Search found 179 matches

by aiddon
Thu Jan 23, 2014 7:37 pm
Forum: Philosophy of Religion
Topic: Is religion guilty of moving the goalposts?
Replies: 202
Views: 54722

Re: Is religion guilty of moving the goalposts?

That's not what you stated at the beginning, IC: Quite true. I confess I was a little to willing to "play ball," so to speak, and therefore did not reflect sufficiently on the implications of joining the game. Mickthinks has pointed out to me my oversight. I should, perhaps, have been mor...
by aiddon
Wed Jan 22, 2014 10:50 am
Forum: Philosophy of Religion
Topic: Is religion guilty of moving the goalposts?
Replies: 202
Views: 54722

Re: Is religion guilty of moving the goalposts?

mickthinks: This is right on point. There's no such thing as a collective entity called "religion." The word, at best, is an uninformative catch-all for any world view other than crass Materialism. It is usually employed only dismissively in debate, and primarily but secular critics bent ...
by aiddon
Mon Jan 20, 2014 5:11 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Integrity in philosophy
Replies: 17
Views: 4670

Re: Integrity in philosophy

My good mr Blagg' you speak as if IC is a rational person, it should be quite obvious that he is not, it would be a fool's errand in wasting time having long conversations with such person.
Ah, HexHammer, the irony is killing me....you've done your fair share of ruining threds...
by aiddon
Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:55 am
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Integrity in philosophy
Replies: 17
Views: 4670

Re: Integrity in philosophy

I doubt there is much point pointing out that materialism is an ontological hypothesis that very few philosophers or scientists would commit to. Uwot, I would be interested to know why this is so? As far as I can tell there are some very committed and prominent thinkers (not all necessarily philoso...
by aiddon
Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:22 am
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Integrity in philosophy
Replies: 17
Views: 4670

Re: Integrity in philosophy

I doubt there is much point pointing out that materialism is an ontological hypothesis that very few philosophers or scientists would commit to. Uwot, I would be interested to know why this is so? As far as I can tell there are some very committed and prominent thinkers (not all necessarily philoso...
by aiddon
Sat Jan 18, 2014 11:45 pm
Forum: Philosophy of Religion
Topic: Is religion guilty of moving the goalposts?
Replies: 202
Views: 54722

Re: Is religion guilty of moving the goalposts?

I meant guilty in the same way as you would say "I am guilty of having a beer on a hot day" - more in the sense of a deliberate action rather than in the legalistic sense. Hmmm - it won't wash, aiddon. If you are okay with goalpost-moving, then I don't see the point of your question. What...
by aiddon
Sat Jan 18, 2014 9:48 pm
Forum: Metaphysics
Topic: Choice or Determinism
Replies: 91
Views: 27611

Re: Choice or Determinism

Your example is not valid. I am not saying every thing is by choice, most events are predetermined, but some events happen by choice Predetermination and detemination are very different. I think you are very confused. No one has believed in predetermination since around the 17th century. Except for...
by aiddon
Sat Jan 18, 2014 9:45 pm
Forum: Metaphysics
Topic: Choice or Determinism
Replies: 91
Views: 27611

Re: Choice or Determinism

The argument has become bogged down in the merits or lack thereof of materialism, so I will rephrase the question that no one yet addressed: if scientific determinism holds, as in Newtonian physics, then if one decides to believe in free will does that make he/she a compatibilist? If scientific dete...
by aiddon
Sat Jan 18, 2014 1:15 pm
Forum: Philosophy of Religion
Topic: omnideism
Replies: 20
Views: 9142

Re: omnideism

Since the law of conservation states that matter and energy can be neither created or destroyed and by definition God is infinite if God exists then God must exist as some form of matter and energy and therefore He can only exist if He exists as all forms of matter and energy. You have a wacky idea...
by aiddon
Sat Jan 18, 2014 1:10 pm
Forum: Metaphysics
Topic: Choice or Determinism
Replies: 91
Views: 27611

Re: Choice or Determinism

To make the point, let's try a thought experiment. Materialists insist the brain is composed of nothing but "materials": in specific, we might say something like, it's made up of amino acid molecules. Well okay -- can one amino acid molecule have "consciousness"? Obviously not. ...
by aiddon
Sat Jan 18, 2014 1:24 am
Forum: Metaphysics
Topic: Choice or Determinism
Replies: 91
Views: 27611

Re: Choice or Determinism

aiddon, Why is it that belief in God is usually associated with free will? And vice versa, why is determinism incompatible with God? There is no good reason why such an alignment should be? Just a question, if anyone would like to offer an answer. It's an historical problem first raised by the theo...
by aiddon
Sat Jan 18, 2014 1:11 am
Forum: Philosophy of Religion
Topic: Is religion guilty of moving the goalposts?
Replies: 202
Views: 54722

Re: Is religion guilty of moving the goalposts?

Interesting point. Outside of "religion" there are no "goalposts" that assert we ought to hold to consistent standards. Moving the goalposts is diurnal for Constructivists, or Social Darwinists, or Pragmatists, or any ideological group with progressive aspirations. If we persona...
by aiddon
Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:48 am
Forum: Metaphysics
Topic: Choice or Determinism
Replies: 91
Views: 27611

Re: Choice or Determinism

Why is it that belief in God is usually associated with free will? And vice versa, why is determinism incompatible with God? There is no good reason why such an alignment should be?

Just a question, if anyone would like to offer an answer.
by aiddon
Thu Jan 16, 2014 10:46 pm
Forum: Metaphysics
Topic: Choice or Determinism
Replies: 91
Views: 27611

Re: Choice or Determinism

Hell if I know exactly what I am (not exactly 'free', not exactly 'determined, not exactly the initiator of causal chains, not entirely mired in causal chains). What I do know: it's not as simple (black and white) as "choice or determinism". Well, not "Hell," I hope. :) I would ...
by aiddon
Thu Jan 16, 2014 1:06 am
Forum: Philosophy of Religion
Topic: Is religion guilty of moving the goalposts?
Replies: 202
Views: 54722

Re: Is religion guilty of moving the goalposts?

["moving the goalposts" is] Neither [sin nor crime]. What makes you think I should think it is? :? Your choice of the word "guilty" makes it look as if you think Religion is doing wrong of some sort. Guilt is a strange concept to invoke if you don't think that. What did you mean...