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0pus Inner circle New Jersey 1739 Posts |
In my first post in this thread I stated:
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Your "observation" is superfluous and seems to be intended as some kind of obnoxious wisecrack. Poor form. |
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R.S. Regular user CT one day I'll have 184 Posts |
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On May 22, 2015, funsway wrote: We may have our wires crossed here, so let me clarify somewhat so that we're not misunderstanding each other. First, I am not religious. And second, I was speaking from the perspective of the believer. Most believers believe that there is a "correct" religion/belief system and if you adhere to said doctrines/practices you will be rewarded in the afterlife, while those who do not adhere to those particular doctrines/practices will be punished in the afterlife. It's not something that I believe, but most believers do believe it. That's the point I was making. Quote:
Why is there even a presumption that "being right with God" has anything to do with religion? Don't most people derive their God beliefs through religion? Quote:
Spiritual contemplation is valuable and perhaps essential for the human intellect. Why mess that up with either religion or science? "Spiritual" is one of those nebulous words that mean something different to everyone you ask. So to say that "spiritual contemplation is valuable" doesn't tell me much. Why not just say that "contemplation is valuable and perhaps essential for the human intellect"? Thanks Funsway. Regards, Ron
"It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry." Thomas Paine
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R.S. Regular user CT one day I'll have 184 Posts |
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On May 22, 2015, The Hermit wrote: Thanks Hermit, I understand where you're coming from. My view can be summed up by the Douglas Adams quote... "Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?" So it's great that we can both at least appreciate the beauty and the mystery of this universe we find ourselves in. Best, Ron
"It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry." Thomas Paine
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Josh Riel Inner circle of hell 1995 Posts |
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On May 22, 2015, 0pus wrote: I don't know anything about you, so I won't say I agree with you. However, I would agree with this sentiment. There are few things as boring as people who insist that the "Theories" of science are a fact, or that the stories of religion are fact. Religion and science have "proven" themselves true for centuries, yet always have been proven wrong. They themselves mock themselves for their arrogance in the past and see nothing wrong with their current arrogance.
Magic is doing improbable things with odd items that, under normal circumstances, would be unnessecary and quite often undesirable.
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mastermindreader 1949 - 2017 Seattle, WA 12586 Posts |
That's really a false equivalency based on a false premise. Science is NOT, nor has it ever been, in the business of "proving" things to be true. Scientific theories simply supply the best explanation,based on current technology knowledge and understanding, of empirically observed facts. All scientific theories must be falsifiable otherwise they are not science. Hence it is actually the LEAST arrogant of disciplines.
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
What do you think a scientific proof is?
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
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mastermindreader 1949 - 2017 Seattle, WA 12586 Posts |
"Scientific proof" is a misnomer. What it refers to is simply persuasive evidence. "Proofs," per se, only exist in mathematics and logic.
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...One of the most common misconceptions concerns the so-called “scientific proofs.” Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as a scientific proof. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the......ic-proof |
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
Are mathematics and logic sciences?
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
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mastermindreader 1949 - 2017 Seattle, WA 12586 Posts |
Logic derives from philosophy and mathematics are symbolic logic. There are many definitions of what mathematics actually is. Einstein observed, "as far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality."
