(February 9, 2010 at 3:30 pm)chatpilot Wrote: A fair intellectual starting point for me would be what I know as facts through what I observe in the world around me. For example, I am sure that infirmity in general is not the product of demons attacking mankind for his sinful ways, but rather the very natural act of microbes, viruses, and of course our own in some instances weak immune systems. Some diseases are genetic some are hereditary etc. etc. These are known facts that have been proven by science and observed by professionals in the fields of modern medicine.
It is interesting how your safe intellectual starting point is what you personally know and observe...but then you seem to be saying that what you know about some of these things is not what you have actually observed and concluded but what someone else has observed and concluded. (Unless, of course, you are a microbiologist, virologist, and/or an immunologist. In which case, I withdraw my objection.
) So it seems that your intellectually safe starting point is the conclusions reached by scientists at any particular point in time. It also seems to me that your reliance upon others requires faith, but I'm sure you would disagree. Frankly, I don't see that much difference between us except for the object of our faith (your objects of faith being yourself and scientists and my objects of faith being God and the Bible as the Word of God). I'll stick with my presuppositions.
