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LINK What God, Quantum Mechanics and Consciousness Have in Common - Scientific American

This is one of the better articles I've read in support of agnosticism, and there's a lot here to consider. But as an atheist I would like to ask the author who suggests an 'I don't know' position is best on god, quantum mechanics and consciousness, if all proposed unproven metaphysical claims, including all the way out stuff that people believe in, should be equally so treated? My guess is that the author rejects most unproven supernatural claims, as do most agnostics, but chooses the 'I don't know' position on just a select few. Is that consistency I ask?

David1955 8 Aug 15
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4 comments

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We have had lots of discussions and arguments on the difference between agnosticism and atheism. Some try to use some sort of scientific evidence. Many think they are the same and that agnosticism is a subset of atheism. For me, it's just a basic philosophical idea - is one species, homo sapiens, the center of the universe? Is there a special place for us to live indefinitely (which transcends the life of the universe)? In the end it just boils down to hubris and fear. In an article in the Humanist magazine on Existential Risk Analysis, it was shown that religion is a universal idea but also has destructive powers.
[thehumanist.com]

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The other way of course, most famously promoted by R. Dawkins, is to qualify your, don't know, by putting an estimated and purely hypothetical probability number on unknown things. Such as.

Will we find as yet undiscovered species of animal on the seabed. 99.9999 %
Will that include large vertebrates. 95%
Will there be another major volcanic eruption in my lifetime 70%
Will there be another pandemic after Covid in my time. 40%
Will there be a major meteor strike in my lifetime 10%
Will Trump go back into politics with any success 4%
Will we find Bigfoot. 00.0001 %

Then things which are so unlikely they can not go on the scale, but which are not impossible, like a higher level intelligence as yet undiscovered behind within the physics of the universe.

And lastly things which are truly impossible because they contradict logic, such as the Abrahamic God.

The big advantage of which is that though the odds can not possibly accurate, it does place your position on various things in order relative to each other..

Interesting. Personally I'd rate the major meteor strike higher than 10%. There have been big meteor strikes over the past century, but not catastrophic. I think we're overdue for a big cosmic ass kick and wouldn't be surprised at that happening any time.

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"I have examined the evidence for Christianity and find it unconvincing "

I have also examined the evidence for Christianity and find it to be a doomsday cult that got lucky.
We all have our opinion and the author is telling us his.

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People are too willing to make claims and talk in absolutes.
I very much agree with the author, but the truth is we're not allowed to not make a choice. As the Rush song lyric goes -- If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

I (not always successfully) try to be as honest and forthright as I can be. And that generally includes an at least implicit but I can never truly know, 100% at the end.

Personally I consider myself an atheist even though I know I'll never 'disprove' God. With information I have, that is my choice.

I think you have to have your choices even if they are nonsense. You're not practically allowed any other choice.

From the 'last' paragraph of the link article:


I’m definitely a skeptic. I doubt we’ll ever know whether God exists, what quantum mechanics means, how matter makes mind. These three puzzles, I suspect, are different aspects of a single, impenetrable mystery at the heart of things. But one of the pleasures of agnosticism—perhaps the greatest pleasure—is that I can keep looking for answers and hoping that a revelation awaits just over the horizon

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