Thanks for the compliment on the picture. But I'm not laughing. You (as always) fail to understand my criterion of clarity and distinctness.

Oh, René, relax! I was trying to add a little amusement to your life. But, of course, there is always something important in a joke. My clever observation does show that your standard of truth has beaucoup problems. For I could see your photo very clearly and distinctly and still be mistaken. After all, the way that pic looks to me may not be the way you really look.

It's no wonder I wasn't amused—I don't find ignorance funny. In your silly example, you do not have a clear and distinct understanding, in my sense of this term, of my picture. You, as always, are talking only about sensory perception, whereas I insist that to attain truth, the ideas themselves have to be grasped clearly and distinctly—like with the piece of wax at the end of my wax experiment. Got it? Somehow, I suspect not.

Well I'll say this much for you—at least you are consistent. You are just as little fun on FB as you are in person.

She's going to make me get up at 5 in the morning? That is definitely not going to work for me!

Hate to break it to you, buddy, but she's the queen, and you're not. It's not as if you're free to set your own hours.

What do you mean I'm not free? My work demonstrates that the will is totally free. I show that my will can either deny or affirm any idea that is put before it. Do you deny it?

You are always spoiling for a fight, aren't you, buddy? Must be a holdover from your gambling days. But, okay, if you really want to battle with me, so be it. I personally don't think there's free will, otherwise I'd be able to quit smoking or stop watching the Kardashians. What's more, I don't think you demonstrate that the will is free. After all, you yourself say that the will cannot help but affirm any idea that the intellect understands clearly and distinctly. The will cannot help it, René? Doesn't sound like we have any choice in the matter.

Hobbes, I thought you were better than this. According to my account, nothing outside the will causes it to act—no external constraints there. And genuine freedom lies in the ability to recognize and affirm what is true. Or do you think that freedom lies in being led into falsehood? So sad. So very, very sad.

What's sad is that you are insulting me when I was only trying to encourage you about your move to Sweden. Well, you know what I really think? It's cold there, and you're going to hate it. But I will smile to myself at the thought of you having to drag your shivering body out of bed every morning at 5 o'clock.

Princess, the beauty of your words is surpassed only by the clarity of your judgment. How few among us can recognize truth when it is spoken! Fewer still find themselves, like you, deeply moved by its utterance. I bow before you.

Well, well, well, I never hear you talk to any of us that way, dear fellow! If I had made the comment the Princess did, you no doubt would have corrected me for my gross misunderstanding of your subtle view. Are you sure there is not a little something going on between you and the royal Elisabeth?

I will not dignify that comment with a response, Hobbes. If you had 1/100th of the Princess's deep philosophical wisdom, your points might warrant my respect. I call 'em like I see 'em, and that's all there is to it.