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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (78926)	11/11/2003 1:40:22 PM
From: one_less	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

"If you don't know if something exists you can believe it exists, suspect it exists, be truly uncertain and on the fence, be skeptical, or believe it doesn't exist. " In the case of eternal existence we can't prove for or against. However, there is evidence to support the notion. The evidence is questionable, so we are left with what we believe about the evidence. In any event, I will have to wait until death to know the facts... You, Karen, and Solon also. Unless as Solon suggests, there is no knowing beyond temporal existence.

To: TimF who wrote (78926)	11/11/2003 9:24:50 PM
From: Solon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

"I don't think I have or would give opinions about supernatural things for which we have no direct evidence equal weight with well supported scientific observations" I would not give such opinions equal weight either. Agreed! "but "I don't know" is still very useful and meaningful" Of course it is! It is meaningful when one has no evidence on either side of a question, and it is meaningful when the evidence is equally balanced such as in a hung jury. It is not very meaningful (as I said) when it is used to avoid an opinion on the basis that nothing is absolutely certain. I have no problem with people espousing an agnostic viewpoint if they truly believe the evidence is evenly balanced for or against a God. But if they find no evidence for Spirit Beings or for Supernatural Qualities, then why say "I don't know"? Do they say "I don't know" about Zeus, or Hera, or Athena, or Apollo? "My guess is that you don't know any of these things either." Good guess! I DON'T know how to speak Cantonese..at least not very well. "If you don't know if something exists you can believe it exists, suspect it exists, be truly uncertain and on the fence, be skeptical, or believe it doesn't exist." That was my point. Whether or not you base your response on reason or caprice is what I am getting at. A rational person does not simply choose one of your options by visiting a "medium", or by drawing cards! <g>