Is it possible for science to refute the "god hypothesis" beyond all reasonable doubt?
Has science in fact already achieved this?
What exactly is the "god hypothesis"? What must such a hypothesis entail if it is to be able to be subjected to scientific enquiry (which after all is the very meaning of the term hypothesis)?
Is it even possible to apply the term "hypothesis" to such a concept as God/gods/deities/supernatural creators? Or are such concepts inherently beyond the restricted nature of scientific investigation?
Does science provide the founding principles for atheism or not?
Does science provide the founding principles for deism or not?
Do EvC members consider science to be the foundation upon which their own individual position is founded?
Where members do consider science to be the foundation upon which they base their beliefs, are such conclusions valid?
Here at EvC we have a vast variety of beliefs. From biblical creationists to ardent atheists. With everything in-between. Including theists who neither seek nor require physical evidence for their beliefs and deists who claim that none is possible. The atheists, and I include myself in this category, seem almost without exception to consider their position scientifically valid. But is it?
I want to try and split the usual pack of EvC anti-theists to examine the validity of our own beliefs. Are they consistent? Are they scientifically justified? How much do we actually agree with each other beyond a mutual non-theist position?
Creationist assertions that their views are equally evidenced I am going to ignore as trivially refuted for the sake of this debate. This whole forum constantly and repeatedly examines those issues. I want this thread to explore a different question.
What I am really interested in is - To what extent do atheists, deists and the most rational of theists require science to be necessary to their world view.
And to examine how justified, in scientific terms, such world views actually are.
Personal position: As regulars at EvC will be fully aware I am part of the full blooded atheist contingent. I am also a keen advocate of the scientific method and broad scientific position. And yes I do consider these to be related. However I have had a brief dalliance with deism and can see why some might default to this position.
Is any position regarding the existence or non-existence of supernatural entities scientifically verifiable?
If not what is it about the atheistically and deistically minded that results in a correlation with their advocacy of science as
the reliable method of investigation?
Edited by Adminnemooseus, : Changed the topic title from "Beyond Reasonable Doubt?" to a variation (needed to shorten for it to fit) of the message 1 opening sentence: "Can science refute the "god hypothesis" beyond all reasonable doubt?"
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