IPHONE 6 is an Atheist

ZenoInTheZoo

Minister (2k+ posts)
I am happy you replied ! Just to clear the record, I don't think that you are stupid, you just need some attention time to time, that's all. Nothing wrong with it. I wish you all the best.

So, you never sought attention in your life?? .............and what you exactly were doing when you decided to jump in??

I didn't know you, a hard core rationalist, would display such a poor understanding of human psychology and life per se.......

I had a bit of higher opinion about you and your capabilities......
 

ZenoInTheZoo

Minister (2k+ posts)
My post did sound rude but it was because of dealing with the topic and not directed personally at you. Also, the part where I mentioned the white lie - vs. - rational thought wasn't directed at this conversation. So relax.


Again, this conversation is so interesting, that's why I am keeping it rolling. The only sad part it is that typing it isn't the best way to conduct it(1). Still, I'll try to concisely try my hand at a few blaring flaws(2) in your position.



there can only be one answer to this glaring non-truth: "What?!??!?! My foot has more body of rational and logical knowledge than every man-made religion ever, and it's only like a size 11 foot, not even like a basketball players size 15 or something!"

on a serious note, please, please, please show me one logical, rational thing about religion(3). I hope you're not talking about 'don't steal, don't pillage' kinds of instructions because they're self derivative from one simple rule of 'do unto others...' - I'm talking about the defining things in Islam, Christianity or Judaism etc.

There is no logic or rationale in 'iman-bil-ghaib' which is what most religions are based on. How, I mean how, can you see a great body of logic and reason in something which is founded on the exact opposite of that?




...I don't know, maybe us 'mulhids' have not had a chance to convert all of them gay yet?...

Joke aside, what I want to point out is that when you ask the wrong kind of questions(4) you can't get to the right kind of truths. What you state is a wrong question and therefore has no answer or can't be explained.



My definition of scientific evidence is the same as what is generally accepted to be. Maybe read here and here for a start(5)?


Of course there are when you listen to Zakir Naik, Hamza Tortoise or Molana Tariq Jameel(6). But how can a self-refining process which exists to wade through ignorance and correct itself on an on-going basis (i.e. science) be regarded as having great fallacies?

Sure, when you evaluate scientific process on subjective, artistic, poetic, metaphysical stadards (which religions are justified on); yes science would seem to be fallacious. But that is like expecting a tomato to fly a boeing 747 and calling it's flying ability fallacious when the plane doesn't arrive at its destination at Las Vegas strip and @desicad's holiday is ruined.

I cringe at the thought that a person writing this on a computer communicating thousands of miles to another still sees more fallacy in science than in the fantastic mythical concoctions of religions.



Completely wrong. First of all, Atheists / Agnostics don't rape, pillage and sleep all day. They are regular folk who actually kill less in the name of religion while being equally beneficial citizens as believers in rest of the things. Secondly, if you think that all morality was brought into this world through religion only, then you're assuming too much again. A simple rule of 'do unto others...' get's it done easily. For the rest, even a comedian knows better(7).



huh? What are those(8)?

All along the few posts you've been shafting me with the onus of not talking with evidence. However, what I've seen in your few posts is that there is a lot of unproven things like para-sensory knowledge, fallacies of science (without talking about which one) or Atheists leading undisciplined, easy and conscious-free lives.



hehe - I knew it man, I knew it. The childhood-brainwashing is strong with this one.

1) Agreed!

2) Can be taken both positively and negatively. Negatively: it is your value judgement but why you need to put in so strong words? Positively: there are only 'a few' in my writings but not sure if I can use the same quantification about yours......:P

3) Your inability to see it can be attributed to your disagreement to The first Cause. Why are you so incense with this term 'iman-bil-ghaib'? You dont like it? Use whatever you want and do tell me what you like instead, please..........

I never used this to convince you, did I ever? I have always been on your turf as I know it would be simply impossible for you on my turf! Instead I use The first Cause. Any objection to this one?

4) That is quite convenient and that is what all the atheists and agnostics do most of the time! When your ilk don't have an answer, they conveniently pronounce this verdict and quickly, too. You did not bother to show how was it a wrong question? I asked this question in the context of different instinct! First time you have plainly and without any qualification admitted that all the logic and rationality at your beck and call finds itself in a quandary to explain something which rationality's proud mother, science, has already accepted as a result of different biological instincts!

5) You cant escape like that and neither so easily........Definitions and frameworks are just structures and the devil is in details and I have alluded to them in my post. How you interpret those details and how conveniently you use them to attribute to (and spice up) your half-baked scientific ideas and evidence is the real point!

6) When you attribute people like these to me, you simply insult me. Have you ever.........and ever means not limiting it to my interaction with you on this forum...... seen me mentioning these gentlemen for any argumentative support, let alone quoting from them? The problem perhaps is that you read or listen to them too much, too frequently and they continue shaping your entire (anti-)Islamic universe!

