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From: savage@ssc-vax.UUCP (Lowell Savage)
Newsgroups: net.philosophy
Subject: Re: Penses
Message-ID: <766@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 22-May-85 20:37:58 EDT
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.766
Posted: Wed May 22 20:37:58 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 24-May-85 03:05:41 EDT
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Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
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Henry Polard writes:
> There is an additional way to prove the existence of (a) God(s) - 
> demonstration.  If God were to appear personally in all His glory 
> for everyone to see, that would certainly be proof of His existence.
> The fact that it hasn't happened recently tends to cloud the issue.

The trouble with such a thing occurring is that the phenomena of the
God's (or god's) appearance would have to be explained by science as
something occurring within the universe.  In other words: "powerful,
previously unknown entity 'reveals' self to a group of men with
accompanying marvelous works.  Entity claims to be 'God' (whatever
that means).  Scientists now say 'There exists a powerful, previously
unknown entity which is capable of marvelous works and which claims
to be God (whatever that means).'  We still don't know whether the
powerful entity is part of nature or not.  If it is part of nature,
then it is not God.  If it is not a part of nature, we still don't
know whether it is God since a God could have made nature and some
other things as well.

The main premise in this argument is that God (if such an entity
exists) is the creator of the universe and of nature (perhaps
that statement is redundant, perhaps not).

I still stand by my statement, (which I have revised hoping for more
clarity), "Science is incapable of investigating claims of beings
outside of 'nature'.  God is an entity which, in existence, must be
outside of 'nature'.  Therefore, the existence of God is scientifically
unknowable."

    I hope you enjoyed your marshmellows, Henry.  I'm going down to
my local supermarket to get some for myself so that I can more fully
enjoy your reply.

				There's more than one way to be savage.

				Lowell C. Savage (uw-beaver!ssc-vax!savage)