Comment by Dave G on November 4, 2009 at 10:28pm

Basically, while one must technically admit that just about anything is possible, that says nothing about probability. Gods, like unicorns, leprechauns, and the chance of my chair spontaneously traveling to Mars via wormhole are sufficiently improbable that, barring new, powerful evidence of their existence/occurrence, they can safely be treated as being impossible.

Comment by Reggie on November 4, 2009 at 11:53pm

Doug, I like the way you think. You're alright, for a lefty. ;)

Comment by Frink on November 4, 2009 at 11:55pm

I'm a 6.9 on the Dawkins Scale, myself. I call it token agnosticism. If you're interested in joining the club, I'd recommend reading "The Impossibility of God" by Michael Martin and Ricki Monnier, which lays out the philosophical case against the very possibility of gods existing.

Comment by Dave G on November 5, 2009 at 12:47am

Also, God: The Failed Hypothesis.

Comment by Brad on November 6, 2009 at 12:05pm

Well, me personally, it's not the idea of a higher power itself that I find so hard to believe in as it is the texts surrounding the Abrahamic God and other religious deities in general. We can judge these 'deities' likelihood by their corresponding texts. We now know that a Sun God does not bring up the sun in a blazing chariot every morning, because the sun does not revolve around the Earth.

But, here's my thing. Limitless time and space, despite any theories we may have, are beyond our comprehension. Complex things we know or have reason to believe exist. The idea that that everything could have just originated from nothing (speaking far PRIOR to the 'Big Bang') is not that much harder to believe than some form of consciousness of unknown nature and origin (not from our texts). BUT, that is only a hypothetical that bares no significance on how I live my life, unless given some evidence. Even if this merely hypothetical 'creator' existed, I'd lean more towards he/she/it/etc being apathetic or malevolent natured, with ways beyond our comprehension. Still, no proof, no God. Technically, I'm agnostic atheist, but I just often like the term agnostic.

I think even as myths, most religions are interesting to read and pick and choose what parts are inspiring on a merely philosophical level. I think my like for the word 'agnostic' just stems from my want to try and look at things moderately or see different sides of issues. If people could not let belief in a deity affect their judgment on real world issues, it would not be as much of an issue. ...........Then again, take away the dogma, and what's left of the religion?.......I still think trying to take a more moderate approach would draw more people away from religion, than the anti-theist tactic of mockery (which I do a lot. lol). I admit I'm no rocket scientist, but that's my two cents.

Comment by Shine on November 7, 2009 at 9:26am

But what about the "World of War craft", do they believe that that world is an alternate reality that exists in another dimension?

DON'T SHATTER MY ILLUSIONS! You mean there is no Darnassus? I am beyond crushed...

I had a "conversation" with someone this week on the difference between probability and possibility, and the functional impossibility of extreme improbability. (Well, it never got so far as the latter point, but it was next on my list.) Here is an excerpt of the discussion:

Mr. Probability: And Dawkins is a master in illogical statements like this one posted on London buses: THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD. NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE. I propose another add (sic) for Mr. Dawkins: IF THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD, THERE’S PROBABLY GOD. NOW START WORRYING AND HAVE A NICE LIFE. I have another one: THERE’S PROBABLY NO LOGICAL THINKING.…NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE.

Me: I find your proposed responses to the Atheist Bus Campaigns to be illogical themselves. “IF THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD, THERE’S PROBABLY GOD.” If X is probably not true, then X is probably true? How does this make sense?

Mr. Probability: IF THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD means that the probability of God not existing is.. let’s say 98.9%. OK? Therefore it is logically (sic) to assume that the probability of God to exist is 1.1%. Therefore it is correct to say “IF THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD, THERE’S PROBABLY GOD.”

Me: 1.1% chance of an event occurring means that it is improbable, not probable. The statement “THERE’S PROBABLY GOD” means that the occurrence of the event is probable. At barely a 1% chance, the probability of god existing is possible, but certainly not probable. I think that you are confusing the words “probable” and “possible.” Even aside from these arbitrary percentages, it is still nonsensical to claim that an event and its inverse are simultaneously probable; by definition, one has to be improbable for the other to be probable.

Mr. Probability: Shine, THERE’S PROBABLY NO LOGICAL THINKING.…NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE.

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