So, GN told me to post something here, something intelligent. So here is my attempt at that...
In 'The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy' there is a really good quote about how God cannot exist.
'Now it is such a bizarrely improbable coincidence that anything so mindbogglingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as a final and clinching proof of the non-existence of God.'
'The argument goes something like this: "I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."'
'"But," says Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED."'
'"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.'
'"Oh, that was easy," says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.'
I think you can easily apply this to some of the other fascinating creatures and things on earth and in the universe, even ourselves. Discuss
Thursday, 11 December 2008
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2 comments:
oh and for those that don't know...
QED is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "quod erat demonstrandum" which means literally, "that which was to be demonstrated".
Good one, Graeme. There's a lot of philosophy in Douglas Adams (although he did English at Cambridge). Also in Terry Pratchett. The argument isn't that great, of course, but it is close to being an example of the kind of argument that only works by proving itself and its exact opposite at the same time (which means that it doesn't really work). A relevant example of this is a sophisticated version of the Argument from Design, the Modal Teleological Argument. I'll explain it in class, if anyone is interested. It doesn't work, but a theist could claim that combined with other arguments it makes the existence of God more likely than not, and therefore that it is rational to believe in God. (But, obviously, an atheist could claim the opposite.)
Good to see your Latin is coming on. Keep posting, pro bono publico.
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