(June 8, 2009 at 3:10 am)scameter Wrote: If you would like to know more about my motivations for writing this topic, feel free to view my topic in the Introductions page. But I'll just say I'm asking these questions out of a genuine desire to know the truth through deliberated and careful reasoning, study and contemplation, and to avoid having a belief that is merely comfortable to me or that I assume is true without actually studying it. Ok, to get to the questions (which I will limit to five for now):
1. Do you think it is possible to know why the universe exists?
2. How do you think morality can exist without objective authority or verification?
3. If there is no afterlife, what motivation would/should anyone have for living any particular way, such as trying to live ethically, civilly, healthily, or any specific way?
4. If there is no afterlife and no essential or ultimate meaning to existence, why should an atheist care if someone believes in a religion and, indeed, if believing in a religion would make their life easier, would that bother you as an atheist?
5. Can you be absolutely certain, without a doubt, that God or something supernatural does not exist?
As a note: please try to answer the questions themselves, not ask questions in response or deviate from them, and please try to refrain from insult or assumption towards me in your replies. Thank you.
1. Yes, provided that there is a creator, which would give it a purpose. Otherwise, I think not. If you meant it in terms of a scientific question, I would say no as well, given that science only works within our universe, and any questions about causation and physics cannot be resolved if it means going beyond the boundaries of the spacetime manifold.
2. Morality is an inherent part of human nature, shaped by years of evolution. Complex species that can organise among themselves and act in an altruistic manner increases their probability of survival in comparison to species that do not. An extreme example of altruistic behavior would be that of ants.
3. As mentioned above, ethics have their roots in human evolutionary psychology. Each person has their own reason to live. To me, being able to live at all in an otherwise hostile universe is a miracle to cherish.
4. It doesn't bother me, until their beliefs impinge onto my life. It doesn't bother me if they simply believe in god, but it bothers me when they want their beliefs to be taught in schools, indoctrinated into children, used as a means to justify violence etc. I am tolerant towards those who simply mind their own business. In fact, most of my friends are theists and we get along pretty well.
5. No. I am an agnostic atheist. I am absolutely certain that the christian god, as well as the gods of the religions, do not exist. However, I am an agnostic towards the deistic god.
