Re: virus: Fundamentals

David McFadzean (dbm@merak.com)
Thu, 28 Mar 1996 12:36:15 -0700


At 03:27 PM 27/03/96 -0600, ken sartor wrote:
>
>Hmmm... still sounds a bit hokey to me to postulate that
>something you can't imagine to exist, can't.

I claimed that something whose existence is logically impossible
cannot exist. If you have a better criterion, I would be interested
to hear it. Or are you willing to believe in anything?

>Our limited prespective probably makes us unable to judge
>whether the "limitations" we see in the universe (e.g.,
>the problem of pain) are utilmately beneficial.

We have to make provisional assumptions based on incomplete
information in order to act. Maybe the evils we see around us
are ultimately beneficial in the long run or from a wider
perspective, but that doesn't mean we should sit back and
watch them happen.

>In fairness i have never read "Atheism" by Michael Martin.
>Maybe i will check it out to see what he has to say.

It probably won't convince you since it is based entirely
on logical arguments.

>Perhaps another interesting question that can be asked that
>is related is: how should belief or disbelief in God affect
>us? (I.e., does it matter?)

I think it matters a great deal. For instance, why invest in
longevity research if you believe in an afterlife?

>"The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is
>stranger than we can imagine."

Counterargument: for any strange aspect of the universe you care to
point out, an imaginative person can make up something even stranger.

--
David McFadzean                 david@lucifer.com
Memetic Engineer                http://www.lucifer.com/~david/
Church of Virus			http://www.lucifer.com/virus/