Quote:
Originally Posted by Smelly Fred
I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't
Than live my life as if there isn't and die to find out there is a God.
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Pascal called, he'd like his wager back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flames0910
I did want to respond to this, however, and question why you conclude that the no-god option is the default?
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Why do you conclude that the no-universe-creating-purple-unicorn is the default?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flames0910
It seems to me, that lacking conclusive evidence for or against, both would be acceptable conclusions.
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Not really, in a situation where there is insufficient evidence or insufficient reason an acceptable position is "I don't know." Otherwise ANY conclusion is acceptable, natural processes vs. god is just a false dichotomy. A universe creating purple unicorn is just as an acceptable conclusion then. Or why one god? What about Vishnu, Odin, and Wotan?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flames0910
One last concluding thought...
Science may be rational but our world, in many ways, is not. It's complex, irregular, bizarre, fascinating, awe-inspiring, and beautiful, but oftentimes, irrational.
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Not really, if something is completely irrational then it is beyond the realm of science or reason, by definition. No matter how strange and inscrutable something seems, if science can understand it then it is not irrational.
Unless you have an example.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flames0910
At the risk of sounding like a naive, preachy romantic - why do we always have to bicker that our belief is right? The same sentiments that go into a thread like this are what fuel all kinds of wars (both science and religion). Can't we look for the truth in the other person's argument instead of the negative? Heaven forbid we actually learn something.
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That's what discussions are about; looking for truth in the other person's argument, at least that's why I engage in them personally. But I would like to see an example of where science fueled a war, last time I checked there wasn't a group of scientists promoting Einstein's General Relativity that waged war on the Newtonian scientists.