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So, there’s a discussion on facebook about miracles,and about which religion one would pick based on miracles. Discussing religion is a time-honored tradition..at least, I assume that people have been doing it prior to this internet thing.. and I’m sure this is a topic that has come up before. Of course, most of the miracles that we’ve seen lately, we’ve built ourselves. [with the possible exception of a planet full of people displaying free will, which is perhaps the biggest miracle of all]
Perhaps God has grown apprehensive about communications with humans. I know I have.
December 16th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Neither emergent phenomenon, or statistically unlikely things in an infinitely large universe(s), are miracles. They’re inevitable.
December 17th, 2009 at 5:38 am
And this universe or universes stretches on and on forever and forever with no end without order or planning? And, that is more believable?
December 17th, 2009 at 6:44 am
I’m glad my discussion was thought-provoking! I mostly put it up to poke fun at religion, as I don’t consider any of the “religious miracles” to be actual miracles. Your view that science & technology advancements are the real miracles is much in line with my own.
December 19th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Science & technology are inevitable with a sentient species that survives long enough 🙂
January 10th, 2011 at 9:44 am
@Clint: I realize this is a very very delayed followup, but I’m not sure that follows. It’s possible that a very advanced race could have a extremely rich and complicated life of the mind, and develop evolutionarily ways to connect their minds together and share dreams.. the result would look more like magic than science..
January 10th, 2011 at 11:41 am
But it would still be science. But obviously with near-infinite possibility out there, all things are true. Some are just true more often. Pretty sure that tool use would be the norm amongst those who are physically able. See also: Monkeys, birds.
January 10th, 2011 at 12:31 pm
If one takes a slightly broader view of ‘tool’, even my hypothetical mindplaying society are tool users, they just use tools in the sense that a software developer uses tools, rather than tools in the sense that a carpenter does.
I take your point, but I’m wondering if you could tell me what you mean by the word ‘science’ – the hypothesize-and-test-and-record-results approach? The collection of information about what has worked in the past? ‘science’, like ‘tool’, would seem to be a really broad topic. In fact, I’m rescending my previous disagreement as I think it was based on too narrow a view of ‘science’ and ‘technology’.. where ‘science’ is ‘finding out what works’ and tech is ‘using what works’. 😉
January 11th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
Telepathy is not tool use. Even telekinesis is not tool use.
“knowledge or a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws especially as obtained and tested through scientific method”
September 6th, 2011 at 11:32 pm
In the sense of tools that Flex or GCC is a tool, Telepathy most certainly is tool use. I don’t remember what this comment was on (shame on me for replying ;-)) but ‘tool’ need not refer to some physical thing. I use mental tools – widgets with defined inputs and outputs like cost-benefit analysis and pros and cons lists – without ever physically doing anything. ‘Tool’ is a broader word than you might be giving it credit for.
September 9th, 2011 at 7:32 am
In the metaphorical sense you’re using, almost everything is everything. My food is a “tool”, it helps me take a dump. My sense of injustice is a “tool”, it helps me adjust my moral compass. When I sneeze, it’s a “tool” to help clear my nose. I think we’re kind of off topic now, though, as I can barely relate this part of the conversatoin to the original post 🙂