Author Topic: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.  (Read 5943 times)

Walt Zingmatilder

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« Last Edit: July 29, 2020, 09:56:57 AM by The Suppository of Norman Wisdom »

Outrider

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #26 on: July 29, 2020, 10:26:06 AM »
And several people are of the opinion that string theorising and multiverse is mere navel gazing. What is it then that leads you to believe one lot of academics is Courtier replying and the other isn't.

Again, the fact that there's an observable phenomenon at the base of it all.

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Theology has been a great comfort to millions and the training of  priests and vicars has had a useful pastoral aspect.

Heroin has been a great comfort to millions.

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Scientists with the exception of medical scientists and psychologists not so although have been looked upon as priestly people conferring the blessing of the multiverse and the gift of the string onto the mere mortals....

The scientists that worked on fibre-optic transmission that allows the current expanse of the internet?  The scientists who unravelled nuclear power, or wind turbines, or waste treatment methods?

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Talking of which I don't suppose there can be many a string theorist whose work hasn't been suspected by colleagues of being the Kings new clothes

I don't know if they fall prey to that sort of thinking about each other, they're people and they're fallible, but in my (limited) experience of scientists they tend to be as accepting of the scientific process and competing ideas as anyone else.

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Lord love you Outrider. Transubstantiation is hardly to theology what maths and physics is to science, you silly sausage.

I know because even as outlandish as string theory seems it's still an attempt at an explanation for something that's real, whereas Transubstantiation is 'serious' theology that's doctrine for millions around the world to explain why something unevidenced makes immeasurable and undemonstrable changes to cheap crackers in response to a magic spell incantation liturgy cast by a sufficiently high-level wizard cleric vicar.

O.
Universes are forever, not just for creation...

New Atheism - because, apparently, there's a use-by date on unanswered questions.

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jeremyp

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #27 on: July 29, 2020, 10:31:13 AM »
And several people are of the opinion that string theorising and multiverse is mere navel gazing. What is it then that leads you to believe one lot of academics is Courtier replying and the other isn't.


String theory and the multiverse are hypotheses about the nature of the Universe. Theology is hypotheses about the nature of God.

You don't need to know anything about string theory to dispute the existence of the Universe. You don't need to know anything about theology to dispute the existence of God.

Even if you just want to dispute the existence of the strings and the eleven dimensions, you don't need to know anything about string theory: it's for the string theorists to bring evidence to support their claims and present it in a way that you understand.
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bluehillside Retd.

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #28 on: July 29, 2020, 02:55:31 PM »
Perce,

Quote
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/is-lawrence-krauss-a-physicist-or-just-a-bad-philosopher/

Second of our series of great atheist scientist philosophers

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/8520033/Stephen-Hawking-tells-Google-philosophy-is-dead.html

So anyway, back to your mischaracterisation in your OP of the Courtier's Reply and my correction of it in Reply 8 that you still haven't addressed. Should I take it that you're adopting your standard MO of evasion. lying, irrelevance and insult while you make good your escape rather than ever engaging openly with an argument that undoes you?

A simple "yes" will do fine.   
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Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #29 on: July 29, 2020, 05:15:53 PM »
Perce,

So anyway, back to your mischaracterisation in your OP of the Courtier's Reply and my correction of it in Reply 8 that you still haven't addressed. Should I take it that you're adopting your standard MO of evasion. lying, irrelevance and insult while you make good your escape rather than ever engaging openly with an argument that undoes you?

A simple "yes" will do fine.
Your definition doesn't fit.
Here it is.o
Dawkins. Theology is Utter bollocks
Well you haven't studied theology and what you have said about it shows ignorance.
Myers. He doesn't have to study it to know its bollocks.
Problem The King was naked. Prove theology is bollocks.
They could see with their wee methodological materialist eyes that the King was naked.........How does Dawkins know theology is bollocks?
« Last Edit: July 29, 2020, 05:32:42 PM by The Suppository of Norman Wisdom »

bluehillside Retd.