7) Here, you are completely wrong as you either completely missed my point (which was about the deriving a certain (philosophical/moral/beneficial) value from that acceptance and vice verca) or deliberately twisted it to suit your escape, as I was not talking about individuals.

8) I know you won't like to go the path of intuition and/or revelation. So tell me, where the novelty/creativity come from? Where the thought come from?.......here I am not talking about the product of intellectual processing.......so I trust that you know what I mean here.......

Now let me have a reality check and give this discussion a new dimension!

So far we have agreed that the believers believe in God on the basis of incomplete knowledge while the atheists/agnostics deny existence of or dont believe in God due to same incomplete knowledge. Right?

You are unable to refute that these respective beliefs are attributable to humans' tendency to believe or reject a certain phenomenon AND this tendency is rooted in an individual's instincts. Right? If wrong, have a go at it once again...

Similarly, so far you are unable to refute that different individual have different instincts. Right? If wrong, have a go at it once again...

Now tell me which position morally assures greater good for the survival of life on this planet: a sense of being answerable for your action within a certain disciplinary framework to someone or a 'I damn care'/'pick and choose' attitude?

People with your and your ilk's instincts have always been present through out the history of humanity as a small chip in the bigger scheme of things. So, your ilk's existence is neither a recent nor a novel phenomenon. Milton had said 'they also serve who stand and wait'. Now dont ask me what purpose your ilk serves...... :P ......I am talking to a fairly intelligent person!

You guys are not the modern day Plato to tell us anything novel or new. Existence and acceptance of God serve a rational, practical and very useful purpose for survival and continuity of life on this planet. Existence/acceptance of God and religion are essentially moral and spiritual phenomena, necessarily not to be proved through scientific evidence, yet efforts like finding Boson particle are continuing. Received wisdom of old centuries, from a moral perspective, quite rationally concluded that invent God even if one does not exist.

Further, one of the most influential modern philosophers had already done what you and your ilk are trying to do but with only one final difference/repentance! He first killed God but then had to resurrect Him when he found (himself in) an unfillable/unbridgeable gigantic void in the universe of a human mind. So, let us see when and/or whether you learn your lesson if there is any desire or taufeeq at all......
 

RustamShah

Banned
So, you never sought attention in your life?? .............and what you exactly were doing when you decided to jump in??

I didn't know you, a hard core rationalist, would display such a poor understanding of human psychology and life per se.......

I had a bit of higher opinion about you and your capabilities......

:lol: :mash:

Poor understanding of human psychology ? You are pissed off and I am controlling your emotions, specially anger and frustration.. damn I must be doing a great job.

Look Buqraat, I feel sorry for you, believing in an angry, vengeful god caused some illness, I get it but I say fine, you can believe what ever crap you want to believe, no problem, does not matter to me any more. I already know where you really stand.

And by the way, I feel really really really terrible after reading that you had a higher opinion about my capabilities [hilar] What a loss !
 

ZenoInTheZoo

Minister (2k+ posts)
:lol: :mash:

Poor understanding of human psychology ? You are pissed off and I am controlling your emotions, specially anger and frustration(1).. damn I must be doing a great job.

Look Buqraat, I feel sorry for you, believing in an angry, vengeful god caused some illness, I get it but I say fine, you can believe what ever crap you want to believe, no problem, does not matter to me any more. I already know where you really stand.

And by the way, I feel really really really terrible after reading that you had a higher opinion about my capabilities [hilar] What a loss !

:lol::lol::lol:

So, not using smileys in your post makes you look angry and frustrated? Oh come on.........dont hide behind those smileys......be yourself!

Now solve this for me, please: 1) why it has to adversarial and insulting to the opponent?? Why cant you write 2-3 lines without calling names??

BTW if my prophet is mercy to humanity then how God he preaches could be vengeful?

1) Had I said the same about you, you would have accused me of having mystical powers! A rationalist and mystical powers..........hahahahahah.......what a lethal combination!
 

RustamShah

Banned
:lol::lol::lol:

So, not using smileys in your post makes you look angry and frustrated? Oh come on.........dont hide behind those smileys......be yourself!

Now solve this for me, please: 1) why it has to adversarial and insulting to the opponent?? Why cant you write 2-3 lines without calling names??

BTW if my prophet is mercy to humanity then how God he preaches could be vengeful?

1) Had I said the same about you, you would have accused me of having mystical powers! A rationalist and mystical powers..........hahahahahah.......what a lethal combination!

:lol:

Don't worry I use "smileys" only when they are necessary, and this time I could not stop laughing when I read this "BTW if my prophet is mercy to humanity then how God he preaches could be vengeful?" :) I guess all the killings and looting, plunder was just for fun ?


Do you like to make random claims without paying attention what you really saying ? My prophet ? and mercy for humanity ? and about this god, who curse and destroy regularly is not vengeful, is really beyond me. I told you, I get it, your mental illness is not curable.
 

