Not strictly on topic for this blog, but I thought it would be of interest. Hat tip to The Reformed Pastor.
Richard Dawkins Admits Intelligent Design Possible
Oct 25th, 2008 by Kate
Oct 25th, 2008 by Kate
Not strictly on topic for this blog, but I thought it would be of interest. Hat tip to The Reformed Pastor.
Excellent article by Melanie Phillips. Dawkins’ protestations are becoming more and more threadbare; I particularly enjoyed the alien intervention theory of mankind’s origin. Very scientific.
Dawkins has it in for Harry Potter now too: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3255972/Harry-Potter-fails-to-cast-spell-over-Professor-Richard-Dawkins.html
I’m always amused by people who demand proof of the existence of God. My response would be: “Prove to me first that YOU exist.”
The only thinking, rational being in this universe for whose existence I have incontestable evidence is myself. “Cogito Ergo Sum.” I can never truly know that the apparent beings surrounding me are as real as I am, I can only believe that they exist and have thinking minds like my own. I can’t get inside their heads to see if this is true. In theory, I could be a lone entity floating in a cosmic void who is hallucinating a “world” full of “people”. Even if those people were to hit me and hurt me, that too could merely be a hallucination. There can be no such thing as “evidence”, because said evidence would itself be a part of the overall illusion.
The truth is that I must take the existence of other human beings, and of the material universe, on faith and faith alone. From that position, it isn’t such a great leap to faith in a God.
[3]
Ellie,
Neat post!
“Cogito” is sufficient. Self awareness equals proof of the existence of self.
One of the key things about the cogito is that it puts all proofs in the category of more likely or less likely. The further out from self awareness, the more conditional our acceptance of “truth” needs to be. Therefore, all “truth” is taken on faith.
Peace,
Jim
Thanks, Jim. And just for the record, I do believe you exist!
Really? How do you know he isn’t just a figment of your imagination? Maybe we are all figments of each other’s imagination? Maybe I need another cup of coffee…..
There was a joke that went around several university philosophy departments some years ago:
A visitor was being shown round the philosophy department at Oxford by a don he knew. He was introduced to each of the faculty he met. The last person he met was the head of the philosophy department. His guide introduced him: “This is Professor X. He’s the head of department. We all have to be careful to keep him safe, because he’s a solipsist, so if he goes, we all go.”
[6]
Gordon,
Beauty!
Peace,
Jim