Dan said: > If we were to differ, say on the latest work in mesoscopic > physics, we could straightforwardly reconcile those differences by > reference to the literature.
Yes. And if we differed about physics beyond the current frontiers of knowledge we could in principle resolve those differences through further experiments. Actually, this is almost but not quite true because there are not only theories whose predictions differ only beyond the scope of current experiments - for example, general relativity and gauge gravity - but also differences in interpretation of theories. I don't know if we have any differences in our interpretations of quantum mechanics, for example, but I doubt it as I don't really have any strong preferences for any particular interpretation. > When it comes to our philosophical viewpoints, we have no such > recourse. > I'm a theist, and you are a non-theist.at least that's what I've > gleamed. Yes, that's true. > There is no experiment that either one of us can propose to falsify > the > belief of one of us and confirm the belief of the other. So, where > does > this place discussions of religion? Is there nothing empirically > based that > can be said about them? > I know that testable empirical claims can be made about religion. > Religion > is an addiction, like one to cigarettes or crack, or heroin. It holds > societies together. It is inherently dysfunctional. It aids the > lives of > the religious, it harms them. > These are statements that can be tested. I see David's comment as > referring > to this. I think there are at least four classes of interesting question that can be asked about religions: - Questions about direct religious experience. What are the neurological mechanisms underlying feelings of transcendent presences or oneness with the universe or grasping eternal meanings or whatever? - Questions about the truth or otherwise of beliefs and assertions that are beyond empirical investigation. (However, some religious beliefs are clearly within the realm of empirical investigation, such as the beliefs of young Earth creationists.) - Historical questions. How did religions arise? How do they change with time? Which factors help some prosper when others fail? How do ideas flow between them? - Sociological questions, such as those about the benefits or otherwise to society of religions, the dynamics of religious communities and so forth. Collectively, these classes of questions include plenty of aspects of religions that can be empirically investigated. It's only some of the second class that are necessarily in the realm of belief. Rich _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