ZenoInTheZoo

Minister (2k+ posts)
:lol:

Don't worry I use "smileys" only when they are necessary, and this time I could not stop laughing when I read this "BTW if my prophet is mercy to humanity then how God he preaches could be vengeful?" :) I guess all the killings and looting, plunder was just for fun ?


Do you like to make random claims without paying attention what you really saying ? My prophet ? and mercy for humanity ? and about this god, who curse and destroy regularly is not vengeful, is really beyond me. I told you, I get it, your mental illness is not curable.

This post of yours gave me reason to be optimistic about you and humanity at large ...... :) ...... until I reached the end - the highlight part. My spontaneous reaction till this point was: "this is better and the guy has the capacity to improve himself". But, alas.......

Anyway, my specific questions, very respectfully asked, in my my previous post are still begging for an answer. I copy them for your convenience with the addition of one more question:

Now solve this for me, please: 1) why it has to adversarial and insulting to the opponent?? 2) Why cant you write 2-3 lines without calling names?? 3) Why did you ignore such a harmless inquisition?? ......... :)

Your insinuations at the prophet (PBUH) and God have been noted but I wont start that dialogue with you until you apologize for all the name calling so far and learn some manners of decent debate.
 

RustamShah

Banned
This post of yours gave me reason to be optimistic about you and humanity at large ...... :) ...... until I reached the end - the highlight part. My spontaneous reaction till this point was: "this is better and the guy has the capacity to improve himself". But, alas.......

Anyway, my specific questions, very respectfully asked, in my my previous post are still begging for an answer. I copy them for your convenience with the addition of one more question:

Now solve this for me, please: 1) why it has to adversarial and insulting to the opponent?? 2) Why cant you write 2-3 lines without calling names?? 3) Why did you ignore such a harmless inquisition?? ......... :)

Your insinuations at the prophet (PBUH) and God have been noted but I wont start that dialogue with you until you apologize for all the name calling so far and learn some manners of decent debate.

Really ? (sing)
 

دوسرا_سوال

Minister (2k+ posts)
1) Agreed!

2) Can be taken both positively and negatively. Negatively: it is your value judgement but why you need to put in so strong words? Positively: there are only 'a few' in my writings but not sure if I can use the same quantification about yours......:P

3) Your inability to see it can be attributed to your disagreement to The first Cause. Why are you so incense with this term 'iman-bil-ghaib'? You dont like it? Use whatever you want and do tell me what you like instead, please..........

I never used this to convince you, did I ever? I have always been on your turf as I know it would be simply impossible for you on my turf! Instead I use The first Cause. Any objection to this one?

4) That is quite convenient and that is what all the atheists and agnostics do most of the time! When your ilk don't have an answer, they conveniently pronounce this verdict and quickly, too. You did not bother to show how was it a wrong question? I asked this question in the context of different instinct! First time you have plainly and without any qualification admitted that all the logic and rationality at your beck and call finds itself in a quandary to explain something which rationality's proud mother, science, has already accepted as a result of different biological instincts!

5) You cant escape like that and neither so easily........Definitions and frameworks are just structures and the devil is in details and I have alluded to them in my post. How you interpret those details and how conveniently you use them to attribute to (and spice up) your half-baked scientific ideas and evidence is the real point!

6) When you attribute people like these to me, you simply insult me. Have you ever.........and ever means not limiting it to my interaction with you on this forum...... seen me mentioning these gentlemen for any argumentative support, let alone quoting from them? The problem perhaps is that you read or listen to them too much, too frequently and they continue shaping your entire (anti-)Islamic universe!

7) Here, you are completely wrong as you either completely missed my point (which was about the deriving a certain (philosophical/moral/beneficial) value from that acceptance and vice verca) or deliberately twisted it to suit your escape, as I was not talking about individuals.

8) I know you won't like to go the path of intuition and/or revelation. So tell me, where the novelty/creativity come from? Where the thought come from?.......here I am not talking about the product of intellectual processing.......so I trust that you know what I mean here.......

Now let me have a reality check and give this discussion a new dimension!

So far we have agreed that the believers believe in God on the basis of incomplete knowledge while the atheists/agnostics deny existence of or dont believe in God due to same incomplete knowledge. Right?

You are unable to refute that these respective beliefs are attributable to humans' tendency to believe or reject a certain phenomenon AND this tendency is rooted in an individual's instincts. Right? If wrong, have a go at it once again...

Similarly, so far you are unable to refute that different individual have different instincts. Right? If wrong, have a go at it once again...

Now tell me which position morally assures greater good for the survival of life on this planet: a sense of being answerable for your action within a certain disciplinary framework to someone or a 'I damn care'/'pick and choose' attitude?

People with your and your ilk's instincts have always been present through out the history of humanity as a small chip in the bigger scheme of things. So, your ilk's existence is neither a recent nor a novel phenomenon. Milton had said 'they also serve who stand and wait'. Now dont ask me what purpose your ilk serves...... :P ......I am talking to a fairly intelligent person!

