<< But by a functionally meaningful definition of knowing, I know that my fingers are at this moment moving over a keyboard, and that my eyes see letters appearing on a screen in front of me. >>
In that case, what a schizophrenic knows that he sees and hears is equally valid to what you are seeing, and therefore is also the truth.
There are only degrees of probability that something is true. There are no certainties in science or religion. The best that we can and should do as a society is to arrive at a consensus of what is probably true, by observing the natural world around us, and probing and experimenting, and taking data.
Religion is a stagnant belief system, not based on anything observable, but on a system of man-made dogma that is used to manipulate it's followers. It makes the believers feel good, especially with the promise of eternal life. It does absolutely nothing to further man's knowledge, or well-being.
Science, on the other hand, has made stunning progress in the fields of biology, physics, chemistry, astronomy, etc. Science is the collection of knowledge, to the highest degree of accuracy possible. It doesn't care who believes it. The collected data will always be there for those who want to make use of it. Mythology has nothing to offer it.
Probability that evolution is true.... 99.999387%
Probability that the Dow will go up tomorrow.... 50.1%
Probability that there is a God.... 0.15%
Probability that Jesus was a God in the flesh....0.0001%
Del |
