the weirdest on this forum but just sometimes

1. Is that a real website.
2. It looks American which is always a red alert for me.
3. If it is real then I want a pack of those cards
4. A very novel way of making a man reach for his Bible
5. How do you even find a site like that, what the hell were you looking for

Gonnagle.

[Gordon]

You know, having read the last few posts, it occurs to me that in some respects we are exactly as we choose to portray ourselves here, but in other respects all of us have aspects of our lives and experiences that we choose not to discuss in depth - so how we portray ourselves isn't ever the whole story of any of us, and we'd be fools to think it was.

Reality may be somewhat different from what we presume from posts alone - we all have a story to tell even if we choose not to spill all of the beans in this wee Forum.

Time for a dram I think.

[Gonnagle]

You know, having read the last few posts, it occurs to me that in some respects we are exactly as we choose to portray ourselves here, but in other respects all of us have aspects of our lives and experiences that we choose not to discuss in depth - so how we portray ourselves isn't ever the whole story of any of us, and we'd be fools to think it was.

Reality may be somewhat different from what we presume from posts alone - we all have a story to tell even if we choose not to spill all of the beans in this wee Forum.

Time for a dram I think.

Dear Gordon,

Tis very true, I remember having such a conversation with my larger than life Jimmy Cricket ( your friend and sometimes mine ) the online person and the real life person

Gonnagle, or is it

[Dicky Underpants]

Dear Dicky,

I do try to be the weirdest on this forum but just sometimes

1. Is that a real website.
2. It looks American which is always a red alert for me.
3. If it is real then I want a pack of those cards
4. A very novel way of making a man reach for his Bible
5. How do you even find a site like that, what the hell were you looking for

Gonnagle.

I just knew the text (my head is full of odd biblical quotes). I just looked it up and found that particular 'explanatory' link straightaway.

[ProfessorDavey]

You know, having read the last few posts, it occurs to me that in some respects we are exactly as we choose to portray ourselves here, but in other respects all of us have aspects of our lives and experiences that we choose not to discuss in depth - so how we portray ourselves isn't ever the whole story of any of us, and we'd be fools to think it was.

Reality may be somewhat different from what we presume from posts alone - we all have a story to tell even if we choose not to spill all of the beans in this wee Forum.

Time for a dram I think.

Yup, you are right Gordon.

We each choose what we share about ourselves and what we choose not to share. And that is how it should be. And of course what we choose to share might be a pack of lies - we might just all be made up russian bots communicating with each other. But I don't think so.

So on each aspect - on what we choose not to share. Well that is each individual's personal choice and I'm sure most of us have chosen not to share plenty of really personal stuff (although Gordon, you've certainly shared a lot about your cancer - your choice of course). I don't think we should pry or push people to reveal anything that they aren't comfortable to.

On what we choose to share. Well I think we should work on the assumption that it is true, unless someone is clear that it is made up. Firstly, out of courtesy and respect for other posters here, particularly where the things that people have revealed are important to the person that they are. So it seems disrespectful if I was to deny that Vlad or AB are christians, or that you or NS are scottish or VG is a muslim but brought up in another religion etc etc.

But also if we all go about refusing to accept the things that other posters have chosen to reveal about themselves, well this MB would become totally pointless. Why, because the value in the discussion is a combination of what people say and who they are, in other words what we know about their expertise and experiences from what they have chosen to reveal.

So I tend to accept that what other posters have revealed about themselves is true and engage with them on that basis. I don't think it unreasonable to expect that respect to be reciprocal.

[Dicky Underpants]

Yup, you are right Gordon.

We each choose what we share about ourselves and what we choose not to share. And that is how it should be. And of course what we choose to share might be a pack of lies - we might just all be made up russian bots communicating with each other. But I don't think so.

So on each aspect - on what we choose not to share. Well that is each individual's personal choice and I'm sure most of us have chosen not to share plenty of really personal stuff (although Gordon, you've certainly shared a lot about your cancer - your choice of course). I don't think we should pry or push people to reveal anything that they aren't comfortable to.

On what we choose to share. Well I think we should work on the assumption that it is true, unless someone is clear that it is made up. Firstly, out of courtesy and respect for other posters here, particularly where the things that people have revealed are important to the person that they are. So it seems disrespectful if I was to deny that Vlad or AB are christians, or that you or NS are scottish or VG is a muslim but brought up in another religion etc etc.

But also if we all go about refusing to accept the things that other posters have chosen to reveal about themselves, well this MB would become totally pointless. Why, because the value in the discussion is a combination of what people say and who they are, in other words what we know about their expertise and experiences from what they have chosen to reveal.

So I tend to accept that what other posters have revealed about themselves is true and engage with them on that basis. I don't think it unreasonable to expect that respect to be reciprocal.

Wise words.