Just a recent thought, the start of an argument but nothing I've gone over too thoroughly so there may be problems with the premises or form and some of it is a bit superfluous but I haven't tried to compact the argument yet.
In brief;
God is often described as being simple, this is an extremely important claim for any theists as the more complex an explanation is the lower the prior probability of this thing existing. Seeing as it is already extremely difficult to present any evidence for the existence of God outside of the experience of certain sensations (which is poor quality evidence given the number of contradictory claims based on the same standard) if we could show that the prior probability of this being was much lower than that of possible alternative causes for the universe we would be forced to conclude that the other explanations are much more likely to be true.
The argument (split into parts for convenience);
A)
1. God has a plan
2. Plans are concepts
3. Concepts are the products of minds
4. Therefore, God's plan exists in his mind.
B)
5. God's plan is much too complex for the human mind to grasp *
6. The human mind is extraordinarily complex **
7. Therefore, God is even more complex than the human mind.
--At this point I have established the topic of my thread; The human mind is NOT simple and if God's mind is more complex then God is necessarily NOT simple--
--The following is a description of the implications--
C)
8. Quantum fluctuations are a possible cause for the universe ***
9. The human mind is more complex than a quantum fluctuation ***
10. Therefore, God is more complex than a quantum fluctuation. ***
D)
11. The more complex something is the lower the prior probability of it existing****
12. God is more complex than a quantum fluctuation (From 10) ***
12. Therefore, the prior probability of God existing is lower than that of Quantum fluctuations. ***
--NOTES--
Section A could also argue that since God is entirely a mind (I assume no part of God is unintelligent, he doesn't have limbs for instance) his plan is necessarily a part of this mind, this could reduce the size of the argument substantially.
* Some theists may argue that we can understand God's plan, though this is an uncommon position. I suspect when pressed they would not be able to describe the plan without resorting to Ad hoc explanations, let alone produce a coherent description of this plan.
** This point is likely unnecessary
*** You could substitute 'Quantum Fluctuation' with 'Algorithm' or any other "bottom up" or "crane" explanation for the universe, which one is chosen is beside the point. "Skyhook" explanations such as 'brain in a vat' or 'computer simulation' would not be applicable.
**** This is, when dealing with the first state of affairs, the same as saying "the chance of it existing as a brute fact".
In brief;
God is often described as being simple, this is an extremely important claim for any theists as the more complex an explanation is the lower the prior probability of this thing existing. Seeing as it is already extremely difficult to present any evidence for the existence of God outside of the experience of certain sensations (which is poor quality evidence given the number of contradictory claims based on the same standard) if we could show that the prior probability of this being was much lower than that of possible alternative causes for the universe we would be forced to conclude that the other explanations are much more likely to be true.
The argument (split into parts for convenience);
A)
1. God has a plan
2. Plans are concepts
3. Concepts are the products of minds
4. Therefore, God's plan exists in his mind.
B)
5. God's plan is much too complex for the human mind to grasp *
6. The human mind is extraordinarily complex **
7. Therefore, God is even more complex than the human mind.
--At this point I have established the topic of my thread; The human mind is NOT simple and if God's mind is more complex then God is necessarily NOT simple--
--The following is a description of the implications--
C)
8. Quantum fluctuations are a possible cause for the universe ***
9. The human mind is more complex than a quantum fluctuation ***
10. Therefore, God is more complex than a quantum fluctuation. ***
D)
11. The more complex something is the lower the prior probability of it existing****
12. God is more complex than a quantum fluctuation (From 10) ***
12. Therefore, the prior probability of God existing is lower than that of Quantum fluctuations. ***
--NOTES--
Section A could also argue that since God is entirely a mind (I assume no part of God is unintelligent, he doesn't have limbs for instance) his plan is necessarily a part of this mind, this could reduce the size of the argument substantially.
* Some theists may argue that we can understand God's plan, though this is an uncommon position. I suspect when pressed they would not be able to describe the plan without resorting to Ad hoc explanations, let alone produce a coherent description of this plan.
** This point is likely unnecessary
*** You could substitute 'Quantum Fluctuation' with 'Algorithm' or any other "bottom up" or "crane" explanation for the universe, which one is chosen is beside the point. "Skyhook" explanations such as 'brain in a vat' or 'computer simulation' would not be applicable.
**** This is, when dealing with the first state of affairs, the same as saying "the chance of it existing as a brute fact".
.
