Author Topic: Searching for GOD...  (Read 3831723 times)

Stranger

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26900 on: March 14, 2018, 07:51:51 AM »
What you seem to ignore is human awareness.  A binary switch can be perceived in human awareness.  We can foresee the potential consequences of switching it either way.  We can make a conscious choice which way to switch it, and when, or not to switch it at all.  It is all driven by our human awareness...

All of this is perfectly consistent with a deterministic system.

...not by the emergent properties of material elements under the total control of nature alone.

This is just a baseless assertion. All the evidence is that human awareness is exactly that.

You really should face up to the logic Alan - and either attempt to provide a refutation or admit that you are rejecting logic itself in favour of blind faith.

If all the factors that go into making a choice do not fully define what the choice will be, then there can be nothing further to influence it and any remaining choice must happen for no reason, which means randomly. No amount of hand-waving magic-speak about a 'soul' can change that.
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Alan Burns

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26901 on: March 14, 2018, 08:34:58 AM »
That's rich coming from someone who has been expounding on the soul's ability to do the unfeasible for three years now.  It is not possible to make a choice that is neither consequential to its determining factors nor is it random; the suggestion is meaningless. Make your mind up Alan, you are merely inventing 'soul' to do the unfeasible free will thing whilst arbitrarily denying 'soul' the ability to do other, more obviously unfeasible things.  Time to ditch the double standards.
I have never claimed that the soul enables total freedom - that would be ridiculous.
But the alternative scenario of everything being an unavoidable consequence to previous events offers no freedom whatsoever.  My God given freedom enables me to choose between feasible options.
The truth will set you free  - John 8:32
Truth is not an abstraction, but a person - Edith Stein
Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. - CS Lewis
Joy is the Gigantic Secret of Christians - GK Chesterton

Alan Burns

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26902 on: March 14, 2018, 08:41:15 AM »

You really should face up to the logic Alan - and either attempt to provide a refutation or admit that you are rejecting logic itself in favour of blind faith.

But as I have previously indicated, the fact that I have the conscious freedom to reject your logic shows your logic to be wrong.  So what precisely is it that you perceive to be determining my rejection?
The truth will set you free  - John 8:32
Truth is not an abstraction, but a person - Edith Stein
Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. - CS Lewis
Joy is the Gigantic Secret of Christians - GK Chesterton

Alan Burns

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26903 on: March 14, 2018, 08:54:15 AM »
At least, the linking of the supernatural with the feasible, injects a note of humour.   One of the problems with supernatural stuff is that it seems to have no limits.  Why should I not choose to become a warthog, or travel to the stars?   Watch me, I'm free!
I think many of us get allow our imaginations get carried away with the concept of supernatural and what it can do.  My concept of supernatural is the ability of conscious entities, such as human souls and God, to interact with the otherwise physically deterministic universe in order to facilitate acts of will.  These interactions do not override the natural law of this universe - they consciously manipulate it.
The truth will set you free  - John 8:32
Truth is not an abstraction, but a person - Edith Stein
Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. - CS Lewis
Joy is the Gigantic Secret of Christians - GK Chesterton

Stranger

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26904 on: March 14, 2018, 08:54:44 AM »
But as I have previously indicated, the fact that I have the conscious freedom to reject your logic shows your logic to be wrong.

The problem being that is just nonsense. Are you really so clueless, when it comes to logic or are you just trying to avoid facing up to the logic?

So what precisely is it that you perceive to be determining my rejection?

You are - due to some combination of your inability to think clearly or grasp logic, or your indoctrination and blind faith.
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Stranger

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26905 on: March 14, 2018, 08:57:55 AM »
But the alternative scenario of everything being an unavoidable consequence to previous events offers no freedom whatsoever.

Nonsense. It offers the person you are - due to your nature, nurture, and your lifetime of experience - the freedom to choose to do whatever it wants to do in any given circumstance. What could be more free?
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Stranger

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26906 on: March 14, 2018, 09:08:30 AM »
But as I have previously indicated, the fact that I have the conscious freedom to reject your logic shows your logic to be wrong.

If all the factors that went into you making that choice did not fully define the choice you made (to reject logic), then there can have been nothing further to influence it and any remaining choice must happened for no reason, which means randomly.

Your choice was clearly either fully deterministic (predetermined by the circumstances and your state of mind) or had a random element to it.

