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Author Topic:   Inductive Atheism
Taq
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Posts: 9944
Joined: 03-06-2009
Member Rating: 4.8


Message 46 of 536 (604723)
02-14-2011 2:45 PM
Reply to: Message 11 by slevesque
02-11-2011 4:13 PM


Re: Inductive Atheism
You are left without genuine 'scientific' evidence. This does not mean if 500 people saw me walk on water, it couldn't be considered evidence that a supernatural phenomenon occured. (of course, other options should be looked into first. Is it a trick ? is it an as-of-yet unknown natural phenomenon ?)
At what point to do you give up looking for a natural explanation for a phenomena and declare it the product of the supernatural?
More importantly, when has a supernatural explanation ever turned out to be the right answer?

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 Message 11 by slevesque, posted 02-11-2011 4:13 PM slevesque has not replied

Taq
Member
Posts: 9944
Joined: 03-06-2009
Member Rating: 4.8


Message 48 of 536 (604751)
02-14-2011 5:12 PM
Reply to: Message 47 by bluegenes
02-14-2011 3:56 PM


Re: Sleep paralysis, temporal epilepsy and schizophrenia.
There's plenty of scientific research on supernatural experiences.
And those are just the modern versions of supernatural experiences. In previous ages lightning was thought to be supernatural as well as thousands of other phenomenon that we now explain through natural mechanisms. As Steven Weinberg put it:
quote:
Once nature seemed inexplicable without a nymph in every brook and a dryad in every tree. Even as late as the nineteenth century the design of plants and animals was regarded as visible evidence of a creator. There are still countless things in nature that we cannot explain, but we think we know the principles that govern the way they work. Today for real mystery one has to look to cosmology and elementary particle physics. For those who see no conflict between science and religion, the retreat of religion from the ground occupied by science is nearly complete. (Weinberg, S., "Dreams of a Final Theory," Pantheon: New York NY, 1992, pp.249-250)
With this type of track record, why does any supernatural explanation hold weight?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 47 by bluegenes, posted 02-14-2011 3:56 PM bluegenes has seen this message but not replied

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