Re: [asa] The Parsimony Principle (aka Occam's Razor) and atheism

Iain Strachan wrote: So to be
> able to apply the principle, one must indeed make God part of the model,
> IOW part of the physical universe. This is the problem I've had all
> along with Dawkins's arguments in The God Delusion - they are indeed, as
> you say, circular. Of course there's no God if the material universe is
> all there is - by definition in fact.
>

> Why, for example, is Dawkins so untroubled by his own
> (large) assumption that both matter and the laws of nature can be viewed
> as given? Why isn't /that/ question-begging?

I too have found both of Iain's points above troubling as I have read
Dawkin's The God Delusion.

However, I also find the chapter on childhood abuse troubling and
something that needs to be taken seriously. Mental and emotional abuse
can be equally as bad as physical (including sexual) abuse. Outside of
trained professionals typically in the context of extended therapy
sessions most people who have not experienced similar abuse are unable
to relate to mental and emotional abuse. Typically people abused as
children will only talk about things for which they have "smoking guns",
which usually means only physical and or sexual abuse. On the other
hand I do not know how to deal with such many issues without infringing
on parental and religious rights. Yes Iain I have dealt multiple times
with the same person going through flashbacks to sexual abuse so I have
some idea how painful that can be. But sometimes the perpetrator was
the only person who provided care and affection for the individual
involved and that betrayal can be as bad as the sordid details of the
sexual abuse itself.

Dave W
(CSCA member)

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Received on Thu Jul 12 06:07:58 2007