RE: Do we expect too much from human reason?
March 3, 2015 at 4:53 pm
(This post was last modified: March 3, 2015 at 4:55 pm by Thumpalumpacus.)
(March 3, 2015 at 2:46 pm)Thoughtage Wrote:Quote:Simply because you assert that reason is a matter of faith amongst atheists does not make it so. As has already been pointed out to you, reason works.
This is perhaps the most common point of confusion, so it's helpful for you to bring it up.
It's indisputable that reason works for very many tasks. On this we all agree.
But that fact does not automatically qualify human reason to "work" on anything anywhere anytime in all of reality.
So far as we have seen, it does.
Also, this is an unabashed god of the gaps plea.
(March 3, 2015 at 2:46 pm)Thoughtage Wrote: It's actually quite easy to make the case that the abilities of 1) one species on one planet in one of billions of galaxies, 2) a species only recently living in caves, 3) a species with thousands of hair trigger nukes aimed down it's own throat, just might not be able to understand what does or doesn't form the foundation of all reality.
Please link and cite where I claimed otherwise, or abandon this strawman.
(March 3, 2015 at 2:46 pm)Thoughtage Wrote: Until somebody proves that holy books can deliver credible answers about the fundamental nature of reality, I decline to believe is such an ability.
Until somebody proves that human reason can deliver credible answers about the fundamental nature of reality, I decline to believe is such an ability.
[Emphasis mine -- PT]
I've already asked you to define what you mean by that nebulous term. Please do so now.
(March 3, 2015 at 2:46 pm)Thoughtage Wrote: The bottom line flaw in atheism is that it's not loyal to it's own principles.
The other guy's chosen authority is challenged (good) but our own chosen authority is not challenged (bad).
Speak for yourself. I regularly question my premises to determine their ongoing validity. I also take aboard other opinions, when they arer coherent.
(March 3, 2015 at 2:46 pm)Thoughtage Wrote: If a poster is not willing to challenge their own chosen authority with the same rigor they challenge the authorities of others, they are not doing reason, but ideology.
Agreed. The problem I have with your screed here is that you are taking a subset of the atheist community and acting as if they are the totality of the community.
I've already acknowledged in this thread that reason as a tool has limits. I've even mentioned that much to you. Your continued insinuations otherwise look like you're either not listening, or engaging in dishonest argumentation.