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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
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On May 22, 2015, R.S. wrote: Your first question indicates why distinctions of "contemplation" are necessary. The ability to contemplate is simply a mental ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind and compare them without discorporation or insanity. Human seem to have this ability more than other animals, at least to comparing two imaginary concepts, or a "known fact" with an imaginary alternative. The process itself seems to provide some endorphin rewards. To contemplate on the differences between two existing organized religious practices may assist in making a decision, including rejecting both. Contemplation of a concept that life has more meaning than eating pizza requires no decision, but can lead to a spiritual postulation useful in the first contemplation, e.g. how does religion "A" deal with the concept of "more than the sum of its parts." Your later quote illustrates this (for me). I do not feel that one can just appreciate the beauty of a garden without some prior contemplation of what "beauty" is, why many (or all) humans find such a garden esthetically pleasing and a reenforcement of memories of similar gardens and related pleasures. The longer one sits in this garden the greater the chance that contemplation will be of a spiritual nature (no pun intended), and one's knowledge and experience will flavor that contemplation. A Christian might ask, "What was the Garden of Eden really like?" or "is it allegorical to my concept of heaven?" Those are religious questions. A scientist might ask, "How can that pine tree have cones that only germinate when burned?" This could lead to a scientific study or spiritual musing or religious fear. A poet might muse, "The attention that allows the incredible flower also tolerates me," is very spiritual but neither scientific or religious. Some, like myself, might engage in all three processes, plus one asking, "I wonder is my beloved is also looking at a garden today?" The point is that "spiritual" thinking is not necessarily religious or scientific or fanciful, and my learning so thus far is that such contemplation is more basically human that the other three examples. The philosopher should not have said, "I think, therefore I am," but "I question, therefore I am."
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
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stoneunhinged Inner circle 3067 Posts |
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On May 25, 2015, funsway wrote: Actually, he did. That's precisely the sort of "thinking" he was talking about. Questioning can't be done without thinking. So asking questions proves I am thinking, and it is the nature of questions that they are my own. So if I ask a question like, Am I thinking, then I know that the thought is my own rather than thoughts put into my head by some devil or angel. If the thought is my own, then I know I exist. I'm not saying that I agree, mind you. I'm just letting y'all know what Descartes's argument was. Which is not totally off topic, by the way. Descartes is widely considered to be the first philosopher of "modernity" (whatever that is), and would thus stand at the threshold of "natural philosophy" becoming modern science. Descartes view of knowledge arguable helped lead to that change. Or so I've been told. Again, I'm not sure that I agree. I'm just reporting the facts, Ma'am. (Whatever "facts" are.) |
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R.S. Regular user CT one day I'll have 184 Posts |
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On May 25, 2015, funsway wrote: Thanks funsway. But still, I'm just seeing the word "spiritual" tossed about with no actual definition. Quote:
The longer one sits in this garden the greater the chance that contemplation will be of a spiritual nature Why? But more importantly, what exactly is meant by "spiritual" nature? Quote:
The point is that "spiritual" thinking is not necessarily religious or scientific or fanciful, Then what is it? We know what "thinking" is, so what then is the "spiritual" component of thinking? Is it possible to think deeply about a subject without that thought process being "spiritual"? Ron
"It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry." Thomas Paine
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rockwall Special user 762 Posts |
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On May 25, 2015, stoneunhinged wrote: That's the sort of thinking that's going to get us in trouble with robots! |
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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
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On May 25, 2015, R.S. wrote: Of course -- never meant to imply that spiritual is a requirement or default, only that "spiritual contemplation" need not be either religious or scientific. However, some of the neurobiology texts I have read suggests that any consideration of mystery is "of spirit" rather than "of nature." Thus, "spirit" does not necessarily imply divinity or etherial or ghostly -- only consideration of something other then the 4F's. This sort of discussion works well in person and poorly on the Internet. Then I might say, "I can sense your presence across the room," and we could explore whether that is a spiritual statement or not.
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
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R.S. Regular user CT one day I'll have 184 Posts |
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On May 25, 2015, funsway wrote: Ok, so you're still repeating what spiritual isn't without ever saying what it is. Quote:
any consideration of mystery is "of spirit" rather than "of nature." What does that even mean? I consider lots of mysteries, but I don't know where "spirit" enters into it. Quote:
This sort of discussion works well in person and poorly on the Internet. Then I might say, "I can sense your presence across the room," and we could explore whether that is a spiritual statement or not. I don't see how the "in person" aspect adds anything useful to the discussion of what "spiritual" means. Ron
"It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry." Thomas Paine
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