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #30 on: July 31, 2020, 05:53:41 PM »
Vlad,

Quote
Your definition doesn't fit.
Here it is.o
Dawkins. Theology is Utter bollocks
Well you haven't studied theology and what you have said about it shows ignorance.
Myers. He doesn't have to study it to know its bollocks.
Problem The King was naked. Prove theology is bollocks.
They could see with their wee methodological materialist eyes that the King was naked.........How does Dawkins know theology is bollocks?

Do you know, to this day I still have never worked out whether you have just enough intelligence to understand some arguments at least but choose to lie about them nonetheless, or whether you simply cannot grasp even a simple point in logic and so post this type of gibberish because you think you save face that way.

Either way I corrected your mistaken/dishonest OP back in Reply 8 and still you’ve shown no sign of understanding it, let alone of trying to argue against it. It’s simple though, even for you:

1. Various foundational arguments are attempted to demonstrate that “god(s)” exist(s). You do not need to be a theologian to make those arguments, and nor do you need to be a theologian to falsify them. And, so far at least, all such arguments – the kalam cosmological argument, the teleological argument, the fine tuning argument, the objective morality argument etc are trivially easy to dismantle. In other words, on the basis of the arguments attempted to justify the claim ”god(s)” made so far, the equivalent to “but the Emperor is naked” is a legitimate response.

This isn’t theology though; it’s just the functional application of reason and logic.

2. There are also though theologians from all faiths who make their various claims and assertions about the characteristics of the various gods in which they happen to believe: whether and how they intervene in response prayer and to sacrifices; whether they’re cruel or kind or vengeful; that they care about about who goes to bed with whom and with what they do when they get there etc.

3. For ease reference, let’s call the former set of foundational arguments “Category 1 arguments", and the second set of attributional arguments “Category 2 arguments”.

Still with me? Good.

4. Now sometimes what happens is that, when reasoning people falsify correctly the Category 1 arguments, certain other people will say that their reasoning is inadmissible not because of anything do with the Category 1 arguments they've falsified, but rather – and you might want to hang on to your hat here if the lightbulb does finally go on – because they’re insufficiently versed in the Category 2 arguments even though the Category 2 arguments have absolutely fuck all to say to the validity or otherwise of the Category 1, foundational arguments for the initial claim “god(s)”.

And that Mr slipperier than a Swarfega bath of eels Vlad is what the Courtier’s Reply is actually about.           

So there you go. You now have no excuse whatsoever to evade, lie about, misrepresent, duck and dive or generally fuck around as is your standard MO whenever the Courtier’s Reply is raised again.

You’re welcome.   
« Last Edit: July 31, 2020, 06:36:07 PM by bluehillside Retd. »
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jeremyp

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #31 on: July 31, 2020, 07:06:54 PM »
Your definition doesn't fit.
Here it is.o
Dawkins. Theology is Utter bollocks
Citation needed.
Quote
Well you haven't studied theology and what you have said about it shows ignorance.
Myers. He doesn't have to study it to know its bollocks.
Problem The King was naked. Prove theology is bollocks.
They could see with their wee methodological materialist eyes that the King was naked.........How does Dawkins know theology is bollocks?
The problem with theology is it is a house built on sand. Nobody knows if the object of its study even exists. That's how we know to dismiss it.
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Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #32 on: August 01, 2020, 08:52:06 AM »
Citation needed.The problem with theology is it is a house built on sand. Nobody knows if the object of its study even exists. That's how we know to dismiss it.
But nobody knows if the multiverse or string theories exist. Should we dismiss those?

Reasons for theology
1: There are sufficient numbers that want it.
2: There is no case against it raised that isn’t retracted
3: There is the pastoral aspect of theology. People have had an experience which is partly resolved , managed and directed by its study and consideration. You no longer need to get on board.
4: As well as pastoral impacts, Theology has had a vast influence on Western philosophy and science.
While the contribution of so called New Atheists beside it is......perhaps a bit more than graffiti more a bit of vandalism.

bluehillside Retd.

