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What if I’m wrong? (2023)

behavioralscientist.org

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Re: What if I’m wrong? (2023)

#81

Post by felipefar »

neilv wrote: post #73

> This inspired me to adopt the same strategy with my books: I invite Tufts students to help me write my books by sharing the penultimate draft with them in a seminar, where they are all encouraged to point out errors, challenge arguments, demand more clarity, and in general complain about anything that strikes them as amiss. Two professors from whom I was fortunate to learn, who did something like this in classes: *…

There are even more ways to benefit your work from other more mundane activities.

It helps a lot to find a day job where you can learn a skill that will help on one independent project you will tackle. It's a great idea as well to test ideas and arguments when having a casual conversation with someone: it both deepens the conversation and you have a better feel about how your opinion will be received.

Re: What if I’m wrong? (2023)

#82

Post by viscountchocula »

gwd wrote: post #79

I think the more important question is, "How would I know if I were wrong?" As a thinking Christian, and I've thought very carefully on what kind of evidence could be presented to me to show that Christianity was wrong; I'd be interested in what kind of evidence Dennet would accept to show him that his atheism was wrong.

Out of curiosity, what might that evidence Christianity is wrong be?

Re: What if I’m wrong? (2023)

#83

Post by wayeq »

atdt wrote: post #5

Wonderful piece. Dennett knows how to write. And he captures the pleasure and privilege of Hacker News with this felicitous phrase: > Distributed understanding is a real phenomenon, but you have to get yourself into a community of communicators that can effectively summon the relevant expertise.

are you sure that's us? :)

Re: What if I’m wrong? (2023)

#84

Post by kgwxd »

gwd wrote: post #79

I think the more important question is, "How would I know if I were wrong?" As a thinking Christian, and I've thought very carefully on what kind of evidence could be presented to me to show that Christianity was wrong; I'd be interested in what kind of evidence Dennet would accept to show him that his atheism was wrong.

You have 0 evidence that Christianity is "right", whatever that even means. Provide just a tiny shred of evidence, and Dennet, along with the rest of us, will reconsider the position.

Re: What if I’m wrong? (2023)

#85

Post by Scubabear68 »

gwd wrote: post #79

I think the more important question is, "How would I know if I were wrong?" As a thinking Christian, and I've thought very carefully on what kind of evidence could be presented to me to show that Christianity was wrong; I'd be interested in what kind of evidence Dennet would accept to show him that his atheism was wrong.

I think the very definition of Christianity is that you are accepting the creed on faith. There really aren’t any claims you can verify or falsify until after you die (or during the special time of the Rapture).

Re: What if I’m wrong? (2023)

#86

Post by a_square_peg »

I never got to ask this as an interview question, but I always thought it would be interesting to ask - 'if you were wrong, would you want to know?' Not on any particular topic but in general. When I asked this in casual settings, I thought it was illuminating that no one gave a simple 'yes' as an answer.

Re: What if I’m wrong? (2023)

#87

Post by Jensson »

gwd wrote: post #79

I think the more important question is, "How would I know if I were wrong?" As a thinking Christian, and I've thought very carefully on what kind of evidence could be presented to me to show that Christianity was wrong; I'd be interested in what kind of evidence Dennet would accept to show him that his atheism was wrong.

> I'd be interested in what kind of evidence Dennet would accept to show him that his atheism was wrong.

Not sure what you mean, any clear sign from a god would apply here. You seem to believe that such a thing isn't possible making their position irrational, but then I wonder how you can still say you believe in a god? Do you believe that God can't intervene in this world?

But for example, if God manifested giant talking heads all over the world I am pretty sure atheism would disappear very quickly.

Re: What if I’m wrong? (2023)

#88

Post by cksquare »

gwd wrote: post #79

I think the more important question is, "How would I know if I were wrong?" As a thinking Christian, and I've thought very carefully on what kind of evidence could be presented to me to show that Christianity was wrong; I'd be interested in what kind of evidence Dennet would accept to show him that his atheism was wrong.

This is the tired kind of equivocating that's used by lazy Christians to claim atheism is a discrete and well-formed ideology. Atheism is just that, a-theism, a rejection of the notion of a supernatural dimension occupied by 'personal' god(s).

What evidence (or counter-evidence) do you suggest I present to show that my disbelief in Thor or Odin is wrong?

Re: What if I’m wrong? (2023)

#89

Post by felipefar »

Scubabear68 wrote: post #85
gwd wrote: post #79

I think the more important question is, "How would I know if I were wrong?" As a thinking Christian, and I've thought very carefully on what kind of evidence could be presented to me to show that Christianity was wrong; I'd be interested in what kind of evidence Dennet would accept to show him that his atheism was wrong.

I think the very definition of Christianity is that you are accepting the creed on faith. There really aren’t any claims you can verify or falsify until after you die (or during the special time of the Rapture).

That's not the definition of Christianity. Catholicism has a long philosophical tradition discussing the existence of God, and that tradition is far from refuted.

Re: What if I’m wrong? (2023)

#90

Post by bglazer »

gwd wrote: post #79

I think the more important question is, "How would I know if I were wrong?" As a thinking Christian, and I've thought very carefully on what kind of evidence could be presented to me to show that Christianity was wrong; I'd be interested in what kind of evidence Dennet would accept to show him that his atheism was wrong.

Personally, if there was an easily verifiable, continuous example of a phenomena that violated basic physics and it was arranged in such a way that it sent a clear message confirming the existence of a deity, then I’m easily done with atheism.

Like if the gases of a nebula got rearranged to spell out “God is real”, then sure yeah I guess they are real.

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