His name is RA! The sun God!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_deity

Joking!

Worship is the wrong word.

I am happy that I am actually a live, that I am conscious and not suffering.That I was born at all. Because the probability…[Read more]

By using the word some (quantifier) to describe the (subject) values. It by definition means that there are other values

Enthymeme – a logical argument that contains a conclusion but an implied premise

In ordinary speech we use these all the time ” its raining so I am going to take an umbrella ” it would be really tedious if I were to say…[Read more]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Is%E2%80%93ought_problem

Not sure if there is a clear argument either way, but one way I understand is that what Hume is saying

That there are facts about the world, what IS and what IS not which can be proved right or wrong. For example ice is cold.

He is…[Read more]

Simon Paynton wrote:

Davis wrote:
Perhaps you mean treat those within their family unit, perhaps within their community and maybe within their culture ethically?

Yes.

Davis wrote:
it is an instinct shared by all living things, each to seek in its own way to thrive/survive/reproduce maximally.

This is as false as any statement can be.

Do you…

[Read more]

Reg,

Its been discussed since Aquinas, one modern explanation is called the Alvin Plantinga’s free will defense.

I don’t like it, for the reason that its not logically coherent.

Think about what your saying,

In order for God to “test us” using our free…[Read more]

Simon Paynton wrote:

Clearsky wrote:
Belief if God does not have this ability to make predictions which can be verified in our immediate experience.

What predictions would belief in God make? For one, I think that doing “what God wants” – unselfishly and bravely helping others – should be aided from “on high” or out of nowhere. Reality sho…

[Read more]

It was explained to me in quite comprehensive way.

I still could not understand it,

It could just be me, I guess as I don’t have a good grasp of theology.

Simon Paynton wrote:
Has the Flying Spaghetti Monster caused a book with genuine wisdom in it, to be written? Does the Flying Spaghetti Monster help people in their everyday lives?

The debate is on proofs existence or non existence God that’s one thing

The results and behaviour of a belief or non belief like religious books, rites rituals social…[Read more]

Its one trillion light years from earth so it’s practically  impossible to get there

, its so small that it’s impossible to see and

has no mass to affect gravity

its so quiet that it’s impossible to hear. It gives off no detectable electromagnetic  radiation.

I honestly and faithfully believe in t…[Read more]

Its not my Idea I read about it in an article.  OK people can debate about which beliefs are false or true. ( the belief dimension) that’s subjective.

if people look at the objective consequence of those (false) beliefs. The effects to individuals and society. Which are often harmful. It might be possible to argue against those…[Read more]

1)religion as beliefs and meaning,

Examples
Stuff like beliefs in God, who you are for example a soul and created by God

What’s out there, what is the universe

The beliefs in rites and rituals, miracles

What is moral what is sinful.

2) Religion as Identity( group)

Examples
In group /…[Read more]

I think its good as well.

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

It is when theists say “I am not religious, I just have a personal relationship with Jesus” that the fun starts.

Personally, I’ve never heard that position expressed.

It’s possible because, there are ordinary people called Jesus.

If your husband is called Jesus and you were both Atheist.

Then sayin…[Read more]

Is atheism a religion?

Strega

I think your right here.

Simon Paynton wrote:
@unseen – “You won’t find the Michael Jackson or Dr. Who (technically, Doctor Who) Fan Clubs in an book on major religions of the world.” – apart from the dictionary definition, what attributes do religions have that atheism doesn’t have?

One attribute that Religion has which atheism does NOT have is

The belief in super…[Read more]

They are both in the group of people who both believe in GOD.

The Neighbour of Jesus in the Parable is the ” Good Samaritan ” 

Because he is the Guardian of the Torah and he helps  fellow Believer even though he may hate him.

Which is even worse a person a…[Read more]

Jesus is quoted stating

But those mine enemies, who would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither and slay them before me.’”

Luke 19:27

The Good Samaritan  ( also in Luke) is not one outside of the Group. They are both  believers.

The man who is injured is a Jewish person and the Sama…[Read more]

What makes something right or wrong.

There is a fundamental good aspect of the golden rule, but also drawbacks.

But as you guys know not everything which is natural or nature is moral.

One drawback is that in the G.R ask one to treat others as we would like to be treated.

The problem…[Read more]

I was watching CNN about Jeff Flake about how he may have changed his mind about FBI investigation when he met 2 women who were previous victims of abuse in the…[Read more]

I don’t know if your familiar with Jared Diamond’s work,

Anyway if your not there is a book called.

Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed.

Here is the Wikipedia link.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collapse:_How_Societies_Choose_to_Fail_or_Succeed

I remember there a part in the book where a society, collapsed…[Read more]

The problem is the spell remains.  (pernicious spell of dogmatic religious belief).

Maybe there is a link between belief in God and denying responsibility for the environment?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/06/02/why-dont-christian-conservatives-worry-about-climate-change-god/

If individuals only think about themselves, then we may end up…[Read more]

YouTube Vid on choosing partner , so that it last longer than your car! ( did you know its possible to have an expensive house but a horrible marriage?)

You don’t need to buy it, its free & open access at the royal society for open science. As PDF

Smith D et al.2016Camp stability predicts patterns of hunter–gatherer cooperation. R. Soc. open sci. 3: 160131.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160131

Its not group selection, it can’t be I should have put camp selection!

The individuals in the paper are highly mobile and move between camps. But each camp has a variation in the amount of sharing.

When the individual moved to a new camp. They adopt the new level of sharing.

You can see in the original paper, the geographical  l…[Read more]

I was thinking this, after reading Regs post & article link.

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/way-hunter-gatherers-share-food-shows-how-cooperation-evolved
This study shows that in a highly mobile population, it is the group norm or culture that sets the level of sharing. (as well as fixed disposition nature )
Its  not just kin…[Read more]

Interesting points there, when I was reading that article about Bayle The Huguenot Philosopher and how he was able to conclude

Atheist can be moral and there are immoral believers also.

I was thinking what is he doing mentally which is different to others around him? Which allowed him to reach that conclusion?

One way in which I think he…[Read more]

If you haven’t then Daniel Dennett book

Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon is pretty good.

https://thewire.in/history/how-a-huguenot-philosopher-realised-that-atheists-could-be-virtuous

Conformably Numb= Opium for the masses?

I think Simon is referring to the research done here. When he is referring to Big God.

The Centre for Human Evolution, University of British Columbia.

Home

Anyway its interesting stuff!

I agree, but what practical advice can people give?

As we live in societies  and families & friends of different beliefs. Atheist,  God believer. Even different beliefs about which God?

If certain members of ones family believe in God. But I do not. Does it entail conflict? Always or can we accept a plurality of values?

Family & friends ar…[Read more]

Deuteronomy 4:23-24
IDOLATRY FORBIDDEN
23 “Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, f and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you. 24 “For g the LORD your God is a consuming fire, h a jealous…[Read more]

The most recent one is

#138 – THE EDGE OF HUMANITY
A Conversation with Yuval Noah Harari

Here is the link.

https://samharris.org/podcast/

Thanks for your detailed and considered reply, I was analysing your comment below.
“ In practical terms it’s a way for people to even out a periodic lack of availability of food, by having sharing arrangements with neighbours”

I have a basic understanding of proximate & ultimate goals. Hypothesis ( by Prof De Walls ) which you are u…[Read more]