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #33 on: August 01, 2020, 10:19:15 AM »
Perce,

Quote
But nobody knows if the multiverse or string theories exist. Should we dismiss those?

False analogy – hypotheses about a multiverse and string theory are:

1. Based at least on known principles 
2. In principle investigable if ever we had the tools and means to do it
3. Posited as possible answers (that’s the “hypotheses” part). They are not asserted to be facts

Theology on the other hand is:

1. Based on no known logical principles
2. Non-investigable - “faith” is all it has, and there’s no means to investigate faith claims
3. Posited as fact – the premises (“god” etc) and the conclusions (also “god” etc) are the same things, and we’re just supposed to take theologians’ assertions as true because they (or their “holy” books) say so

Then again, you knew all this already didn’t you.   

Quote
Reasons for theology
1: There are sufficient numbers that want it.
2: There is no case against it raised that isn’t retracted
3: There is the pastoral aspect of theology. People have had an experience which is partly resolved , managed and directed by its study and consideration. You no longer need to get on board.
4: As well as pastoral impacts, Theology has had a vast influence on Western philosophy and science.
While the contribution of so called New Atheists beside it is......perhaps a bit more than graffiti more a bit of vandalism.

2 is clearly bollocks, and none of these “reasons" tell you a single thing about whether any of theology's claims and assertions are actually true.

Which is rather the point I’d have thought.   
« Last Edit: August 01, 2020, 10:22:18 AM by bluehillside Retd. »
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Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #34 on: August 01, 2020, 11:06:56 AM »
Perce,

False analogy – hypotheses about a multiverse and string theory are:

1. Based at least on known principles 
2. In principle investigable if ever we had the tools and means to do it
3. Posited as possible answers (that’s the “hypotheses” part). They are not asserted to be facts

Theology on the other hand is:

1. Based on no known logical principles
2. Non-investigable - “faith” is all it has, and there’s no means to investigate faith claims
3. Posited as fact – the premises (“god” etc) and the conclusions (also “god” etc) are the same things, and we’re just supposed to take theologians’ assertions as true because they (or their “holy” books) say so

Then again, you knew all this already didn’t you.   

2 is clearly bollocks, and none of these “reasons" tell you a single thing about whether any of theology's claims and assertions are actually true.

Which is rather the point I’d have thought.
Hillside, I will try to get round for a more thorough dissection of this post.

For the time being it’s not methodological materialism versus God it is Philosophy, pastoral studies, theology and methodological materialism........the philosophy could be yours.

Lastly for now  Vis a vis retraction, yes I admit hyperbole there but what atheist, when the going gets tough, does not retreat to atheism is merely the lack of belief in God/s?
« Last Edit: August 01, 2020, 11:09:12 AM by The Suppository of Norman Wisdom »

bluehillside Retd.

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #35 on: August 01, 2020, 11:33:03 AM »
Vlad,

Quote
Hillside, I will try to get round for a more thorough dissection of this post.

Rather than do that, why not:

1. Address my explanation of where you went wrong re the CR; and

2. Try at least to understand why scientific hypotheses and theological claims of fact are not in same epistemological category.

Quote
For the time being it’s not methodological materialism versus God it is Philosophy, pastoral studies, theology and methodological materialism........the philosophy could be yours.

Irrelevant gibberish. Rather than attempt terms you don’t understand, why not try at least to respond in plain terms to what’s actually been explained to you?

Quote
Lastly for now  Vis a vis retraction, yes I admit hyperbole there but what atheist, when the going gets tough, does not retreat to atheism is merely the lack of belief in God/s?

First, it’s not a “retreat” – that’s what atheism is.

