Posts: 3145
Threads: 8
Joined: October 7, 2016
Reputation:
40
RE: Arguments for God's Existence from Contingency
November 11, 2017 at 10:37 pm
(This post was last modified: November 11, 2017 at 10:42 pm by Astreja.)
(November 11, 2017 at 9:40 pm)datc Wrote: Is it your own philosophical doctrine that God's existence cannot be demonstrated by philosophy?
Well, it's certainly *my* doctrine. I do not find any philosophical arguments for gods convincing. At some point, all of them break down with an unsupported assertion about "necessity" or "greatest possible being" or some other declaration that cannot be empirically demonstrated. At that point, the argument is dead in the water and we're no closer to finding any actual gods.
If evidence of a god-like being is ever discovered, I'm willing to wager that it will be science, not philosophy, that achieves that discovery.
(November 11, 2017 at 10:00 pm)datc Wrote: In addition, of course, Christ did show up.
"Showed up" in some tall tales written mainly in Greek, several generations after he supposedly walked the earth. Even less convincing than the philosophical arguments, especially in light of the fact that there are no contemporaneous stories originating in Roman-occupied Judea circa 30-35 CE. The miracle claims and the resurrection can simply be dismissed as too barmy for belief.
Posts: 122
Threads: 5
Joined: October 22, 2014
Reputation:
1
RE: Arguments for God's Existence from Contingency
November 11, 2017 at 10:43 pm
(November 11, 2017 at 10:37 pm)Astreja Wrote: Well, it's certainly *my* doctrine. I do not find any philosophical arguments for gods convincing. At some point, all of them break down with an unsupported assertion about "necessity" or "greatest possible being" or some other declaration that cannot be empirically demonstrated. At that point, the argument is dead in the water and we're no closer to finding any actual gods.
Can *your* doctrine that philosophy is useless for reasoning about God be empirically demonstrated?
Posts: 3145
Threads: 8
Joined: October 7, 2016
Reputation:
40
RE: Arguments for God's Existence from Contingency
November 11, 2017 at 10:51 pm
I don't need to demonstrate anything, datc. I'm unconvinced. I see no utility in trying to believe in something so unconvincing and uninspiring that it doesn't even reach the status of Batman or Bugs Bunny in my imagination, so I don't bother going any further.
Posts: 23918
Threads: 300
Joined: June 25, 2011
Reputation:
151
RE: Arguments for God's Existence from Contingency
November 11, 2017 at 10:51 pm
(November 11, 2017 at 10:17 pm)Cyberman Wrote: How about 666 proofs for "God's" existence?
Don't they all devolve to the 666th really?
Quote:ARGUMENT FROM ASSUMPTION
(1) God exists.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
Posts: 25314
Threads: 239
Joined: August 26, 2010
Reputation:
156
RE: Arguments for God's Existence from Contingency
November 11, 2017 at 10:55 pm
Yep. They all have to assume the very thing they're intended to prove, in order to work.
Yesterday I turned lead into gold, by the astonishingly complex method of assuming I did it.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
Posts: 3145
Threads: 8
Joined: October 7, 2016
Reputation:
40
RE: Arguments for God's Existence from Contingency
November 11, 2017 at 10:58 pm
I like #485, myself:
Quote:ARGUMENT FROM FLUFFY CATS IN SUNLIGHT
(1) A cat basking in sunlight smells good.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
Hail Bastet!
Posts: 25314
Threads: 239
Joined: August 26, 2010
Reputation:
156
RE: Arguments for God's Existence from Contingency
November 11, 2017 at 11:01 pm
I like to think that name was dictated to someone who thought that's what was said.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
Posts: 28327
Threads: 524
Joined: June 16, 2015
Reputation:
90
RE: Arguments for God's Existence from Contingency
November 11, 2017 at 11:09 pm
(November 11, 2017 at 10:00 pm)datc Wrote:
(November 11, 2017 at 9:54 pm)mh.brewer Wrote: It's not a philosophical doctrine. Have god show up, in my presence, in a manor convincing enough (providing tangible evidence) for me to believe it exists in reality. Not, this must represent god, or that can only be because of god, or here is a proof for god.
Perhaps God is so different from creatures that it would be unbecoming for him to just "show up."
In addition, of course, Christ did show up. You are very demanding.
Perhaps, maybe, for all one knows, it could be, conceivably, .............. Statements that start with or contain these words are not a good indication of reality.
christ, jesus, fine. Prove that person(s) was a god. I don't think you can.
And don't tell me anecdotes, that's not proof.
Yes I'm demanding. You are expecting me to believe that a fantasy is reality.
Being told you're delusional does not necessarily mean you're mental.
Posts: 9147
Threads: 83
Joined: May 22, 2013
Reputation:
46
RE: Arguments for God's Existence from Contingency
November 12, 2017 at 1:12 am
(November 11, 2017 at 10:43 pm)datc Wrote: (November 11, 2017 at 10:37 pm)Astreja Wrote: Well, it's certainly *my* doctrine. I do not find any philosophical arguments for gods convincing. At some point, all of them break down with an unsupported assertion about "necessity" or "greatest possible being" or some other declaration that cannot be empirically demonstrated. At that point, the argument is dead in the water and we're no closer to finding any actual gods.
Can *your* doctrine that philosophy is useless for reasoning about God be empirically demonstrated?
This is goofy.
Look, you have an idea about an existent thing, God. If you want other people to believe that God exists, you will have to demonstrate this to be true. If you want to juggle semantics and play with logical devices, that's fine. But it's not your job to decide what standard people must accept in order for them to believe you-- it's theirs.
Posts: 69247
Threads: 3759
Joined: August 2, 2009
Reputation:
259
RE: Arguments for God's Existence from Contingency
November 12, 2017 at 1:27 am
|
