(September 4, 2011 at 11:44 am)Rhythm Wrote: You have evidence of anything that isn't physical? That's the source of the claim. There are things for which we have evidence. These things are material things. There is a lack of evidence for anything else.
I suppose it gets down to the question of what constitutes "physical." I have evidence of my consciousness, though I can't prove it to anyone else, nor can they prove their being conscious to me. Yet, we still muddle along, huh?
Is consciousness physical? Are the laws of the universe physical? Are concepts physical? If so, where are they located? Where can I go to find the square root of negative one? Can you show me its location in the physical domain?
Quote:The only things we should be comfortable asserting any sort of provisional certitude over are things which we have observed.
I have never observed the interior of a star, yet I have no problem in accepting the veracity of the scientists when they tell me it's composed of this or that based on their data.
Quote:Some claims about the "supernatural" are in direct contradiction to what we know about the material world. This wouldn't be a problem, except that many of these claims are claims of interaction. Problematic, because we would then see the effects of this interaction at the very least, which we do not.
I'm not really sure what you mean here, so I cannot comment.
Quote:So, either our understanding of what is material is fundamentally flawed, or we have some misconceptions about the supernatural. One side of this debate has mountains of observations, predictions, results, and is constantly revised. What do we have from the other side?
I'm not comfortable with the term supernatural as it is loaded with all sorts of baggage I don't claim. From my pov, based on my background, I don't find anything to be supernatural, so I don't want to have to defend against whatever conception of that you are inferring.
My cosmology can be summed up succinctly in three words, and the rest is unpacking: Consciousness. Is. Evolving. That's where I'm coming from in this.
Quote:(you've used the phrase "waiting for death" and if this is truly the case I don't want to have to be the guy who argues away the notion of a soul or afterlife to a dying man.)
Not to worry. That's what I'm here for. Take your best shot. Like I said, I'd be happier if it was just a case of lights out, bye. But I don't find compelling evidence that this is the case. Besides, this keeps my mind engaged and that's no small thing.