Second, your problem with the CR isn’t one of hyperbole. Your problem is that you don’t understand (or choose to misrepresent) the basic thrust of the argument. In plain terms I set out for you in Reply 30 what the CR is actually about – you should retract your OP not because of your hyperbolic language, but because you got that wrong.     
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Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #36 on: August 01, 2020, 11:42:53 AM »
Vlad,

Rather than do that, why not:

1. Address my explanation of where you went wrong re the CR; and

OK It’s shite........addressed enough for you?
Theology and the kings new clothes is bad analogy, category error, argument from disbelief and horses laugh. Anything else you need or will that do to be getting on with?
« Last Edit: August 01, 2020, 11:53:10 AM by The Suppository of Norman Wisdom »

jeremyp

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #37 on: August 01, 2020, 11:50:11 AM »
But nobody knows if the multiverse or string theories exist. Should we dismiss those?
Yes if you like.

Quote
Reasons for theology
1: There are sufficient numbers that want it.
Sufficient numbers of what? People? I would say that very few people want theology. Lots of them want religion, but that's not the same thing.
Quote
2: There is no case against it raised that isn’t retracted
The major case against theology is that it is the study of something that is almost certainly imaginary. I don't think that case has been retracted.
Quote
3: There is the pastoral aspect of theology. People have had an experience which is partly resolved , managed and directed by its study and consideration. You no longer need to get on board.
You are conflating religion and theology.
Quote
4: As well as pastoral impacts, Theology has had a vast influence on Western philosophy and science.
So have alchemy and astrology. Modern chemistry and astronomy grew out of them. It hasn't stopped them from being bollocks though.
« Last Edit: August 01, 2020, 11:53:03 AM by jeremyp »
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Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #38 on: August 01, 2020, 11:56:17 AM »
Yes if you like.

Now that is consistency.

Although unlike you I think we should consider them but under the title philosophy ditto God.
« Last Edit: August 01, 2020, 12:02:25 PM by The Suppository of Norman Wisdom »

bluehillside Retd.

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #39 on: August 01, 2020, 11:57:26 AM »
Vlad,

Quote
OK It’s shite........addressed enough for you?

You couldn't do it could you. Not even once. No matter how persistently wrong you are and no matter how often you're corrected, you'll never, ever have the wit or the honesty to deal with problems you give yourself.

Replies 8 & 30 explain clearly what the CR actually entails. If you can't or won't deal with that, that's a matter for you. Until you either muster a refuting argument of your own or retract your OP though the only thing that's "shite" here is your OP.   
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bluehillside Retd.

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #40 on: August 01, 2020, 11:59:55 AM »
Vlad,

Quote
Theology and the kings new clothes is bad analogy, category error, argument from disbelief and horses laugh. Anything else you need or will that do to be getting on with?

Either deal with the correction you've been given or don't. Just lying and evading doesn't help you though.
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Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #41 on: August 01, 2020, 12:11:41 PM »
Vlad,

Either deal with the correction you've been given or don't. Just lying and evading doesn't help you though.
Yes I have I believe I conceded that of course what the courtier said in the story was fallacious and there are examples of it in politics. It is also true that commenting on something you don’t know about can also be  fallacious. Dawkins well and truly falls into the second category.

Even atheists such as the courageous and philosophically trained Michael Ruse said as much.

jeremyp

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #42 on: August 01, 2020, 12:18:54 PM »
Although unlike you I think we should consider them but under the title philosophy ditto God.

Why are you obsessed with labels? Why do you need a title? In any case, did you not know that all of science is a branch of philosophy? In fact, Newton, great scientist though he was, lived before the term "science" was coined. He would have called himself a "natural philosopher".
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jeremyp

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #43 on: August 01, 2020, 12:20:59 PM »
Yes I have I believe I conceded that of course what the courtier said in the story was fallacious and there are examples of it in politics. It is also true that commenting on something you don’t know about can also be  fallacious. Dawkins well and truly falls into the second category.

Even atheists such as the courageous and philosophically trained Michael Ruse said as much.

