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Are We Living In God's "Matrix"?
September 11, 2014 at 12:14 pm
"Cognito ergo sum”, “I think, therefore, I am”. Descarte’s famous quote sums up, in a few words, everything that I know as absolute truth. I perceive and form opinion. I observe and assess. I experience and evaluate, compare and assimilate based on all my previous experiences. The opinions I form will be dependent upon what I have observed prior and what information I have been socialized to accept as truth. However, the only thing I really know is that I have this experience. I do not know for sure you also experience this (the truth is, you could be a robot), but I know it happens for me.
Biological scientists have attempted to expand upon Descarte’s truth to try to explain the mechanisms involved. Many claim that vibrating waves and particles interact with our awareness and are experienced based on the frequency of the vibration. Labels have been assigned to aspects of, what have been called, “biological systems” to assist with the communication of these concepts. According to many, there is no experience beyond what is capable of being picked up by these receptors (or assistant technologies).
According to public opinion, these receptors tell us the truth about what “is”. Unfortunately (brace yourself), there is no evidence that the mechanisms convey to us anything that resembles what actually “is”. The biological systems are said to produce an experience based on the vibration of particles interacting with receptors and the subsequent biological processes. The truth about what “is” cannot be deduced from this, it simply confirms Descarte’s claim that we experience and form opinion. Similar to the concept of the “Matrix”, if we choose to believe we are experiencing reality, then our reality is real regardless of what actually “is”. In this sense, anything could be possible.
I'm curious as to the atheist perspective on this...
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RE: Are We Living In God's "Matrix"?
September 11, 2014 at 12:20 pm
You appear to have confused a lack of belief in an unconvincing god with an all encompassing explanation of consciousness to which all atheists are privy.
You're an American aren't you.
You can fix ignorance, you can't fix stupid.
Tinkety Tonk and down with the Nazis.
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RE: Are We Living In God's "Matrix"?
September 11, 2014 at 12:22 pm
(September 11, 2014 at 12:20 pm)downbeatplumb Wrote: You appear to have confused a lack of belief in an unconvincing god with an all encompassing explanation of consciousness to which all atheists are privy.
You're an American aren't you.
I find the implication odious, presumptions and impossible to deny.
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RE: Are We Living In God's "Matrix"?
September 11, 2014 at 12:28 pm
I ask because of the absolute nature of the atheist perspective. Most atheists I know argue they are 100% sure there is no intelligent design, no influencing entities, however, how can you be so sure? What is it that confirms that for you? I mean, "agnostic" seems to be the way to go when there are obviously so many variables that we can't possibly control for. Aren't you concerned about the possibility of having to "eat crow" later on?
Oh, and what does being American have to do with anything?
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Are We Living In God's "Matrix"?
September 11, 2014 at 12:30 pm
Normally I tell solipsists that they are not smart enough to have imagined the thousands of languages, car designs, advertising campaigns, works of art etc. they are aware of.
But in this case I'm not even sure what OP is trying to say.
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RE: Are We Living In God's "Matrix"?
September 11, 2014 at 12:35 pm
(September 11, 2014 at 12:30 pm)Bibliofagus Wrote: Normally I tell solipsists that they are not smart enough to have imagined the thousands of languages, car designs, advertising campaigns, works of art etc. they are aware of.
But in this case I'm not even sure what OP is trying to say.
Bibliofagus, who are you to make a judgement with regard to what I am capable of?
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RE: Are We Living In God's "Matrix"?
September 11, 2014 at 12:35 pm
(September 11, 2014 at 12:28 pm)sswhateverlove Wrote: I ask because of the absolute nature of the atheist perspective. Most atheists I know argue they are 100% sure there is no intelligent design, no influencing entities, however, how can you be so sure? What is it that confirms that for you? I mean, "agnostic" seems to be the way to go when there are obviously so many variables that we can't possibly control for. Aren't you concerned about the possibility of having to "eat crow" later on?
Oh, and what does being American have to do with anything?
The atheist perspective isn't any more absolute than the theist perspective. Most atheists (like me) are agnostic atheists. We simply don't believe in claims like intelligent design and gods because there is no evidence for them. We are not sure that they don't exist. Show us the evidence and we'll believe. Knowledge is not a matter of pride.
"Every luxury has a deep price. Every indulgence, a cosmic cost. Each fiber of pleasure you experience causes equivalent pain somewhere else. This is the first law of emodynamics [sic]. Joy can be neither created nor destroyed. The balance of happiness is constant.
Fact: Every time you eat a bite of cake, someone gets horsewhipped.
Facter: Every time two people kiss, an orphanage collapses.
Factest: Every time a baby is born, an innocent animal is severely mocked for its physical appearance. Don't be a pleasure hog. Your every smile is a dagger. Happiness is murder.
Vote "yes" on Proposition 1321. Think of some kids. Some kids."
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RE: Are We Living In God's "Matrix"?
September 11, 2014 at 12:38 pm
(September 11, 2014 at 12:28 pm)sswhateverlove Wrote: I ask because of the absolute nature of the atheist perspective. Most atheists I know argue they are 100% sure there is no intelligent design, no influencing entities, however, how can you be so sure? What is it that confirms that for you? I mean, "agnostic" seems to be the way to go when there are obviously so many variables that we can't possibly control for. Aren't you concerned about the possibility of having to "eat crow" later on?
Oh, and what does being American have to do with anything?
Then you don't know what the majority of atheists actually think.
The vast majority of atheists are also agnostic. Atheism and agnosticism are not mutually exclusive positions.
Very few atheists claim to know, with absolute certainty, that a god or gods do not exist.
Atheism is a provisional position, not a dogmatic one.
As long as the god claim continues to be unsupported with evidence, reasoned argument, and valid/sound logic, my atheism will continue.
You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
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Are We Living In God's "Matrix"?
September 11, 2014 at 12:42 pm
(This post was last modified: September 11, 2014 at 12:42 pm by Bibliofagus.)
(September 11, 2014 at 12:35 pm)sswhateverlove Wrote: (September 11, 2014 at 12:30 pm)Bibliofagus Wrote: Normally I tell solipsists that they are not smart enough to have imagined the thousands of languages, car designs, advertising campaigns, works of art etc. they are aware of.
But in this case I'm not even sure what OP is trying to say.
Bibliofagus, who are you to make a judgement with regard to what I am capable of?
I'm the guy who programmed the matrix you live in.
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RE: Are We Living In God's "Matrix"?
September 11, 2014 at 12:42 pm
(This post was last modified: September 11, 2014 at 12:44 pm by sswhateverlove.)
"The atheist perspective isn't any more absolute than the theist perspective. Most atheists (like me) are agnostic atheists. We simply don't believe in claims like intelligent design and gods because there is no evidence for them. We are not sure that they don't exist. Show us the evidence and we'll believe. Knowledge is not a matter of pride."
I'm curious what types of evidence would be necessary to influence your 100% certainty there is no intelligence to the design of reality? I mean, simply the fact that intelligent life exists seems to imply we are experiencing more than just random, chaotic matter flying around in space. But that's just my opinion...
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