Mr Smiley

Presuming that the mind is a separate substance to the brain.

I am interested in philosophy and might take it up at university and wanted to read a bit more about specifically: i) the mind-brain problem and that whole branch of philosophy

and ii) cosmology/philosophy of the universe (and preferably about the origins of the universe).

Could someone please recommend me some very informative books on the topics?

Thanks :)

Was just wondering, after a tattoo fades over time is it possible to re-ink over it?

I was interested in playing on an online casino (with only small money) and just wanted to hear some opinions on which online casino has the best payouts for wins. Thanks.

Would it be a theocracy even though they only followed a creed without a deity?

I heard a while ago that one needs a stock broker or 'agent' through which to invest, however I wanted to know if one could do this by themselves? (after of course they learn how). + I have see websites such as 'optionsclick.com' and was wandering if they actually let me invest in the stock market for real?

I mean if our mind is purely another physical part of the body then how can we control our thoughts (even if they are memories etc. and physical too)? I understand that external and internal physical things provoke thoughts and the way our brain is wired would affect how we think but I mean how do neuroscientists explain our control over thoughts (say when I think of one thing I can easily think of something else that I seem to want to think about).Or has science got an explanation at all yet?

I am going to get an air rifle quite soon, however, I'm not sure which one to get. I used to have a crossman ratcatcher and a diana 21 and really liked them but am thinking of something new now. I am looking for a non-licensed pneumatic or break-barrel spring loaded air rifle (but a big one, not like a compact ratcather) with excellent precision and great power (for the pellet) and money is not an issue. So in a sense the best models out there. Can anyone recommend a model (or/and makes) of such a rifle?

What grades/UMS at GCSE and A level are required for a person to join the police in England/London?

I am mainly interested in what the Catholic, protestant, evangelic and orthodox churches have to say about it. Is it a sin or is it allowed? (even though suicide is a sin and sacrifice is acceptable, such as Jesus' sacrifice)

I fell onto my knee a weak and a half ago. It was fine until 2-3 days ago when it started to swell up and ache, the skin has turned yellow around the area where it hurts and there are a few pink vein type things visible but it isn't part of the scabbing I had. The swelling is to the left of the right knee (just under the left ligament and slightly around the central ligament). The swelling is soft and not a big lump but it does have a fairly large area. It has only been getting worse even though I have tried to rest my knee as much as I can and haven't been massaging it in order to let the swelling down and just put a bandage over it (fairly tightly but not too much). I am guessing it is knee fluid build up but it only started to hurt and swell about a weak after the initial injury. The other thing is that it has only gotten worse over 3 days.

I wanted to just let it heal naturally (as with most bumps and bruises) but I am not sure this is entirely that type of injury, any ideas?

By this sense of the question I mean does energy need to be part of space and time like matter does?

I've made a partition of my HD; formatted it; try to install XP onto it, the install button on the CD doesn't work; when boot (press F8 when windows 7 starts) doesn't give me an option to run from CD.

Any suggestions?

I've got windows 7 home premium (64 bit i think) and I want XP so that I can run old games on my laptop (Sony VAIO). I've already tried to change the compatibility of the app in it's properties ad through the 'wizard' but didn't help so just decided to install XP too. I know that you can only install XP with windows 7 ultimate and professional (or so Ive heard). Obviously I can't do this because got a different version, but i was thinking i could separate the hard-drive (virtually) and install XP on the other part. Is this possible?

If not, are there any other ways to install XP?

Thanks.

(P.S. maybe if someone knows you could just help me make an old game (from 2002 - compatible with XP but not vista) run on Windows 7, tried so many things, looked online, changed the compatibility properties but did't work out). The game gives a message when started in french but translates basically 'Exception violation in module 'game app link' in module 00000000. Access violation at address 00000000.'

Its a game from 2002 called The Gladiators: Galactic Circus Games which is compatible with XP, 2000, ME and 98. I used to have XP and it worked fine but now i got a new computer (laptop VAIO) with windows 7 and it doesn't work. When i try run it it doesn't even load up just get a pop-up saying:

"Exception EAccessViolation dans le module The Gladiators.exe a (with dash on top) 00000000.

Violation d'acces a l'adresse 00000000. Lecture de l'adresse 00000000."

I've already tried using the program wizard to change the settings on the program which was supposed allow older programs run on this windows, but it too didn't help ad i'm stumped now.

Can someone please suggest something? Many Thanks.

I have an inability to focus for a long period of time on ANY singular task. So my thoughts just drift off into all sorts of directions around what I am doing and it seems there is nothing I can do about it. My mind is both very analytic + logical and creative at the same time and even the smallest thing can make me think of something entirely different. I study physics and philosophy and the way i think is very helpful when trying to understand something or link it with other things (which happens to me almost instantly and doesn't require any effort at all) but then I can't concentrate on that one thing for longer then five minutes, especially when I do essays.

I have tried everything I know of to help me focus and it occurred to me there is nothing I can do about not being able to concentrate because this is just how my brain is wired (many branched connections between neurons rather than many local connection).

Could anyone suggest a way to help someone concentrate? Including possibly unconventional methods - i.e. a unit of alcohol is believed to contribute to cognitive abilities and help concentrate and I have found this to be true at times from my own experience.

I know obviously drinking won't contribute to ones health (apart from a glass of red wine helping people in their 40s). My question is - does drinking small amounts, like one beer or a bit of some kind of spirit (i.e. scotch) everyday really bad for your health including in the long run or is it just 'unrecommended' and not too bad for a persons health?

(please only sensible answers with scientific backing)

Thanks

So basically because of my beliefs I have to become a vegetarian, but more precisely I can't eat meat and only meat (so milk, eggs and all that is fine - as long as it's not a part of the animals body itself). I heard a lot of stories (i.e. in the UK and other European regions) of people getting really ill after a long period of time of not eating meat. I know that a vegetarian must include a lot of nuts, soya/tofu and porridge and that kind of stuff in their diet, however it doesn't seem to be enough. If I keep drinking milk and eating eggs will my body still be healthy in the long run?