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#11
11-02-2005, 06:14 PM
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Re: Lie Detector For Catholics.
[ QUOTE ]
My guess is that this paradox is resolved by the fact that most Catholics don't actually truly believe it. [/ QUOTE ] Maybe this goes back to all the discussion about beleif and certainty, etc... but I also think this is the case. In fact, I suspect that a large number of religious people of many different faiths would fail 'beleif tests' on many issues central to their particular religious doctrine. (I say belief tests to avoid the tangential questions about polygraph accuracy, etc...) Maybe this has something to do with what religious faith is. Accepting something as true, even if we know that we rationally shouldn't and cannot really bring ourselves to believe in it in the same way that we believe in our past experiences. In a way that would pass your hypothetical polygraph. Of course I say this as a very non-religious person. I guess I just have too much confidence in people's inherent rationality to think that they truly accept such things. I think it's more about wanting to believe (understand?) what we actually don't believe or understand. Another thought - Do you suppose most mathematicians would pass the same test if asked whether there are some infinities which are greater than others, along with all the other bizzare consequences of transfinite arithmetic? Regards Brad S 
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#12
11-02-2005, 06:22 PM
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Re: Lie Detector For Catholics.
"Another thought - Do you suppose most mathematicians would pass the same test if asked whether there are some infinities which are greater than others,"
Certainly as regards to the difference between aleph null and the continuom. Higher alephs maybe not.
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#13
11-02-2005, 06:59 PM
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Re: Lie Detector For Catholics.
[ QUOTE ]
In fact, I suspect that a large number of religious people of many different faiths would fail 'beleif tests' on many issues central to their particular religious doctrine. [/ QUOTE ] Very true. Most believers have more faith in science & technology when it comes to serious issues - like life and death.
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#15
11-02-2005, 07:32 PM
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Re: Lie Detector for Athiests
[ QUOTE ]
How many atheists might contemplate God aboard a plane that lost its engines? [/ QUOTE ] Every month, when I am paying my bills, I wish I was a millionaire and contemplate what life would be like if I was one. That doesn't mean that I AM a millionaire. Wanting something to be true is a poor justification for believing it to be true. Regards Brad S
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#16
11-02-2005, 07:33 PM
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Re: Lie Detector for Athiests
[ QUOTE ]
How many atheists might contemplate God aboard a plane that lost its engines? [/ QUOTE ] Cheeesh, Bluffthis just told us that answer. None. Because if they did they they weren't true atheists to begin with. :-) I don't know what is special about the threat of an airplane disaster that would case an atheist to do anything but hang onto his seat. Atheists are faced with life-threatening situations as much as anyone, and the usual loved ones dying etc so if there was a significant force in those scenarios they'd have all converted by now. Atheists had to face the finality of death in order to reach their conclusions, so it isn't the shock to them that others may expect. Agnostics of the 3rd order may be a more interesting study.
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#17
11-02-2005, 07:39 PM
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Re: Lie Detector for Athiests
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] How many atheists might contemplate God aboard a plane that lost its engines? [/ QUOTE ] Every month, when I am paying my bills, I wish I was a millionaire and contemplate what life would be like if I was one. That doesn't mean that I AM a millionaire. Wanting something to be true is a poor justification for believing it to be true. Regards Brad S [/ QUOTE ] I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I took Sklansky's post to be about doubt in ones beliefs and then taking it a step further and wanting to claim it could be proved. Most people doubt their beliefs at one time or another. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that those who don't, lack intelligence. Doubt is not indigeous to Catholics.
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#18
11-02-2005, 07:50 PM
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Re: Lie Detector for Athiests
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] How many atheists might contemplate God aboard a plane that lost its engines? [/ QUOTE ] Cheeesh, Bluffthis just told us that answer. None. Because if they did they they weren't true atheists to begin with. :-) I don't know what is special about the threat of an airplane disaster that would case an atheist to do anything but hang onto his seat. Atheists are faced with life-threatening situations as much as anyone, and the usual loved ones dying etc so if there was a significant force in those scenarios they'd have all converted by now. Atheists had to face the finality of death in order to reach their conclusions, so it isn't the shock to them that others may expect. Agnostics of the 3rd order may be a more interesting study. [/ QUOTE ] One of us is missing the point. I took the OP to be about doubt in one's beliefs. I could be wrong and maybe he was suggesting that people outright lie about their beliefs. If that's the case. I won't argue that.
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#19
11-02-2005, 07:52 PM
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Never Mind
I think I missed your point, which I often do.
After further review, I now realize you were claiming that people "lie" about their beliefs and not as I orginally thought, "doubted" their beliefs. So never mind me.
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#20
11-02-2005, 07:59 PM
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Re: Lie Detector for Athiests
[ QUOTE ]
How many atheists might contemplate God aboard a plane that lost its engines? [/ QUOTE ] I don't know about every atheist, but I have been in a plane crash, and for a while, thought I would end up incinerated. And, no, defintely not, the idea of god didn't enter my mind The idea of dying and my existence being over, however, was present.
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