Active Users:714 Time:30/10/2026 04:49:23 AM
No, Pascal's Wager is stupid. Tim Send a noteboard - 19/12/2011 03:09:42 PM
I'm sure you're familiar with its criticisms, so rather than repeat them here I'll just post a link. But how do you answer them?

Your other criticism of atheism essentially boils down to "you can't prove a negative". True, but no sensible person believes a positive without sufficient credible evidence. Until then, you assume the negative and lead your life as if the purported entity doesn't exist. This applies equally to extraterrestrial life, mythical creatures such as Nessie, and deities. Your supposed atheist who believes there's no possibility that a god could exist (as opposed to merely not believing that one exists) is a strawman: most atheists don't think that way, and those who do are wrong to do so.

The real point of difference is whether one accepts the evidence, such as it is, that a god exists. Just because I don't, doesn't mean I wouldn't if better evidence turned up.
Vigilantibus non dormientibus jura subveniunt.

—Nous disons en allemand : le guerre, le mort, le lune, alors que 'soleil' et 'amour' sont du sexe féminin : la soleil, la amour. La vie est neutre.

—La vie ? Neutre ? C'est très joli, et surtout très logique.
Criticism of Pascal's Wager
Reply to message
Kim Jong-il is dead. Would you become a fervent believer? - 19/12/2011 03:37:28 AM 1843 Views
If I was a Christian, I'd pray that he would burn forever in hell. - 19/12/2011 03:47:52 AM 1268 Views
See, I can't be an atheist. - 19/12/2011 03:53:55 AM 1221 Views
I agree about atheism - 19/12/2011 04:19:02 AM 1179 Views
It's an approximation. - 19/12/2011 05:40:05 PM 1135 Views
no, I'm not saying that the sheer number of people alone is sufficient - 19/12/2011 10:13:09 PM 1010 Views
Re: See, I can't be an atheist. - 19/12/2011 04:25:06 AM 1103 Views
No, Pascal's Wager is stupid. - 19/12/2011 03:09:42 PM 1103 Views
You obviously misread my comments or ignored them. - 19/12/2011 03:39:59 PM 1132 Views
You're answering a different point to the one I was addressing. - 19/12/2011 04:01:54 PM 1028 Views
For atheism to be a tenable position, one must assume that millions lie about their experiences. - 20/12/2011 04:11:53 AM 1116 Views
Look, doesn't this go against your most sacred principle? - 20/12/2011 06:43:27 AM 1070 Views
I'm pretty sure he's not saying it's undeniable proof. - 20/12/2011 09:19:44 AM 1032 Views
No, it doesn't. - 20/12/2011 08:30:55 PM 982 Views
Re: No, it doesn't. - 20/12/2011 09:21:22 PM 1040 Views
This militant atheism is somewhat amusing. - 20/12/2011 09:48:57 PM 1040 Views
... somewhat irrational at times too - 21/12/2011 01:22:54 AM 961 Views
Huh? - 21/12/2011 10:47:06 AM 1007 Views
That's somewhat unrelated to the intended point of the post - 21/12/2011 12:41:49 PM 1023 Views
My "Huh?" was at your claim that any reasonable definition Kim Jong-il was a millitant athiest - 21/12/2011 12:58:44 PM 985 Views
You're objecting to me calling the Military Dictator militant? - 21/12/2011 03:13:35 PM 1074 Views
Is that the long way of saying you can't back up what you said? - 21/12/2011 04:06:06 PM 970 Views
Okay - 21/12/2011 05:03:07 PM 1103 Views
Your position isn't rational nor logical - 20/12/2011 12:45:03 PM 1061 Views
How about a faith atheist? - 19/12/2011 04:28:59 PM 1168 Views
Nevermind. It appears you answered that in your reply to Tim. *NM* - 19/12/2011 04:32:19 PM 573 Views
Re: See, I can't be an atheist. - 19/12/2011 04:57:23 PM 1098 Views