You guys are not the modern day Plato to tell us anything novel or new. Existence and acceptance of God serve a rational, practical and very useful purpose for survival and continuity of life on this planet. Existence/acceptance of God and religion are essentially moral and spiritual phenomena, necessarily not to be proved through scientific evidence, yet efforts like finding Boson particle are continuing. Received wisdom of old centuries, from a moral perspective, quite rationally concluded that invent God even if one does not exist.

Further, one of the most influential modern philosophers had already done what you and your ilk are trying to do but with only one final difference/repentance! He first killed God but then had to resurrect Him when he found (himself in) an unfillable/unbridgeable gigantic void in the universe of a human mind. So, let us see when and/or whether you learn your lesson if there is any desire or taufeeq at all......
- I wave white flag. Hehe, you talk about 'me and my ilk' as if it is some kind of disease.



- RE: Modern Philosopher: There is a reason I detest philosophers in 21st century, because they are as useless as a 1950's computer in 2015. Philosophy did serve humanity well when technology was in its infancy, but now to seek justification of modern technological world in it, is a lost cause. But, just out of curiosity who is this modern philosopher you are talking about?



- RE: Small Chip in Bigger Scheme: Surprising, that what you call as small chip, are the non-believing people (almost all scientists worth their merit, in last many decades) who've shaped the modern world, as opposed to the believers (judo-chtristo-muslims etc.) who are in a decline for a thousand years since each got their empires built. So strange that you'd just miss this obvious point. I guess you're a quantity over quality person, but in that case you should accept Christianity, because clearly they've got the correct numbers.



- RE: Morally Superior Position: You're only justifying your conservatism by taking up subjective / poetic positions about morality. Firstly, there is no 'damn care', 'pick & choose' ideals agnostics and atheists seek to attain. Secondly, if I had to pick, I would rate such a person higher, who adheres to traffic rules even when knowing that there is no consequence of breaking them, over the person who only sticks to rules just because he gets a sweet-treat in the end (like a child) (a.k.a. heaven for being good, hell for being naughty).

I don't steal, rape or pillage for the simple reason that if someone did that to me, I won't like it so, I better not do that to others. Unlike believers, who don't do these things just because they are, say born as Muslims, and God forbid if they weren't born that, then they'd be raping, stealing and pillaging the hell out of society (and @desicad :P). This childish simplicity is neither true, nor 'a higher moral position' compared to simple universal principle of 'do unto others'.
 

ZenoInTheZoo

Minister (2k+ posts)
- I wave white flag. Hehe, you talk about 'me and my ilk' as if it is some kind of disease.



- RE: Modern Philosopher: There is a reason I detest philosophers in 21st century, because they are as useless as a 1950's computer in 2015. Philosophy did serve humanity well when technology was in its infancy, but now to seek justification of modern technological world in it, is a lost cause. But, just out of curiosity who is this modern philosopher you are talking about?



- RE: Small Chip in Bigger Scheme: Surprising, that what you call as small chip, are the non-believing people (almost all scientists worth their merit, in last many decades) who've shaped the modern world, as opposed to the believers (judo-chtristo-muslims etc.) who are in a decline for a thousand years since each got their empires built. So strange that you'd just miss this obvious point. I guess you're a quantity over quality person, but in that case you should accept Christianity, because clearly they've got the correct numbers.



- RE: Morally Superior Position: You're only justifying your conservatism by taking up subjective / poetic positions about morality. Firstly, there is no 'damn care', 'pick & choose' ideals agnostics and atheists seek to attain. Secondly, if I had to pick, I would rate such a person higher, who adheres to traffic rules even when knowing that there is no consequence of breaking them, over the person who only sticks to rules just because he gets a sweet-treat in the end (like a child) (a.k.a. heaven for being good, hell for being naughty).

I don't steal, rape or pillage for the simple reason that if someone did that to me, I won't like it so, I better not do that to others. Unlike believers, who don't do these things just because they are, say born as Muslims, and God forbid if they weren't born that, then they'd be raping, stealing and pillaging the hell out of society (and @desicad :P). This childish simplicity is neither true, nor 'a higher moral position' compared to simple universal principle of 'do unto others'.

I take all uses of the construction I used back if you consider them offensive. To offend you would be the last thing on my mind.

- RE: Modern Philosopher: Before reading this comment I was of the view that in a world sans God, philosophers serve as a moral compass for any society, especially for atheists. So, modern day atheists and agnostics exist in a complete moral void? That is what you want to say? You think 'do unto others' creed is enough to negotiate the modern day complexities of life? You dont need any updation or reinterpretation of it? You really need to give this point more thought!

I also need to admit that it was in my mind but somehow it slipped out of mind to adequately qualify this point about 'modern philosopher' in my previous post. I wanted to add to this point 'of last 2-3 centuries' and his name is Emmanuel Kant.

