Regarding your PS. If you want to talk physics, I'm up for it, in another thread. Hawking solved the big bang singularity problem a while back. More recently, string theory answers many more questions. It's a really interesting side topic if you want to go down that road. I don't want to dwell on that too much here though as it's off topic.

Sorry for replying twice, by the way. I got caught out by the delay between posting and the post's appearing. I thought the first had got lost, and posted the second, which is why they both say almost the same thing.

The thing about any theory, however, yours included, is that it must be able to make predictions, which are above and beyond the original observations. Those predictions can then be tested. If the predictions come out true, then the theory survives until the next observation. If it doesn't, then you know it's wrong, although of course it may still be a good model in the scope of the original observations.

As I said in a previous post, I am interested in finding out the truth, regardless of what that truth turns out to be. So I'm happy to pursue this line of reasoning. You say you can make testable predictions based on your theory. Well that's GREAT. Tell us what they are - you have a large audience here who may be able to independently test your hypotheses. If they all get the same results as you, you will have greatly improved the standing of your theory. If you're up for a wider test, shall we devise some experiments?

Rommie

I wasn't mocking. I am never afraid of being wrong, because every time this happens, I learn something new, and that is always exciting.

I think part of the problem here is that I just don't get this word "soul". It is known that there are differences in the way that males and females think - an MRI scan can demonstrate that. This is not a difference in what people think ABOUT, however, it is a difference in which parts of their brains are being employed for a given task.

When you think in a logical, rational way, more of your left hemisphere will "light up" in a scan than your right. When you think in a creative way, more of your right hemisphere will "light up" in a scan than your left. Geniuses, however, have shown a surprising result - they use all of it! They use logic when writing a symphony, and creativity when solving math.

Introspection - thinking about thinking - tends to light up the corpus callosum (the bit at the front). There is no MRI scan evidence in support of the notion that men do this any more, or any differently, from women. (I think you were asserting that men do this more than women, but I may have got that wrong because I don't understand "soul").

I would not concur with your reasoning. There are too many other factors which could skew the results, not least of which is cultural conditioning.

I think I must conclude that, if you have a model which works for you, then stick with it. You are probably better qualified than I - I am seldom able to predict the actions of humans with any degree of accuracy. Thanks for making me think in a new direction.

Rommie

Hi, first time poster here

Are men more intelligent? hehe, men have always been more powerful in the social structure, and throughout history women have had to endure the oppression and domination by men!!!

Before everyone jumps on me pointing a finger and calling me a feminist b... :P, let me simply say one thing... i am only talking from what i read and hear on the news, in books, and through my anthropology course which has led me to believe that never and in no place have women been able to take the rule of society in their hands and therefore have always been cut out from world issues and other areas of life, which would point to the fact that they have not been able to do all the things that men have been given the god-given right to do.

In fact, men have traditionally been associated with culture, while women with nature. This dichotomy has led to women taking on the role of carer, nurturer and have found themselves allocated to the house, raising the family and so on and so forth. MEn, on the other hand (let us start with the Greeks and end up with looking at present-day politicians, for example) have been released for a long time, from the nature domain and so have been encouraged to create and develop their artistic, political, jural and cultural characteristics.

Nowadays, many of you may say that things have changed, that more women are furthering their education - at least in the Western world, because in other areas this equality seems to be lagging behind. However, i wonder whether things have really changed. In Malta, at least, jobs seem to be designed to one's gender, and let us not talk about one's religious belief and skin colour (racists we were, racists we remain). Women are paid less than men in many companies. Women are often given lower status jobs than men, even though they may have the same or higher qualifications. Women are often asked at interviews whether they plan to marry, because of course, an employer would rather pay a male who will claim no maternity leave on the company. It seems that women are still restricted somewhat to the nature domain even though we consider ourselves to be about to enter the European mansion and as being more ADVANCED (hahaha) than other countries!!! :(

If we want to speak about intelligence, let us look around us and start critically analysing the way in which people are treated, if they are given equal opportunities to develop their ideas and influence society!!! Then we can start seeing if in reality women are less intelligent!!! :@

Matriarchies _have_ existed in the past. During the 8th century of Japanese history, the ruling imperial was usually an empress. (Sorry everyone, I'm a Japanophile...) I thought maybe you would find this interesting Lucy:

Quote from: http://www.npf.org.tw/PUBLICATION/NS/091/NS-C-091-187.htm

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There were altogether eight empresses in Japan. Empress Suiko was the first female sovereign, who ruled the empire efficiently with the help of Prince Shotoku from 592 to 628. The second, Empress Kogyoku, reigned briefly from 642, abdicated in favor of her son in 645, and re-ascended the throne in 661, when the son, Emperor Kotoku, died. Renamed Empress Saimei, she continued to reign until 661.

The third empress, Jito, came to power in 686 and ruled through 707.

In the history of monarchy in Japan, the eighth century is remarkable for the number of female sovereigns. Empress Gemmyo, a sister of Jito, succeeded in 708, shortly before the capital was established at Nara. She was followed by her daughter in 715; and the next ruler, Emperor Shomu, after a reign of 24 years abdicated in August 749 in favor of his unmarried daughter, who reigned first as Empress Koken from 749 to 758, and then - after deposing Emperor Junnin in whose favor she had abdicated - as Shotoku from 764 to 770. During her second reign, Japan’s sixth empress almost ended the dynasty, dating back to the pre-Christian era.

Buddhism was adopted by Emperor Shomu as the religion of the imperial court, although worship of the national gods, led by Amaterasu Omikami from whom the ruling dynasty claimed descent, as a customary rite was not disavowed. In such circumstances, the power of the leading Buddhist ecclesiastics was very great, and a handsome priest named Dokyo was able to make such an impression upon Empress Koken that before long he became “chancellor of the realm,” and nearly succeeded in having himself named as her successor to the throne.

Such pretensions angered the Fujiwara family, who had acquired a strong political position thanks to their native ability and their practice of marrying Fujiwara girls to imperial princes. Nakamaro of the Fujiwara family was in high favor with Emperor Junnin but not the ex-empress. In a civil disturbance that took place in 764-765 Nakamaro was captured and killed, while the young emperor was deposed and exiled in 765 and presumably strangled to death. The ex-empress re-ascended the throne as Shotoku and Dokyo became so powerful as to have a leading Shinto priest recommend to the court at Nara in 769 that she abdicate in favor of the young monk to secure peace in the country.

Subsequently, the empress sent Wake no Kiyomaro, a high court official, to the Hachiman (God of War) Shrine at Usa in Kyushu, an oracle from which the Shinto priest had cited in his recommendation to the Nara court. Though threatened and coaxed by Dokyo, Kiyomaro, who was under orders to authenticate the oracle, reported back to the court that it was a fake. He declared the genuine oracle dictated a dynastic offspring to succeed to the throne and any “bad character” claimant to be ousted. An enraged Dokyo exiled Kiyomaro to Osumi, present-day Kagoshima. The monk was banished immediately after the empress died without issue in 770. When her successor, Emperor Konin, died in 781, the council of ministers refused to allow a woman to take the throne, thereby creating a precedent which was followed consistently in later times, except for two unimportant instances after 1600, when the throne was powerless. The two unimportant empresses, the seventh and eighth female sovereigns, were Meisho (1629-1643) and Gosakuramachi (1762-1770).

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So matriarchies certainly have existed in the past. I'll give it to you though, they were and are extremely uncommon (and vulnerable to coup).