From: metahuman (hidden@lucifer.com)
Date: Thu Nov 20 2003 - 08:22:22 MST
Were you the one that made that erroneous statement awhile back that essentially read, "evidence is not required to prove a negative"?
[Blunderov]
Statements pertaining to existence must surely be couched in a way so as
to permit a falsification or be dismissed as meaningless? It is not
possible to produce definitive evidence that there are NO fairies at the
bottom of my garden unless we are prepared to defer the decision until
the end of time. It IS possible to produce evidence that there ARE
fairies at the bottom of the garden by the simple expedient of being
there at the same time as any one fairy.
[metahuman]
It's 7:06 AM. I haven't slept. Your paragraph is confusing (or confused).
[Blunderov]
To my mind, if we restrict ourselves to the statement that 'There is
insufficient evidence for the existence of gods' then there is
insufficient reason to bother oneself any further on the subject until
somebody actually sights one. (I don't seriously entertain the
possibility of there really being fairies at the bottom of my garden.)
[metahuman]
When writing definitions, it is necessary to remove needless commentary. Yes, most Virians would accept that the existence or non-existence of gods is "rationally irrelevant" as localroger puts it. However, this definition is not concerned with the Church of Virus. It is focused on a particular identifier: atheism. It is a contained context.
[Blunderov]
So is it really true, as is sometimes suggested, that the most rational
position is one of agnosticism?
[metahuman]
Yes. Again, you have to keep the context in mind.
- "Strong" atheism is the absolute belief that gods cannot and DO NOT exist.
"Weak" atheism is the neutral position. It is neither a positive or a negative.
+ "Weak" theism is the precautionary belief that gods can and DO exist.
+ "Strong" theism is the absolute belief that gods can and DO exist.
Hopefully you understand this so I don't have to wake up and draw a picture.
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