Postulating a non-material 'soul' cannot change that logic...
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The Accountant, OBE, KC

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26907 on: March 14, 2018, 10:15:58 AM »
And all along I keep thinking, do the mother and father of AB's grandson also think in the same ignorant and silly way that AB does? I feel so sorry for that grandson if he is going to be indoctrinated with so many, many falsehoods.
Hmm - you do realise of course Susan that you don’t come across as remotely genuine in your concern for AB’s grandson. It’s a shame you don’t seem to have the skill to argue the point but if AB’s grandson is the best you can manage as a post, well, that’s determinism for you.
I identify as a Sword because I have abstract social constructs e.g. honour and patriotism. My preferred pronouns are "kill/ maim/ dismember"

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Alan Burns

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26908 on: March 14, 2018, 10:23:28 AM »
Nonsense. It offers the person you are - due to your nature, nurture, and your lifetime of experience - the freedom to choose to do whatever it wants to do in any given circumstance. What could be more free?
The nonsense is in your claim that something entirely defined by the consequences to past events can be classed as freedom - it obviously can't.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2018, 10:26:16 AM by Alan Burns »
The truth will set you free  - John 8:32
Truth is not an abstraction, but a person - Edith Stein
Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. - CS Lewis
Joy is the Gigantic Secret of Christians - GK Chesterton

Stranger

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26909 on: March 14, 2018, 10:35:32 AM »
Nonsense. It offers the person you are - due to your nature, nurture, and your lifetime of experience - the freedom to choose to do whatever it wants to do in any given circumstance. What could be more free?
The nonsense is in your claim that something entirely defined by the consequences to past events can be classed as freedom - it obviously can't.

You didn't answer my question. Nor have you addressed the logic that if all the factors that go into making a choice do not fully determine the choice, then there is nothing left to base any remaining choice on, so any final choice must be random.

I know you dare not think about that enough to tackle it head on but it's there for all to see - the logic your faith has made you too afraid to face...
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Alan Burns

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26910 on: March 14, 2018, 10:37:41 AM »
The problem being that is just nonsense. Are you really so clueless, when it comes to logic or are you just trying to avoid facing up to the logic?

You are - due to some combination of your inability to think clearly or grasp logic, or your indoctrination and blind faith.
But to non believers I am just a collection of material elements under the total control of the natural laws of physics and chemistry.  So what is it within me which is being accused of failing to think clearly, unable to grasp logic or to get indoctrinated?
The truth will set you free  - John 8:32
Truth is not an abstraction, but a person - Edith Stein
Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. - CS Lewis
Joy is the Gigantic Secret of Christians - GK Chesterton

Alan Burns

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26911 on: March 14, 2018, 10:40:32 AM »
The nonsense is in your claim that something entirely defined by the consequences to past events can be classed as freedom - it obviously can't.


You didn't answer my question. Nor have you addressed the logic that if all the factors that go into making a choice do not fully determine the choice, then there is nothing left to base any remaining choice on, so any final choice must be random.

I know you dare not think about that enough to tackle it head on but it's there for all to see - the logic your faith has made you too afraid to face...
The factor involved in making a choice, which you seem to be unable to fully comprehend, is the conscious will of the human soul.
The truth will set you free  - John 8:32
Truth is not an abstraction, but a person - Edith Stein
Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. - CS Lewis
Joy is the Gigantic Secret of Christians - GK Chesterton

floo

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26912 on: March 14, 2018, 10:49:11 AM »
The factor involved in making a choice, which you seem to be unable to fully comprehend, is the conscious will of the human soul.

You don't seem to fully comprehend the points made by other posters. ::)

Stranger

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26913 on: March 14, 2018, 11:04:34 AM »
...

You didn't answer my question. Nor have you addressed the logic that if all the factors that go into making a choice do not fully determine the choice, then there is nothing left to base any remaining choice on, so any final choice must be random.

I know you dare not think about that enough to tackle it head on but it's there for all to see - the logic your faith has made you too afraid to face...
The factor involved in making a choice, which you seem to be unable to fully comprehend, is the conscious will of the human soul.

QED
« Last Edit: March 14, 2018, 11:12:16 AM by Stranger »
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SusanDoris

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26914 on: March 14, 2018, 11:15:11 AM »
Hmm - you do realise of course Susan that you don’t come across as remotely genuine in your concern for AB’s grandson. It’s a shame you don’t seem to have the skill to argue the point but if AB’s grandson is the best you can manage as a post, well, that’s determinism for you.
do you think, then, that AB's grandson (along with hundreds of thousands of other children in similar situations) should be taught that AB's idea of a god-given soul' should be taught as a proven, objective truth?
The Most Honourable Sister of Titular Indecision.

Nearly Sane

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26915 on: March 14, 2018, 11:31:49 AM »
The factor involved in making a choice, which you seem to be unable to fully comprehend, is the conscious will of the human soul.
Why would anyone 'fully comprehend' a concept that you openly admit you cannot fully explain and the parts that you have attempted to are logically incoherent?

Alan Burns

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26916 on: March 14, 2018, 11:39:48 AM »
You don't seem to fully comprehend the points made by other posters. ::)
Of course I understand what they are saying, and I have to disagree with the conclusion that any form of freedom can still exist when everything is pre defined by consequences to past events.  True freedom to choose can only be invoked by an event which is not pre determined by past events, but determined by something which exists and acts in the present - the conscious will of the human soul.
The truth will set you free  - John 8:32
Truth is not an abstraction, but a person - Edith Stein
Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. - CS Lewis
Joy is the Gigantic Secret of Christians - GK Chesterton

Stranger

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26917 on: March 14, 2018, 11:45:51 AM »
Of course I understand what they are saying...

