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 Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 9:07 am Post subject: Falsifiability and the God Hypothesis |
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About Daniel Tammet:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Tammet
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3372301236664593143
A falsifiable belief in God is outlined in Daniel Tammet's Blog:
http://www.optimnem.co.uk/blog/index.php
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Falsifiability and the God Hypothesis
I've recently enjoyed reading the online debate between the atheist
writer Sam Harris and Catholic blogger Andrew Sullivan at:
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/209/story_20904_1.html
At one point Harris asks Sullivan what kind of evidence he would
require to abandon his belief in God; something that Sullivan doesn't
subsequently address.
As a Christian myself, I thought I would give my own answer to
Harris's question here by listing five scenarios, any one of which I
would consider strong enough to falsify my belief in God:
1. If the Universe were shown to be eternal - however the vast
majority of scientists accept the Big Bang hypothesis which says that
the universe had a beginning (around 13.7 billion years ago). Many
scientists (including Einstein) were originally extremely unhappy with
the theory that the universe might not be eternal, yet all the
evidence indeed points to it having had a beginning.
2. If the properties of our Universe were shown to be non-significant
- I'm familiar with the argument that even if our universe had only a
(say) 1 in a million chance of existing in the form it does, it
doesn't demonstrate anything significant about our universe.
The argument goes that it is equivalent to a person throwing a ball in
a field and then arguing that the blade of grass it lands on is
special because it had only a 1 in a million chance of being landed
upon. However our universe is peculiarly capable of complex,
intelligent, self-aware life - dependent on many extremely low-
probability factors - so that the correct analogy would be if the ball
landed on a blade of grass which was coloured blue while all the
others were green.
3. If the Universe were shown to be only one of an infinite number of
'multiverses' - So far, we have zero evidence for any universe but our
own.
4. If our Universe were shown to have other complex, intelligent life
forms without religion - Although decades ago the belief among
scientists was widespread that our universe was teeming with
intelligent life, currently we still have no evidence whatsoever for
the existence of any other intelligent life in the universe. Some
scientists have calculated that the probability of such life existing
is in fact close to zero. Humans may well be alone in the universe.
5. If it was shown that our ideas and beliefs are exclusively the
result of biological and cultural processes entirely beyond our
control (and therefore their content immaterial) - or, to put it
another way, if it were shown that there is no such thing ultimately
as 'Truth'.
However one such well-publicised attempt - Memetics - has largely
failed; its Journal ceasing publication in 2005 and many of its
advocates having moved away from it. |
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JTEM
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 10:22 am Post subject: Re: Falsifiability and the God Hypothesis |
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stevewbu...@gmail.com wrote:
| Quote: |
As a Christian myself, I thought I would give my
own answer to Harris's question here by listing
five scenarios, any one of which I would consider
strong enough to falsify my belief in God:
|
You have to first define & describe this "God."
Fact is, as a Christian, if there is a "God" and
that "God" turns out to be Zeus or Ra then, well,
then you're out of luck.
It would be the same, perhaps even worse for you,
than no "God" at all....
| Quote: |
1. If the Universe were shown to be eternal -
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Oddly, scientific observation points to the universe
having a begining. Only a supernatural being of
unlimited power could "create" a universe in such a
way as to make it appear (to scientific observations)
that it has always existed.
| Quote: |
2. If the properties of our Universe were shown to be
non-significant
|
determined by whom?
| Quote: |
3. If the Universe were shown to be only one of an
infinite number of 'multiverses'
|
What if a unverse can be created in a lab?
If something a great deal LESS than an all knowing,
all seeing, all powerful being can create a universe
in a lab, doesn't that knock the wind right out of
the "God" sails?
| Quote: |
4. If our Universe were shown to have other
complex, intelligent life forms without
religion -
|
Well that's pretty lame. How could another
species with a religion confirm the existence
of your "God" any more than worship of Ra
or Zeus did?
If you want to get *Really* technical here, the
existence of any intelligent alien species which
DID NOT share your concept of "God" would be
powerful evidence AGAINST your religion.
| Quote: |
5. If it was shown that our ideas and beliefs
are exclusively the result of biological and
cultural processes entirely beyond our control
|
Well, spiritual experiences have (past tense)
been reproduced in subjects by stimulating areas
of the brain.... and all of human history
demonstrates that religious ideas are no less
fluid than any other component of culture.
Even "Christianity" has proven to be quite fluid.
Look at all the different sects with their varied
beliefs...
| Quote: |
or, to put it another way, if it were shown
that there is no such thing ultimately as
'Truth'.
|
Another stacked deck... "Truth" as defined by
whom? |
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