Debunking the claim that Ramanujan received insights from a god

[brewer]

Welcome to the forum new entity. Consider making an introduction thread so that we can get to know you.

Have you considered that Ramanujan, in modern times, may have had a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder (sometimes called idiot/savant)? Due to religious indoctrination he may not have had the mental ability to believe or even consider anything else?

As for all the people that believe god(s) were directing/guiding his life, have they ever provided any thing other than abstractions (stories that fit their particular naritive)? My guess is no. A myriad of religions have based their belief on nothing more. Example, consider Scientologists.

For me to consider the existence of god(s) I need concrete evidence. Their god needs to step up and provide something based in fact, repeatable and testable. Until that time it's all just a story. Maybe some find it comforting, but it still remains a story. They can refer to it as truth, but know that truth and belief are subjective.

I don't really care what the religious believe, if it fits their life narritive then fine by me. The problem starts when they insist that I validate their belief. That's a non starter.

[The Grand Nudger]

I think it's interesting that a person who is supposed to be communicating with a god had to go to his mom to see if that god gave him permission to go somewhere. What's the problem, he lose the gods number?

[Simon Moon]

There is nothing that needs to be debunked.

The people that claim that this brilliant mathematician, Ramanujan, received his insights from a god, have all the heavy lifting to do. There is no work that you have to do.

Just for a start, they have to demonstrate that a god exists, that said god has the ability to communicate with us (and we can communicate with the god), that Ramanujan was actually in communication with said god, and that his mathematical insights were in fact communicated by a god.

It is not up to the skeptic to disprove unevidenced claims. All you need to say is, I do not find any evidence or reasoned argument to demonstrate your claim about Ramanujan.

The most parsimonious explanation, is that Ramanujan was a brilliant person, who came up with his ideas from his own mind, but attributed them to a god.

As Christopher Hitchens said, "that which can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence".

Stephen Hawking came up with scientific insights just as brilliant as Ramanujan's, but since he was an atheist, he never attributed them to a god.

[The Grand Nudger]

There’s probably nothing in the claim to debunk, anyway. A lot of the time when people say godstuff it’s more a manner of communicating than an existential claim which others might agree or disagree with. I’d read that as a guy being inspired. Of having the experience of insight and understanding coming to him. Eureka.

Between balls to the wall lying, full on delusional, or having had an experience common to all humanity…I think we can generously assume the latter.

[Angrboda]

There’s probably nothing in the claim to debunk, anyway.  A lot of the time when people say godstuff it’s more a manner of communicating than an existential claim which others might agree or disagree with.  I’d read that as a guy being inspired.  Of having the experience of insight and understanding coming to him.  Eureka.

Between balls to the wall lying, full on delusional, or having had an experience common to all humanity…I think we can generously assume the latter.

There are more lulz to be had in assuming the former.

[Sicnoo0]

Does my post indicate I'm an atheist troll trying to dunk on this specific brand of Hinduism? If that's the impression I gave off, then I'm sorry. Maybe that is what I'm doing and I'm deluding myself into thinking I'm seriously engaging with the topic. Since I can't look at it from any perspective other than my own, then I admit that maybe I'm actually being insincere without realizing it. For whatever it's worth, I don't think that's what I'm doing. If I'm actually just doing this for the lulz then I'm disappointed with myself.

[The Grand Nudger]

Na. You're good bro. The story is legitimately weird. It even lends itself well to ridicule, as they all do.

[The Valkyrie]

I blame hippies.

[arewethereyet]

I blame hippies.

Hey now.  

[brewer]

I blame hippies.

You're just jelly.