What comment on theology has Dawkins made that is incorrect?
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bluehillside Retd.

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #44 on: August 01, 2020, 12:24:12 PM »
Vlad,

Quote
Yes I have I believe I conceded that of course what the courtier said in the story was fallacious and there are examples of it politics. It is also true that commenting on something you don’t know about can also be  fallacious. Dawkins well and truly falls into the second category.

So close – but then you fell in a heap again. “Commenting on something you don’t know about” isn’t what the CR is about. Try reading Replies 8 & 30 to understand why. If I said “leprechauns are real and here’s why”, you identified my reasons as false, and I replied, “but your opinion is worthless because you don’t have my detailed knowledge of leprechaunal ways and doings gleaned from years of study of the holy leprechaun texts” then you’d understand what the CR is actually about. And if ever you did do that, maybe you’d finally understand that the CR isn’t about a “...bad analogy, category error, argument from disbelief and horses laugh” at all.

Quote
Even atheists such as the courageous and philosophically trained Michael Ruse said as much.

I assume you’re attempting a joke here right?
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Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #45 on: August 01, 2020, 12:26:24 PM »
Yes if you like.
Sufficient numbers of what? People? I would say that very few people want theology. Lots of them want religion, but that's not the same thing.The major case against theology is that it is the study of something that is almost certainly imaginary. I don't think that case has been retracted. You are conflating religion and theology.So have alchemy and astrology. Modern chemistry and astronomy grew out of them. It hasn't stopped them from being bollocks though.
What parts of alchemy and astrology remain in chemistry and astronomy if they are evolved from them.

God being almost certainly ( isn’t that a peculiar phrase? )imaginary is a belief isn’t it?

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #46 on: August 01, 2020, 12:27:48 PM »
Vlad,

So close – but then you fell in a heap again. “Commenting on something you don’t know about” isn’t what the CR is about. Try reading Replies 8 & 30 to understand why. If I said “leprechauns are real and here’s why”, you identified my reasons as false, and I replied, “but your opinion is worthless because you don’t have my detailed knowledge of leprechaunal ways and doings gleaned from years of study of the holy leprechaun texts” then you’d understand what the CR is actually about. And if ever you did do that, maybe you’d finally understand that the CR isn’t about a “...bad analogy, category error, argument from disbelief and horses laugh” at all.

I assume you’re attempting a joke here right?
No Dawkins is the Joke.

jeremyp

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #47 on: August 01, 2020, 12:31:12 PM »
What parts of alchemy and astrology remain in chemistry and astronomy if they are evolved from them.
Who says any part has to remain? Has anything useful at all ever evolved out of theology?

Quote
God being almost certainly ( isn’t that a peculiar phrase? )imaginary is a belief isn’t it?
I think it's fair to say that the Christian version of God does not exist just based on the fact that the concept of the Christian god is incoherent.
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Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #48 on: August 01, 2020, 12:33:58 PM »
Vlad,

So close – but then you fell in a heap again. “Commenting on something you don’t know about” isn’t what the CR is about. Try reading Replies 8 & 30 to understand why. If I said “leprechauns are real and here’s why”, you identified my reasons as false, and I replied, “but your opinion is worthless because you don’t have my detailed knowledge of leprechaunal ways and doings gleaned from years of study of the holy leprechaun texts” then you’d understand what the CR is actually about. And if ever you did do that, maybe you’d finally understand that the CR isn’t about a “...bad analogy, category error, argument from disbelief and horses laugh” at all.

From someone who keeps coming up with variable definitions of Leprechauns from little men to indistinguishable from Abrahamic divinity you are on dodgy grounds about not knowing about Leprechauns.

You therefore make the same sort of philosophical blunders as Dawkins and put up the same limp excuses.

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: The use of the Courtiers reply in science.
« Reply #49 on: August 01, 2020, 12:35:40 PM »
Vlad,


I assume you’re attempting a joke here right?

Less of a joke more of a ruse.