What attracted you to philosophy?

[commonsense]

Any distinction between a solipsist, atheist and theist is only linguistic. There is no empirical distinction.

I find this intriguing. How is it that there is no empirical distinction between a theist and either of the other two?

Demonstrate one.

Better yet. Determine somebody’s beliefs empirically, rather than through conversational means.

OK, OK. So there’s no empirical evidence that reveals one’s ‘ism. Therefore, one cannot observe any distinction.

Suppose two people are sitting in church, silently, head bowed and eyes closed. One is praying. The other is thinking about his grocery list. There’s no empirical distinction.

Even their verbal behavior can be indistinguishable. Both could say they are praying. One cannot truly know whether someone is lying. There’s no empirical distinction.

Thank you, Logik, for answering my question with an exercise for me to work through.

[Logik]

OK, OK. So there’s no empirical evidence that reveals one’s ‘ism. Therefore, one cannot observe any distinction.

Suppose two people are sitting in church, silently, head bowed and eyes closed. One is praying. The other is thinking about his grocery list. There’s no empirical distinction.

Even their verbal behavior can be indistinguishable. Both could say they are praying. One cannot truly know whether someone is lying. There’s no empirical distinction.

Thank you, Logik, for answering my question with an exercise for me to work through.

Pretty much. I am an agnostic and I go to Church, Mosque and the occasional ashram.

I fast on Ramadan. Not for myself, but out of respect for those around me and their spiritual practices.

I happen to find it valuable. Meditation and self-discipline...

[msorfiap]

My own image: who I am, and what I do.