- RE: Small Chip in Bigger Scheme: I would avoid saying 'you dont know what you are talking about' and just say that you are talking about them from outside while I am from inside. You are gravely mistaken for going by cliche here. I wanted to use this quality vs quantity argument in an earlier post of mine but then restrained. I still dont have any objection to it as it still favors me but not in the cruder form you are suggesting but in a relatively more sophisticated form.

- RE: Morally Superior Position: After your comment about the modern day utility of philosopher, I understand your allergy to everything subjective. But unfortunately objectivity and subjectivity are two contrasting aspects of an essential reality of our existence. We cant wish them away, we need them to make and develop a sense of life as we know it.

Finally, you have not come back on many of the points I made/raised in my pivotal (previous) post on this topic and on this thread. Now let me end this round by suggesting another dimension for your thought.

You need to distinguish/differentiate between the idea, the practice(s) and the practitioner(s). In your usual dialogue and this one as well, all yous focus, especially in the examples you use, has mostly been on the practitioners, the practice and the idea in descending order. While in understanding Islam or any religion for that matter this order is reverse. To make point a little clearer, you use the wrong doings of the practitioner to attack the idea most of the time.
 
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دوسرا_سوال

Minister (2k+ posts)
I take all uses of the construction I used back if you consider them offensive. To offend you would be the last thing on my mind.

- RE: Modern Philosopher: Before reading this comment I was of the view that in a world sans God, philosophers serve as a moral compass for any society, especially for atheists. So, modern day atheists and agnostics exist in a complete moral void? That is what you want to say? You think 'do unto others' creed is enough to negotiate the modern day complexities of life? You dont need any updation or reinterpretation of it? You really need to give this point more thought!

I also need to admit that it was in my mind but somehow it slipped out of mind to adequately qualify this point about 'modern philosopher' in my previous post. I wanted to add to this point 'of last 2-3 centuries' and his name is Emmanuel Kant.

- RE: Small Chip in Bigger Scheme: I would avoid saying 'you dont know what you are talking about' and just say that you are talking about them from outside while I am from inside. You are gravely mistaken for going by cliche here. I wanted to use this quality vs quantity argument in an earlier post of mine but then restrained. I still dont have any objection to it as it still favors me but not in the cruder form you are suggesting but in a relatively more sophisticated form.

- RE: Morally Superior Position: After your comment about the modern day utility of philosopher, I understand your allergy to everything subjective. But unfortunately objectivity and subjectivity are two contrasting aspects of an essential reality of our existence. We cant wish them away, we need them to make and develop a sense of life as we know it.

Finally, you have not come back on many of the points I made/raised in my pivotal (previous) post on this topic and on this thread. Now let me end this round by suggesting another dimension for your thought.

You need to distinguish/differentiate between the idea, the practice(s) and the practitioner(s). In your usual dialogue and this one as well, all yous focus, especially in the examples you use, has mostly been on the practitioners, the practice and the idea in descending order. While in understanding Islam or any religion for that matter this order is reverse. To make point a little clearer, you use the wrong doings of the practitioner to attack the idea most of the time.
You've my full attention now. I guessed you were talking about Iqbal when you said the thing about modern philosopher, because so far as much as I've read, only metaphysics comes closest to Jud-christo-muslim concept of God, but boy am I surprised! You were talking about the daddy of metaphysics.

I've read Kant, only like Penguin books version of his Criticism of Reason and Morals and Metaphysics (and I read him with respect to Iqbal, and I don't claim to be philosophically trained or had a degree in it). I know what you're talking about when about 'killing god and then repenting' but let me tell you, that opinion's divided too. Some say that he was critical of religious thought as well (and I mean more than just the church and chanda thing) and some say that he was conflicted and some say he was downright defending the core judo-christo-muslim version of possibility of a deity.

All I can say is that back in high school, we used to read urdu poetry and the be told to interpret it. We used to find deeper, sufi, mystic meanings in Mir Taqi Mir's poetry when all he did was wrote a few lines lusting after his neighbour (probably). Likewise, I don't know what to make of Kant and Metaphysics. One thing I'm sure about that is he were alive today and had seen the hubble telescope and that human's could make mini-black holes in laboratories, trust me he'd be a bit more black and white about his views.

And this is my whole point, that we must live in the times we live and not in the times far gone past. Kant alive today would have had different views than his 1700s view of the world, he must have. I know I came off as anti-philosophy in last post; I'm not actually. All I'm trying to say that technology has come such leaps and bounds that it has overtaken the need for philosophical thought in many arenas.

And to your point RE: Idea, Practice and Practitioner; dude we've had this debate in quite detail. Forget about the practice or practitioner, to me, i.e. a man of 21st century, the idea of 'iman-bil-ghaib' is almost cancerous. Islam is not some silent agnostic position, it clearly defines a Muslim Allah quite in detail and very specifically, and then expects people to submit to that idea blindly (iman bil ghaib). How can you call that idea correct while living in these times.

