I'm currently in a fairly cordial debate with a Christian over at CARM about the problem of evil that has devolved, predictably, into basic epistemology. IN summary,
My opponent: if we prevent evil or if we don't, God's greater purpose is achieved, it's all part of God's plan.
Me: that's unfalsifiable.
My opponent: I know that God is love, even if I can't demonstrate that to you.
Me: that's unfalsifiable.
My opponent: we all accept everyday reality as real, as opposed to it only appearing that way since we are just really brains in vats (BIV). We all accept unfalsifiable propositions like we are not brains in vats.
Me: Occam's razor supports that reality is what it seems because you'd need other assumptions (the vat exists, we are all just brains, etc.) to support the BIV theory.
My opponent: BIV or not, we're just accepting a different assumption in both cases.
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It seems to me that Occam's razor, perhaps with the null hypothesis thrown in, still privileges the reality assumption over BIV, but I can't put my finger on it quite. Anyone care to elucidate?
My opponent: if we prevent evil or if we don't, God's greater purpose is achieved, it's all part of God's plan.
Me: that's unfalsifiable.
My opponent: I know that God is love, even if I can't demonstrate that to you.
Me: that's unfalsifiable.
My opponent: we all accept everyday reality as real, as opposed to it only appearing that way since we are just really brains in vats (BIV). We all accept unfalsifiable propositions like we are not brains in vats.
Me: Occam's razor supports that reality is what it seems because you'd need other assumptions (the vat exists, we are all just brains, etc.) to support the BIV theory.
My opponent: BIV or not, we're just accepting a different assumption in both cases.
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It seems to me that Occam's razor, perhaps with the null hypothesis thrown in, still privileges the reality assumption over BIV, but I can't put my finger on it quite. Anyone care to elucidate?
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