(February 6, 2018 at 5:51 pm)Khemikal Wrote: All well and good, but I don't see anyone cutting themselves off from the truth by acknowledging it. We do not survive our deaths (aren't tautologies still true, lol?), there is no afterlife. It's not an issue of likelihood or the unknown.
We have three moving parts here:
1) My dialectical/Socratic approach to a theist's query about the afterlife. By challenging a supposed gnostic assertion with an agnostic one, I attempted to make the case that an investigation is in order. I don't think you fault me on this at all. But if you do, say so. I can defend this approach.
2) My inherent skepticism about all things. Yes, I have a philosopher's hat. Yes, I put it on sometimes. Yes, I question things that most take for granted. It's a hobby. It's a pastime. It's something I like to do on the forums-- as do you. So I know you don't fault me on that.
3) My actual agnostic position on the afterlife. Here is where I think you find fault. Meh, I guess I can see where 100% certitude seems reasonable. As others have said (experientially speaking) death is probably no different than pre-birth. I hold this position to be the most plausible--you take it as certain. I in no way entertain fairytales by rejecting 100% certitude, however. But I do still have to admit a dark spot in my knowledge concerning this. To put it in perspective, I pretty much know my car is where I parked it last night. I didn't hear the alarm go off recently, so I have no reason to think somebody stole it. I have every reason to think that it is still parked in my driveway. If somebody were to call and invite me over, I wouldn't say "Wait a minute, let me check if my car is still in my driveway." I would simply assume it was still there. But if I were to ask myself, right now as I type this: "Can I say with 100% certainty that my car is still in the driveway?" I'd have to say no. It's not 100% until I look at it and see. Same with the afterlife. How plausible is heaven/hell to me? About as plausible as the possibility that right now my car is hovering ten feet above the ground with two members of the DC universe fucking in the backseat.
