The Absurdity of Certainty

People keep mentioning the low view count for this video, so if you feel so inclined, feel free to share it with whomever you wish :)


LINK: Hamburger Effect:
http://land.t-a-y-l-o-r.com/

LINK: Stephen J Gould on "fact" and "theory":
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/evolution-fact.html


Disclaimer:
My statement regarding the theistic tendency to invent deities in one's own image is a generality only, and does not mean that all theists do it. In contrast to those who have actually sent me messages telling me that I "hate God" and that I am "lying" to myself, I would never claim to have a better understanding of the underlying psychology of a stranger who can speak intelligently about their philosophies and beliefs. Further, no atheist would ever agree that another atheist hated God, and yet most theists will agree that other theists do invent their own deities (they just exclude themselves from the list of people guilty of doing so)

Special thanks to all who provided copyright permissions. All other articles cited under fair use.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• God
• Christianity
• Atheist
• agnostic
• belief
• certainty
• absurd

[TheRandomguy112]

this is clearly well thought and deserves more views but because of its nature it will mostly likely remain hidden like a diamond in a coal mine only to be found by people with the will to search

[TrenchantAtheist]

@TheRandomguy112 Too true. Thanks for the support though, it's much appreciated!

[Ermal8711]

Brilliant, cogent and sharp. One of the best 10 mins available on Youtube (not that that says much).

[TrenchantAtheist]

@Ermal8711 Thank you very much! Hope you enjoy the rest of my work as well. And yeah, as far as the internet goes, I feel your pain...

[ThaDane]

May I ask, TrenchantAtheist, what's your thought on the idea that the universe exists for us to validate its existence?

It's akin to the question, if a tree falls down in the forest, does it make a sound?

Would we be able to consider the universe as existant if none were there to witness it?

Thank you for your time, if you decide to answer.

[TrenchantAtheist]

@ThaDane And sorry for the late reply!

[Vejita12]

@ThaDane

Not the "I don't know something so I'm uncertain" uncertainty, but rather "I know where the atom is going, so I cannot know where it is, exactly". You're not looking at it from the Nature's perspective, occams razor is just a subjective way of reasoning.

A falling tree is falling in a environment - the air, made of gaaazillions of atoms, if you provide energy to some a soundwave appears, and for it not to appear almost all of those atoms would have to get out of the way.

[ThaDane]

@Vejita12 Look at it this way. We are outside the forest and we look inside. I say: "Did a tree just fall?"

We hear nothing.

Occam's razor will say the most simple solution is the most likely - thus nothing have changed. Thus we would believe no tree had fallen, making no sound.

It doesn't change the fact that something could indeed have happened. We would be "uncertain".

And yes, I have heard of other kinds of intelligence, but none have been proven. Intelligent magnets, how do they work? :)

[Vejita12]

@ThaDane

The Universe doesn't show any signs of having cognitive thought ..or it's just that we haven't found one or are not capable of in such a short timespan, yet, maybe? :)

"Like us" would suggest that you look for a natural intelligence that is known to us, but what if there is an intelligence based on quantum effects, a natural quantum intelligence, not based on electromagnetism, but for example gravity or quantum entanglements of some exotic particles? :)

[Vejita12]

@ThaDane

You missed one question in the middle. Why anyone have to know? No one witnessed formation of the Sun, yet it's there nice and shiny. Like I said, on the scale you talked about uncertainty wasn't an issue, for the sound of the falling tree not to apear, billions and billions and billions of atoms would have to get out of the way, one way or the other, so the tree would not create a wave in the air, which is not impossible, but extremely highly improbable.

[ThaDane]

@Vejita12 Very true yes. But there's a dividing factor. The universe doesn't show any signs of having cognitive thought like us.

About the tree - it's a thought experiment. Yes, it does make a sound, that's the obvious answer. But if there's no one there to 'validate it' did it really happen? Yes, obviously it did, you'll say. But how will anyone ever know that? It might as well not have happened. :)

The same with the universe. When it's gone, nobody will remember it. It wouldn't even exist.

[Vejita12]

@ThaDane

Matter is energy, energy is matter - we are the Universe, or maybe a bit smaller perspective, we don't live on this planet, we are a part of the planet Earth. You are the Earth. :)

Yes it does make a sound, take a look at impact craters on the Moon, has anyone of us seen any of those impacts, yet they there are. The Universe has existed for billions of years before any kind of life was possible. On a scale/size/amount of atoms we talk about uncertainty isn't an issue.

[Gnomefro]

@En3rg3tic What you believe does impact others, for example the way the Catholic church has opposed condom usage, even to prevent AIDS etc. It's in that context - where beliefs about reality clash - that we need to be open minded and look at the evidence to guide our beliefs. What we decidedly do not need is people respecting beliefs that appear to have no relationship with reality, and frankly I can't even imagine how you manged to extract that message from this video.

[Gnomefro]

@En3rg3tic "All of this is ridiculous, people need to respect other peoples beliefs and realize that religion is a personal experience."

Then why should anyone respect other people's beliefs? If it truly is a purely personal thing, then there are no truths to be known for me about your beliefs, and whatever your believe should not have any impact on me what so ever. You'll note that this is in fact not the case.

[D3w10n]

M8, thank you for helping me change... Till now I searched logical explanations for everything, but now I (finally) understand the limits of my point of view (aka. the Black Swan phenomenon).

Also, loled on some pics :D

[erkd1]

“Doubt is uncomfortable, certainty is ridiculous.” ~Voltaire