/sci/ - Science & Math

Dawkins’s writing gives the impression of clarity, but his readable style can cover over major conceptual confusions. For example, the core of his case against God’s existence, as he summarizes it on pages 188-189 of his “The God Delusion.”, seems to go like this:

1. There is need for an explanation of the apparent design of the universe.

2. The universe is highly complex.

3. An intelligent designer of the universe would be even more highly complex.

4. A complex designer would itself require an explanation.

5. Therefore, an intelligent designer will not provide an explanation of the universe’s complexity.

6. On the other hand, the (individually) simple processes of natural selection can explain the apparent design of the universe.

7. Therefore, an intelligent designer (God) almost certainly does not exist.

As formulated, this argument is an obvious non-sequitur. The premises (1-6), if true, show only that God cannot be posited as the explanation for the apparent design of the universe, which can rather be explained by natural selection. They do nothing to show that “God almost certainly does not exist” (189).

>>1142393
....

Honestly. 10/10. You did fantastic. I fucking hate you and especially hate your persona, but congratulations. Asshole.

>>1118287
http://milesmathis.com/gold3.html
>THE SIMPLE PROOF OF GOLDBACH'S CONJECTURE
>Why is the Sky Blue? Current theory is shown to be upside-down. 13pp.
>The Extinction of π. Here I show that the true value of π, defined as the ratio of circumference to diameter, is 4. 15pp.
>Why the Atomic World is 100 Times Larger than We Thought. Important corrections to Rutherford's scattering equations yield new size estimates. 8pp.
>The Moon Gives up a Secret. Numbers from the Moon are analyzed to show that "gravity" is a compound field. 4pp.
>The Proof of the Derivative for Powers is False. I show yet another reason the proof by going to zero is wrong. 10pp.

>1584pp. total. 5/27/2010.

>PUBLISHING UPDATE, 5/28/2010. My publisher has apparently never seen a science book before, so the the galley corrections took forever. However, the first copies have been printed and the book should be available within 10 days. As soon as the book is available at Authorhouse, I will post a link to the order page. Sorry for the delay.

>http://mileswmathis.com/bio.html

Basically, he's taught himself physics, had nobody to point out the errors, and things just got worse from there.

HOLY SHIT I'M RAGING

>>1110383
Fuck. Why am I even replying to you.

>God needs no temporal cause as he is not a material entity
Cop-out. I might as well say that the Universe needs no temporal cause as it simply "is." Since time exists as a part of the universe, without the universe there is no time.

Also, the ontological argument is bullshit. Firstly because "perfection" is very subjective, secondly because "existence" is not a predicate for perfection, and third because, well, this counter-proof:

1. The creation of the world is the most marvelous achievement imaginable.
2. The merit of an achievement is the product of (a) its intrinsic quality, and (b) the ability of its creator.
3. The greater the disability (or handicap) of the creator, the more impressive the achievement.
4. The most formidable handicap for a creator would be non-existence.
5. Therefore if we suppose that the universe is the product of an existent creator we can conceive a greater being, namely, one who created everything while not existing.
6. Therefore, God does not exist.

Not to mention the possible argument, "imagine the perfect island. This island must exist, as must the perfect pencil, yada yada."

>Even if you have an infinite universe, you still need something to cause that universe to exist.

No.

>>993536
Would rage again, especially because many Christians would read that and believe it.

>>986809
Pic related.

>>986816
What's north of the North Pole? What is on the page before the first page of a book (as in, the page before the cover)? It's pointless to ask what was before the Big Bang because it's very possible that there WAS nothing prior to it.

>>975631
>Pseudosciences
>Evolutionary Biology
>Vaccines