Answers needed

[robvalue]

You're most welcome! Thanks for taking the time to appreciate my perspective.

I'm not offended at all. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, or indeed anyone to agree with me I simply make my case, and I respect everyone's right to construct whatever world view they think is the best.

I think you misunderstand me somewhat, I'm not dismissing supernatural explanations, I'm saying we can't logically conclude them. There could be supernatural stuff going on all the time, involved in every detail of our reality. I don't deny this. I'm just saying we can't demonstrate that there is at the moment. By my definitions, as soon as you demonstrate it, it's not supernatural; which is why I don't use a definition that relies on our current knowledge and technology. If anyone is of the opinion that there are supernatural things going on, I have no problem with that at all. It's not an unreasonable blanket statement. My problem is when people start telling me details about them that they can't possibly know; that is when I feel they have abandoned logic.

People can, as you say, go on to do great things with a belief in the supernatural. That simple belief is no hindrance in itself; it's a probability judgement I suppose. So I'm not sure what you mean by disagreeing with my last paragraph I may not have explained myself well. Even people with what I would call completely irrational beliefs can still be much cleverer than me and discover amazing things. It's just that those irrational beliefs were not part of the tools they used for discovery, except as you say as maybe motivating factors. I'm not trying to say all your beliefs must be entirely logical or else you are a failure and can't do stuff. Sorry if I came across that way. But if someone just says, "God did it all" and leaves it at that, then that is a severe hindrance to the desire to learn. I'm not accusing you of that at all though.

My approach is simply pragmatic, in that if there are supernatural causations or events, in the past or the present, we can't learn about them.

Thanks very much for checking out my website! I'm glad you like it Cool, another pianist, excellent I used to have lessons when I was younger but I got bored, and now I just play for fun.