If the idea is 'quite alright' to you, then believe me judo-christian idea is pretty same too. Why not join those? The whole point is that religious movements have been caught out as a scam to herd sheep that worked for couple of thousand years in the thousands of years of human history and hundreds of thousands of years to future yet to happen. To see this scam as the eternal and comprehensive explanation of existence is as silly as calling Justin Beiber the most accomplished musician known to man.

On my adventures of truth and rationality, I've met many type of people. Those who are truth seekers, those who are self-validating justifiers, those who just want to get on with their lives, those who just want to feel good about talking and have no intention of finding the truth, and those who'd never change their minds no matter what evidence you put right infront of their eyes. You're not the first one of your style that Ive encountered, and frankly it is exhausting and sad to see such a learned person wasting away to mere myths.

All I can do is wish for you a little courageous reason, but I know it's futile. So, like in my last post, I wave the white flag :P
 

ZenoInTheZoo

Minister (2k+ posts)
You've my full attention now. I guessed you were talking about Iqbal when you said the thing about modern philosopher, because so far as much as I've read, only metaphysics comes closest to Jud-christo-muslim concept of God, but boy am I surprised! You were talking about the daddy of metaphysics.

I've read Kant, only like Penguin books version of his Criticism of Reason and Morals and Metaphysics (and I read him with respect to Iqbal, and I don't claim to be philosophically trained or had a degree in it). I know what you're talking about when about 'killing god and then repenting' but let me tell you, that opinion's divided too. Some say that he was critical of religious thought as well (and I mean more than just the church and chanda thing) and some say that he was conflicted and some say he was downright defending the core judo-christo-muslim version of possibility of a deity.

All I can say is that back in high school, we used to read urdu poetry and the be told to interpret it. We used to find deeper, sufi, mystic meanings in Mir Taqi Mir's poetry when all he did was wrote a few lines lusting after his neighbour (probably). Likewise, I don't know what to make of Kant and Metaphysics. One thing I'm sure about that is he were alive today and had seen the hubble telescope and that human's could make mini-black holes in laboratories, trust me he'd be a bit more black and white about his views.

And this is my whole point, that we must live in the times we live and not in the times far gone past. Kant alive today would have had different views than his 1700s view of the world, he must have(1). I know I came off as anti-philosophy in last post; I'm not actually. All I'm trying to say that technology has come such leaps and bounds that it has overtaken the need for philosophical thought in many arenas.

And to your point RE: Idea, Practice and Practitioner; dude we've had this debate in quite detail. Forget about the practice or practitioner, to me, i.e. a man of 21st century, the idea of 'iman-bil-ghaib' is almost cancerous. Islam is not some silent agnostic position, it clearly defines a Muslim Allah quite in detail and very specifically, and then expects people to submit to that idea blindly (iman bil ghaib). How can you call that idea correct while living in these times.

If the idea is 'quite alright' to you, then believe me judo-christian idea is pretty same too. Why not join those? The whole point is that religious movements have been caught out as a scam to herd sheep that worked for couple of thousand years in the thousands of years of human history and hundreds of thousands of years to future yet to happen. To see this scam as the eternal and comprehensive explanation of existence is as silly as calling Justin Beiber the most accomplished musician known to man.

On my adventures of truth and rationality, I've met many type of people. Those who are truth seekers, those who are self-validating justifiers, those who just want to get on with their lives, those who just want to feel good about talking and have no intention of finding the truth, and those who'd never change their minds no matter what evidence you put right infront of their eyes. You're not the first one of your style that Ive encountered, and frankly it is exhausting and sad to see such a learned person wasting away to mere myths.

All I can do is wish for you a little courageous reason, but I know it's futile. So, like in my last post, I wave the white flag :P

You have a knack for story-telling, so why not to try a career in science fiction....just a thought!

1) This takes the cake out of all your irrational adventures! You cant be more outlandish in your poverty of argument than this............just count how many times you have used 'would have' and then expect others to be amenable to every 'would have' of yours........ :LOL:

Who is asking you to be near the centre of the orbit around the idea.....you can remain at the periphery or wherever you like but remain connected to the idea. I can call the idea correct because you just count how many times you were without any answer to points I raised (refer to my pivotal post for an easy reference!)

When did I say the judo-christian idea was wrong? Please.......by all means....join anyone you like.....I am not lashing or shepherding you in a particular faith. When your own scam has been exposed then you start calling other ideas scam.........that is not spirit of the game! tch .... tch ....tch

:) Now can I borrow penultimate para from your last post to use it judiciously (coz you just wasted it!...... :P) and to good effect? Here you go......

"On my adventures of truth and rationality, I've met many type of people. Those who are truth seekers, those who are self-validating justifiers, those who just want to get on with their lives, those who just want to feel good about talking and have no intention of finding the truth, and those who'd never change their minds no matter what evidence you put right in front of their eyes. You're not the first one of your style that Ive encountered, and frankly it is exhausting and sad to see such a learned person wasting away to mere myths."

