The Bankruptcy of Selection Criteria (Creator, Earth, dogma, faith)

[Jayhawker Soule]

My hope is to use this thread to highlight the following two statements:

• In the Occam's Razor thread linwood wrote ...
  The Razor is useless against theism simply because of theisms supernatural flavor. When you have an omnipotent, omnipresent, deity there is no way or reason to discern what is and is not necessary.
• In the God gave us reason thread, DrM wrote ...
  However, using logic in the realm of probabilities, a faith that a creator had a hand in molding the universe is far more reasonable than to take many more steps into dogma ...

Let me begin by saying that I consider linwood's comments to be both astute and important. In my opinion, it is particularly important when discussed with deism and ID (the new and improved deism) as a backdrop, for I maintain that DrM's claim, however sincere and well intentioned, is philosophically unsound and intellectual thoughtless. The cost of embracing the supernatural is to render all criteria for reasonableness bankrupt.

What is an unreasonable claim in a world which allows miracles?

[linwood]

The cost of embracing the supernatural is to render all criteria for reasonableness bankrupt.

That right there is the basis for all my personal troubles with religion .

[desi]

Originally Posted by Deut. 32.8

My hope is to use this thread to highlight the following two statements:

• In the Occam's Razor thread linwood wrote ...
  The Razor is useless against theism simply because of theisms supernatural flavor. When you have an omnipotent, omnipresent, deity there is no way or reason to discern what is and is not necessary.
• In the God gave us reason thread, DrM wrote ...
  However, using logic in the realm of probabilities, a faith that a creator had a hand in molding the universe is far more reasonable than to take many more steps into dogma ...

Let me begin by saying that I consider linwood's comments to be both astute and important. In my opinion, it is particularly important when discussed with deism and ID (the new and improved deism) as a backdrop, for I maintain that DrM's claim, however sincere and well intentioned, is philosophically unsound and intellectual thoughtless. The cost of embracing the supernatural is to render all criteria for reasonableness bankrupt.

What is an unreasonable claim in a world which allows miracles?

Is it reasonable to suggest the earth is round when it looks and feels flat? Is it reasonable to claim we are surrounded by invisible stuff called air which we need to live?

What is a reasonable claim in a world rife with such miracles?

[linwood]

Is it reasonable to suggest the earth is round when it looks and feels flat? Is it reasonable to claim we are surrounded by invisible stuff called air which we need to live?

Certainly it is reasonable, once you`ve seen strong evidence for it.