Sounds like you must be a modern-day prophet - 19/12/2011 05:24:24 PM 949 Views
Well, it's *possible* that he is. - 19/12/2011 05:49:34 PM 1047 Views
Hah, fair enough - 19/12/2011 06:47:07 PM 1037 Views
Idiocy. Confirmation bias doesn't explain away external phenomena. - 20/12/2011 04:19:10 AM 1067 Views
Well. - 21/12/2011 01:49:36 PM 1073 Views
I didn't forget about it. I was getting ready to give up on it. - 21/12/2011 02:27:18 PM 965 Views
That doesn't really make sense. - 21/12/2011 03:04:23 PM 900 Views
No, it does make perfect sense. - 21/12/2011 06:17:02 PM 1080 Views
Also, learn to use the subjunctive. It's "if I WERE a Christian..." - 19/12/2011 03:54:20 AM 1060 Views
The sad thing about that comment... - 19/12/2011 04:52:57 AM 1182 Views
I really am gonna miss Hitchens...a lot *NM* *NM* - 19/12/2011 04:06:50 AM 502 Views
I will miss him, too...a lot. *NM* - 19/12/2011 04:17:05 AM 488 Views
so, hypothetically...if I was to send you a list of people... - 19/12/2011 04:25:47 AM 1029 Views
Let's not try that. - 20/12/2011 04:21:35 AM 1013 Views
I'm so ronery - 19/12/2011 06:36:38 AM 1076 Views
I thought you were asking if I believed in KJ-I, the Eternal Leader - 19/12/2011 06:55:08 AM 960 Views
You know what's really weird? - 19/12/2011 11:32:23 AM 1040 Views
It has been there for 6 hours at this stage. - 19/12/2011 12:34:57 PM 1127 Views
don't forget Mugabe (sp) - 19/12/2011 01:06:24 PM 976 Views
Zimbabwe basically is dust by now. *NM* - 19/12/2011 02:52:51 PM 486 Views
They took it down, apparently. *NM* - 20/12/2011 04:40:24 AM 482 Views
Turns out Kim Jong really was il? - 19/12/2011 12:10:15 PM 999 Views
all praise Madokami! *NM* - 19/12/2011 01:03:26 PM 570 Views
He's not dead-dead. Neither is his father. Just ask the North Koreans. - 19/12/2011 04:23:48 PM 1013 Views
Re: He's not dead-dead. Neither is his father. Just ask the North Koreans. - 19/12/2011 09:15:09 PM 964 Views
That happened to me too. - 19/12/2011 09:45:48 PM 1100 Views
Re: That happened to me too. - 19/12/2011 09:48:36 PM 979 Views
Re: Legend - 20/12/2011 04:54:40 PM 986 Views
I wonder if they're going to embalm him? - 20/12/2011 04:39:33 AM 916 Views
The problem with predictions that come true - 19/12/2011 05:28:24 PM 1075 Views
I don't make a lot of predictions. *NM* - 19/12/2011 08:18:53 PM 613 Views
Just ones about old, sick guys dying? *NM* - 19/12/2011 09:51:12 PM 447 Views
No, sadly. - 20/12/2011 04:31:44 AM 897 Views
I can attest to the fact that this conversation took place on Facebook Saturday. - 19/12/2011 09:19:06 PM 967 Views
Yeah, I thought that reply seemed in the wrong place - 19/12/2011 09:28:17 PM 971 Views
Re: Yeah, I thought that reply seemed in the wrong place - 19/12/2011 09:31:00 PM 993 Views
Yes, TMJ, you also contributed in this case. *NM* - 20/12/2011 04:38:42 AM 462 Views
I am not a dog to be petted! - 21/12/2011 02:42:55 AM 976 Views
HAHAHAHA!!!! *NM* - 21/12/2011 05:31:06 AM 555 Views
Coincidentally, I found this site today - 19/12/2011 10:57:36 PM 1024 Views
Oh, I liked that site. I found it a few years ago. *NM* - 20/12/2011 04:37:04 AM 482 Views
Jeez, I hope I never get on your bad side - 20/12/2011 12:06:54 AM 923 Views
Things did change for the better with Stalin's death. - 20/12/2011 02:51:12 AM 1006 Views
Not for Stalin *NM* - 20/12/2011 09:49:39 PM 560 Views
eh, you can't have everything - 20/12/2011 11:08:36 PM 908 Views
Not to downplay your awesomely uncanny coincidence... - 20/12/2011 01:19:33 PM 976 Views

Reply to Message