Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Quetzalcoatl · 08-03-2005, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigma

Quetzalcoatl, don't be too harsh. Kerrevon may have a point (albeit rather unscientific) here.

Humans, because we are simply animals, and not as almighty as we think, probably know about 0.0000000001% of the truth - if that. However irrational an arguement or theory may be, I don't think it would be right to dismiss it at the drop of a hat.
I went through a similar phase where I believed the world and all it's inhabitants could just be playing the role in one big 'Truman show' or 'Matrix'.

The problem with all this is where is the hardware? You have not solved anything. The second problem is there is nothing stopping the inhabitants form figuring out the software. They would call then laws of physics. Consider entities in your computer. They will eventually discover that their world has electrons. EM waves would come next. It would be then clear to them that they could communicate “outside�? their world.

Plus it was I Quetzalcoatl who created this world.

IamMoose · 08-03-2005, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigma

However I think this is a ridiculous assumption to make. People 80 years ago we probably thinking a similar thing, people 800 years or 8000 years also.

yes and will be 8000 years in the future too

i think we are very FORTUNATE to be born now, but I certainly don't think there's anything supernatural about it.

Fact is, people in the future might and prolly will look back on us and think how incredibly primitive our lives were.

Weltall · 08-03-2005, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IamMoose

Fact is, people in the future might and prolly will look back on us and think how incredibly primitive our lives were.

Oh, we already do- Damn! I just blew my cover.

Ojuice5001 · 08-03-2005, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigma

However I think this is a ridiculous assumption to make. People 80 years ago we probably thinking a similar thing, people 800 years or 8000 years also.

What? You mean the Doomsday Argument doesn't sound intuitively convincing to you?

braces_for_impact · 08-03-2005, 07:43 AM

Sweet Jeebus I hope god doesn't use Windows, or we're fucked!

g-21-lto · 08-03-2005, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braces_for_impact

Sweet Jeebus I hope god doesn't use Windows, or we're fucked!

Heresy against the Divine OS?! It's the recycle bin for YOU, my friend.

Agnostic Theist · 08-03-2005, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braces_for_impact

Sweet Jeebus I hope god doesn't use Windows, or we're fucked!

:rolling:

If this is a simulation, does that mean I'm not really getting paid? And if not, can I take my virtual employers to virtural court and virtual sue them for every virtual penny they've virtually got?

What happens when God updates? Is death the result of a virus scan? What about spyware? If that why some people are blind? Does Ad-aware recognise them as spies and disable their sight capabilities? Where does the internet fit in all of this? Is Sweden God's idea for a porn site?

Alethias · 08-03-2005, 03:56 PM

Did you just watch The Matrix, perchance?

If i get to choose between a blue or red pill, i want my partner to be Trinity.

Bright Life · 08-03-2005, 07:03 PM

I think it was either The Matrix or Dark City or maybe Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, in which case, I'd label this theory as "mostly harmless."

kerravon · 08-03-2005, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwordOfTruth

Did you just watch The Matrix, perchance?

It is unfortunate that this movie came out. It has the effect of making people dismiss the argument out of hand, when in fact it is a damn good theory that provides a total explanation for the current universe, without involving the supernatural. I believe that this universe is "off the shelf" software that has been created in the "real" universe (one level up) which is probably dated 30 billion years or more instead of a mere 15 billion years.

It is too much of a coincidence that computers have just been invented, so we can conceptualize this explanation of the universe, but computer technology is not advanced enough for us to download our own brains onto silicon.

And regardless, the fact that this is a possibility is proof enough that it is not rational to take an atheistic stand. Agnosticism is required.

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08-03-2005, 07:43 AM	#15
braces_for_impact Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: In a nondescript, black helicopter. Posts: 6,637	Sweet Jeebus I hope god doesn't use Windows, or we're fucked!

08-03-2005, 03:56 PM	#18
Alethias Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 7,198	Did you just watch The Matrix, perchance? If i get to choose between a blue or red pill, i want my partner to be Trinity.

08-03-2005, 07:03 PM	#19
Bright Life Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 8,345	I think it was either The Matrix or Dark City or maybe Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, in which case, I'd label this theory as "mostly harmless."

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