See you some other time and have a good night!
 

دوسرا_سوال

Minister (2k+ posts)
You have a knack for story-telling, so why not to try a career in science fiction....just a thought!

1) This takes the cake out of all your irrational adventures! You cant be more outlandish in your poverty of argument than this............just count how many times you have used 'would have' and then expect others to be amenable to every 'would have' of yours........ :LOL:

Who is asking you to be near the centre of the orbit around the idea.....you can remain at the periphery or wherever you like but remain connected to the idea. I can call the idea correct because you just count how many times you were without any answer to points I raised (refer to my pivotal post for an easy reference!)

When did I say the judo-christian idea was wrong? Please.......by all means....join anyone you like.....I am not lashing or shepherding you in a particular faith. When your own scam has been exposed then you start calling other ideas scam.........that is not spirit of the game! tch .... tch ....tch

:) Now can I borrow penultimate para from your last post to use it judiciously (coz you just wasted it!...... :P) and to good effect? Here you go......

"On my adventures of truth and rationality, I've met many type of people. Those who are truth seekers, those who are self-validating justifiers, those who just want to get on with their lives, those who just want to feel good about talking and have no intention of finding the truth, and those who'd never change their minds no matter what evidence you put right in front of their eyes. You're not the first one of your style that Ive encountered, and frankly it is exhausting and sad to see such a learned person wasting away to mere myths."

See you some other time and have a good night!
Ah, see you can't just step aside after you've tickled my interest...


I said Kant would've had different views because the postmodernist era has clearly shown some problems in the philosophical thought of metaphysics, which he founded.


What used to be random 17th century musings of 'being' and 'existence' are today helplessly trying to grab on to quantum physics and relativity theory just to survive. To me, that's a weak branch of philosophy, if it has to leech onto newer and newer concepts to retro-fit its self-justification.


Now I'm gonna say two very complex things, I hope you're able to see my point:


1. Metaphysics tries to answer, in a way (and what I've understood), what is behind this all and who is it. Now these were perfect questions to philosophically ponder upon in 17th and 18th century when technology hadn't caught up with human thought. But, in 21st century, this is best tried to be answered by engaging in actual physics (like at CERN) rather than philosophical pondering. Actual, laboratory experiments and practical science is what has shaped this world. Because, if left to thought musings,


2. then idiots like Leibniz (who claimed to be a rationalist and a metaphysician) exist with their 17th century clown-acts of twisting rational thought to arrive at a prejudiced, pre-judged conclusion, such as:

(and this is actual Leibniz logic, and even at the time he was called out for it by others...)

i. god is all perfect
ii. and also existence is total perfection
iii. so if existence is part of the essence of a thing, then it is a necessary being
iv. and if it is possible for a necessary being to exist, then a necessary being definitely exists
v. and also, it is possible for a being to have all perfection
vi. hence a necessary perfect being, i.e. god, definitely exists.


Behold this is twisting logic to arrive at pre-conceived prejudices!


When Leibniz can do the above, then it's not a shocker to me that you can also twist logic and reason to arrive at pre-judged desires. The only difference is that a man of 17th century might be forgiven, for one, he's dead and two, things were not as they are in 21st century. But there's less forgiveness in me for a person of modern times, being lucky enough to get educated and learned (which not even 1% got the chance to back in 17th century), and then choosing to twist logic just because his mommy brainwashed him with some religious myths early on. This is very, very, very courage-less.


But like I said, I'm not trying to convince you anymore because I've figured that you belong to the kind who'd not believe in the truth even if blaring evidence is presented to you. I've no worry because there was a time when women were called witches, and then a time not allowed to even vote and then there is today. And there was a time when (in Britain) national heroes were executed for preferring same-sex partners and there is now when same-sex marriage is protected by the same laws of the land. And there was a time when Greek gods were literally taken as gods and now, as nothing more than mere myths.


There always have been people on the right side of history who are the ones who have driven the fate of humanity and rescued it from the shackles of conservative stuck thought. And so, there will be a day, not in 50 years, not maybe even in 500 years, but say in 5,000 years when these man-made myths and mullah-chanda-scams or the fraud of 'iman-bil-ghaib' will become as transparently exposed and and easy as it is easy for you to believe that Hercules was not a god, women are not witches and there's nothing wrong with same-sex partnerships.
 

desicad

Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
What the heck? :D btw how many times you are planning to wave the white flag and come back? lol
- I wave white flag. Hehe, you talk about 'me and my ilk' as if it is some kind of disease.

- RE: Modern Philosopher: There is a reason I detest philosophers in 21st century, because they are as useless as a 1950's computer in 2015. Philosophy did serve humanity well when technology was in its infancy, but now to seek justification of modern technological world in it, is a lost cause. But, just out of curiosity who is this modern philosopher you are talking about?



