Saturday, August 13, 2011

God, the Afterlife, and the Scientific Method


I would like to know whether the traditional religious convictions which hold that “God exists!” and that “there is an afterlife!” are created using the scientific method to interpret subjective data.  As I understand the situation of knowledge in relationship to the scientific method, the certainty generated by using the scientific method to reliably predict future events is only reliably possible when using objective data.  If that is so, religious convictions which hold that “God exists!” and that “there is an afterlife!” must embrace a greater degree of faith because they seem to be based on using the scientific method with subjective data.  But, as a starting point for this journey, is it necessary that the scientific method only be used with objective data for the purpose of reliably predicting future events? Who’s perspective on this matter is trustable and why?  Moreover, which method do religious people consciously think they are using to produce convictions that “God exists!” and “there is an afterlife!”?  Is there any credible way to see such convictions based on a method other than the scientific method?  And again, who’s perspective on this matter is trustable and why?

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Lexicon Valley

So, I was listening to NPR's show "On the Media" and this segment came up unexpectedly...it was great!

Back by popular demand, here's another installment of Mike Vuolo's "Lexicon Valley." In February 2010, the last living speaker of Boa died, and with her, the logic, culture, and history of the ancient people. Mike and Bob discuss the death of languages and why their passing matters. http://www.onthemedia.org/2011/jul/29/lexicon-valley-episode-2/