Re: The conflict between Agnostics and Atheists in a knowledge economy

[Jim Devine <jdevine03@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 3/9/07, ravi <ravi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Well, I am an atheist, but I consider the non-existence of god a fact
> only in the sense in which I consider the non-existence of mermaids a
> fact. It is a contingent but well-supported fact (as with all empirical
> facts). I am assuming here some particular interpretation of existence.
> There is another aspect to my atheism: I also consider god an
> ill-defined hypothesis, if it is a hypothesis at all.

Each religious person has a different version of the "god(s) exist"
hypothesis. Maybe (though I doubt it), "god" exists that's like the
Force in Star Wars. In that case, it's hard to tell whether "god" has
the same ontological status as mermaids. We don't understand physics
very well.

Some people (not including me), have had personal revelations. They
would say that it's clear that "god" exists. Can we say without a
doubt that they're totally deluded?
--
Jim Devine / "The truth is more important than the facts." -- Frank Lloyd Wright