- RE: Small Chip in Bigger Scheme: Surprising, that what you call as small chip, are the non-believing people (almost all scientists worth their merit, in last many decades) who've shaped the modern world, as opposed to the believers (judo-chtristo-muslims etc.) who are in a decline for a thousand years since each got their empires built. So strange that you'd just miss this obvious point. I guess you're a quantity over quality person, but in that case you should accept Christianity, because clearly they've got the correct numbers.



- RE: Morally Superior Position: You're only justifying your conservatism by taking up subjective / poetic positions about morality. Firstly, there is no 'damn care', 'pick & choose' ideals agnostics and atheists seek to attain. Secondly, if I had to pick, I would rate such a person higher, who adheres to traffic rules even when knowing that there is no consequence of breaking them, over the person who only sticks to rules just because he gets a sweet-treat in the end (like a child) (a.k.a. heaven for being good, hell for being naughty).

I don't steal, rape or pillage for the simple reason that if someone did that to me, I won't like it so, I better not do that to others. Unlike believers, who don't do these things just because they are, say born as Muslims, and God forbid if they weren't born that, then they'd be raping, stealing and pillaging the hell out of society (and @desicad :P). This childish simplicity is neither true, nor 'a higher moral position' compared to simple universal principle of 'do unto others'.
 

RustamShah

Banned
Unfortunately, yes........

Because, you are not an ordinary propagandist or a kid/charlatan whom I usually ignore without much botheration........

:)

Look what have you done now ! I think two last replies from Doosra_Sawal should be enough for you, but I guess, this urge dragging this "discussion" further, you need some more fuel for going on, here is something for you. By the way I must admit that you can write good comedy as well, a suggestion to you, why don't you start writing novels ? May get some extra money on the side ? What you say ?

"The Christian God is defined as a personal being who knows everything. According to Christians, personal beings have free will.

In order to have free will, you must have more than one option, each of which is avoidable. This means that before you make a choice, there must be a state of uncertainty during a period of potential: you cannot know the future. Even if you think you can predict your decision, if you claim to have free will, you must admit the potential (if not the desire) to change your mind before the decision is final.

A being who knows everything can have no "state of uncertainty." It knows its choices in advance. This means that it has no potential to avoid its choices, and therefore lacks free will. Since a being that lacks free will is not a personal being, a personal being who knows everything cannot exist.

Therefore, the Christian God does not exist." by Dan Barker
 

RustamShah

Banned
What the heck? :D btw how many times you are planning to wave the white flag and come back? lol

Ouch .. :lol:

People go in war zones to help victims, there are people who will go and help victims of other natural disasters ... I guess he and others like him come here to do the same charity work, have some patience yaar ;)
 

GreatIK

Councller (250+ posts)
Very good post! One thing I noticed that you mentioned "Iman Bil Ghaib" several times as something that is a very stupid and irrational concept. I completely respect your understanding but here is the way I look at it.

Iman Bil Ghaib does not mean that we are believing in something for which we have no logical or rational thoughts rather it simply means that we are drawing conclusions based on some rational evidences or proofs to believe in something which is not visible to you (Ghaib literally means something which is not visible).

For example nobody has personally seen the evolution of humans but based on some evidences, scientists believe that it occurred for billions of years (BTW I also believe in evolution but never saw it personally). This is similar to Iman Bil Ghaib that they are contemplating or suggesting or believing (depending on whom you are talking to) that Evolution did occur. Other very simple examples are: When we see grass or tress are green we conclude that water supply is enough in the area with some other important factors or when we visit a beach we expect to see some wild life of coastal areas not some animals which live in different habitats (we dont expect a camel on a coastal area). There are similar several common life examples.

The above examples suggest that this is quite common in our every day life that we always draw conclusions about some GHAIB (not visible) based on some evidences and nobody tells us that this is irrational or superstitious.

I completely agree with you that whatever we believe in should be logical and rational and this should be the only criterion to accept or rebut some ideas. However, we should not reject any idea just because it is century old. Again, your post is very nice and i am glad that we have such thinkers on this post. Peace!!
 

RustamShah

Banned
For example nobody has personally seen the evolution of humans but based on some evidences, scientists believe that it occurred for billions of years (BTW I also believe in evolution but never saw it personally). This is similar to Iman Bil Ghaib that they are contemplating or suggesting or believing (depending on whom you are talking to) that Evolution did occur. Other very simple examples are: When we see grass or tress are green we conclude that water supply is enough in the area with some other important factors or when we visit a beach we expect to see some wild life of coastal areas not some animals which live in different habitats (we dont expect a camel on a coastal area). There are similar several common life examples.

The above examples suggest that this is quite common in our every day life that we always draw conclusions about some GHAIB (not visible) based on some evidences and nobody tells us that this is irrational or superstitious.

As you mentioned yourself, Evolution for example has some evidences, like fossil record, study of genealogy and other references point towards a evolution which took place for billions of years, I am just curious if you can give me some evidences of this other Ghaaib you believe in ? I mean if you ask Scientists they will show you their evidences, what you have to show them ?

Peace
 
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