Public debate is an essential ingredient of democracy. By encouraging both sides to present the most convincing argument, the facts surface and allow the rest of us to make up our minds. However, this process only works if the individuals involved are interested in making an informed assessment of the issues. At some point the facts emerge and the debate is over.
Archive for August, 2008
When debate is pointless
Saturday, August 16th, 2008Argument against a personal God
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008As I see it, there is no evidence that a personal God exists in the form described in “Holy” books such as the Bible. The basis of our belief in God is in ancient written records and oral tradition. Not only are these sources known to be an unreliable method of transmitting information; but if taken literally, one can find many statements that are inconsistent with reality.
Can science and faith lead to truth?
Tuesday, August 5th, 2008I am always excited to learn new things, especially if I gain a deeper understanding about life. The best way to learn is to discuss and debate topics that make us uncomfortable. So, I started this site with the intension of communicating with others who have the same interest.s This blog is a companion to my other site, which will publish essays on science and religion., as well as provide useful information and links to resources.
My hope is to cover topics that go well beyond what most people would call science or religion. Stephen J. Gould argued that Science and Religion form two non-overlapping magisteria, or NOMAs (see a discussion on this topic at http://www.afterourtime.com/wiki/index.php?title=Science_and_Religion). For gaining understanding, science uses the scientific method while religion is based on faith. (more…)