I am sure there is a multitude of possible answers to this one.
One way I would answer it is to say that probability is only applicable
to *observable* events - that is, the occurrence of something which is
in some way directly measurable. The existence of God is not observable
in this sense, so probability is irrelevant to any discussion about the
existence of God.
Another, related way to express this is to say that belief in the
existence of God is a *model* for the universe. Within that model
probability questions can be asked, but one cannot talk meaningfully of
the existence of the model. (The same comment applies, for example,
about general relativity as a theory which models the universe.)
Repeatability is certainly (oops! - with high probability) not a
prerequisite for probability to make sense.
Have fun.
Alan
Valar wrote:
>
> Hello to everyone!
> I has a question for you that comes from a discussion that I had with a
> friend of mine.
> Due to the fact that with the Bayes Probability definition we can define
> a probability even for events that doesn't occur necessarily several
> times he say that is possible to associate a probability to the
> existence of God.
> But I think that in this case probability has non sense because I think
> that the Bayes definition is usable only with events that are a priori
> reapeatable (even if they occurred only one time or they never occurred)
> or that are composed by some sub-events reapeatable
> For example he said me that we can associate a probability that with
> certain coditions it will rain, and we can do that even if these
> conditions occurr one time in our life, but I say that there is an
> important difference because the calculus of thi probability is made
> with physical consideration about several sub-events each with a
> probability that came from experience and physical models (that are
> based on experience too)
> What is the right opinion?
>
> Thanx for the attention
> See you
> Valar
>
> PS I'm sorry for my english that isn't very good
>
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--
Alan McLean ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics
Monash University, Caulfield Campus, Melbourne
Tel: +61 03 9903 2102 Fax: +61 03 9903 2007
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