I for one, don't believe you.

True freedom to choose can only be invoked by an event which is not pre determined by past events, but determined by something which exists and acts in the present - the conscious will of the human soul.

Once again... (just to see you ignore it again). If all the factors that might influence the choice that this thingy that "exists and acts in the present" is making do not fully define its choice, then there is nothing left to base the remaining choice on, so it must be made for no reason, which means randomly...
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Alan Burns

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26918 on: March 14, 2018, 11:49:54 AM »
Why would anyone 'fully comprehend' a concept that you openly admit you cannot fully explain and the parts that you have attempted to are logically incoherent?
I admit that I do not fully understand how the conscious will of the human soul interacts with my physical brain.  Neither do I understand how the force of gravity acts upon material elements - but I know it exists because of what it does.  There is nothing logically incoherent about the conscious will of the human soul.  Without it we would be entirely driven by the uncontrollable forces of nature with no concept of freedom.
The truth will set you free  - John 8:32
Truth is not an abstraction, but a person - Edith Stein
Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. - CS Lewis
Joy is the Gigantic Secret of Christians - GK Chesterton

Alan Burns

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26919 on: March 14, 2018, 11:52:50 AM »
I for one, don't believe you.

Once again... (just to see you ignore it again). If all the factors that might influence the choice that this thingy that "exists and acts in the present" is making do not fully define its choice, then there is nothing left to base the remaining choice on, so it must be made for no reason, which means randomly...
You used two terms here which show the error of your logic.  To influence a choice is not the same thing as defining a choice.   Can you not see the difference?
The truth will set you free  - John 8:32
Truth is not an abstraction, but a person - Edith Stein
Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. - CS Lewis
Joy is the Gigantic Secret of Christians - GK Chesterton

Nearly Sane

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26920 on: March 14, 2018, 11:57:35 AM »
I admit that I do not fully understand how the conscious will of the human soul interacts with my physical brain.  Neither do I understand how the force of gravity acts upon material elements - but I know it exists because of what it does.  There is nothing logically incoherent about the conscious will of the human soul.  Without it we would be entirely driven by the uncontrollable forces of nature with no concept of freedom.

Yes, there is something logically incoherent with your concept. Stranger has been asking you about it continually but you don't answer rather just repeat the logical incoherence. How is a choice made that isn't determined or random, of some mixture of the two? And if you answer with some thing saying physically determined you will be showing you don't comprehend what is being said

Stranger

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26921 on: March 14, 2018, 12:05:00 PM »
I for one, don't believe you.

Once again... (just to see you ignore it again). If all the factors that might influence the choice that this thingy that "exists and acts in the present" is making do not fully define its choice, then there is nothing left to base the remaining choice on, so it must be made for no reason, which means randomly...

You used two terms here which show the error of your logic.  To influence a choice is not the same thing as defining a choice.   Can you not see the difference?

A nice demonstration of my first point which was that you don't understand what is being put to you.

What I said was that once you have considered all the factors that might influence a choice - that's everything of any relevance to the choosing process at all - if they do not fully define the choice, then there is nothing left but randomness.

See? All the things that might influence a choice, either define that choice or not - and if not, then the remaining choice must be random (because there is literally nothing left that might influence it).
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ippy

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26922 on: March 14, 2018, 12:27:33 PM »
You certainly havn't managed to acquire any converts here on this forum, no brownie points gained either, try lying to very young children in the same way your henchmen do; thats a point, do you get brownie points for lying to very young children?

Necessarily kind and good wishes to you. Alan, ippy

SwordOfTheSpirit

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26923 on: March 14, 2018, 12:35:02 PM »
You certainly havn't managed to acquire any converts here on this forum, no brownie points gained either
Strange. I don't see a queue of the Christians here rushing to disagree with what Alan has been saying.

Quote
try lying to very young children in the same way your henchmen do
Ahh. I think you'll now find that you have a burden of proof problem. Your positive statement. Over to you to demonstrate that claim.

Quote
; thats a point, do you get brownie points for lying to very young children?
The burden of proof is again on you to back up this claim.
I haven't enough faith to be an atheist.

floo

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Re: Searching for GOD...
« Reply #26924 on: March 14, 2018, 12:38:20 PM »
Strange. I don't see a queue of the Christians here rushing to disagree with what Alan has been saying.
Ahh. I think you'll now find that you have a burden of proof problem. Your positive statement. Over to you to demonstrate that claim.
The burden of proof is again on you to back up this claim.

No the burden of proof is on people making claims for which there is no evidence, like the existence of a soul.