(August 9, 2012 at 7:11 pm)Stimbo Wrote: If I'm asked to declare upfront my beliefs on the existence or otherwise of X, Y and Z (à la page one of your survey) and you use your 'if' to define X, Y and Z into existence with the intention of railroading me into a logically contradictory position regarding X, Y and Z - then yes I am suggesting that.
First, how do you know that such an intention exists here? I thought the survey was interesting because I think it's cool to see when unexpected conclusions can be logically demonstrated.
Second, why do you care about the intention? If you believe X, Y, and Z, and someone with really bad intentions gives a valid argument that X, Y, and Z entail the existence of a necessary being, would you just reject their conclusion? Wouldn't you want to know the implications of your beliefs?
The only thing that could possibly 'railroad' you here is logic.
“The truth of our faith becomes a matter of ridicule among the infidels if any Catholic, not gifted with the necessary scientific learning, presents as dogma what scientific scrutiny shows to be false.”
