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Faith, not reason.

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Juan Posted: Mon, Oct 12 2009 10:42 PM
laminustacitus:
And you have no faith whatsoever?
I don't think so. At least, I don't believe in patently absurd things.
Are you irrational for not bowing to the consensus of college professors when it comes to economics.
No, I'm rational for not bowing to the nonsense the establishment preaches.
Would Keynes be correct if 100% of the world believe him?
No.

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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Juan:
laminustacitus:
And you have no faith whatsoever?
I don't think so. At least, I don't believe in patently absurd things.

So you expect me to believe that you have absolutely no faith in your moral convictions. Do you not have faith that the "patently absurd things" do not exist?

 

Juan:
Are you irrational for not bowing to the consensus of college professors when it comes to economics.
No, I'm rational for not bowing to the nonsense the establishment preaches.

What is "the establishment"? If your beliefs are "the establishment" are you still against "the establishment"?

I am becoming a Burkean Whig.

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Juan replied on Mon, Oct 12 2009 10:54 PM
So you expect me to believe that you have absolutely no faith in your moral convictions.
Right. My moral convictions are rational, not based on faith. What's the relevance of that anyway ?

If you can prove that organized religion is not a pack of lies, go ahead. Otherwise...
What is "the establishment"? If your beliefs are "the establishment" are you still against "the establishment"?
Not sure what your point is. Do you have any ?

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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Just for you, Juan Stick out tongue

Eris

 

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Juan replied on Mon, Oct 12 2009 11:00 PM
Interesting. I'll check that out later. Meanwhile you can explain why you confuse 'benefit' with 'rationality'.

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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Juan:
So you expect me to believe that you have absolutely no faith in your moral convictions.
Right. My moral convictions are rational, not based on faith.

I highly doubt that. I highly doubt you can give a rational argument for every single one of your beliefs without the need for belief whatsoever.

 

Juan:
If you can prove that organized religion is not a pack of lies, go ahead. Otherwise...

And you have faith that they are a pack of lies - you have a faith that, unless proven otherwise, a belief should not be held.

 

Juan:
laminustacitus:

Juan:
I'm rational for not bowing to the nonsense the establishment preaches.

What is "the establishment"? If your beliefs are "the establishment" are you still against "the establishment"?

 Not sure what your point is. Do you have any ?

That you are a provocateur who stands on unstable ground.

I am becoming a Burkean Whig.

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Juan replied on Mon, Oct 12 2009 11:11 PM
Pathetic, Lam.

Show that the lies of your church are true...if you can.

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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Juan:
Pathetic, Lam.

Show that the lies of your church are true...if you can.

Don't switch the subject once you've been cornered.

I am becoming a Burkean Whig.

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Juan replied on Mon, Oct 12 2009 11:13 PM
No. The problem is that YOU changed the subject. So, show that your absurd 'religious' beliefs are rational - Please, you don't change the subject.

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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Juan:
No. The problem is that YOU changed the subject. So, show that your absurd 'religious' beliefs are rational - Please, you don't change the subject.

No, Juan, what I am saying is that human reason has a limit, and that a basic result of that is that many of our ethical, moral, and religious beliefs must be founded on faith. The atheist has faith that God does not exist just as a Christian believes that Jesus Christ rose from the dead on Easter. In fact, the entire thesis that all beliefs must be supported by evidence is circular for where does that thesis emerge from, but a commitment of faith? 

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Juan replied on Mon, Oct 12 2009 11:29 PM
No, Juan, what I am saying is that human reason has a limit,
That's why I'm an agnostic, not an atheist - but I don't think the limits of human reason are the problem here. Human reason does work when used to debunk revealed religion.
The atheist has faith that God does not exist just as a Christian believes that Jesus Christ rose from the dead on Easter.
Proof that jesus ever existed, let alone rose from the dead ?
In fact, the entire thesis that all beliefs must be supported by evidence is circular for where does that thesis emerge from, but a commitment of faith?
I never said that all beliefs must be supported by evidence. But that doesn't prevent me from asking for evidence for the claims of organized religion.

Also, I don't see how the thesis that all assertions must be somehow proven has anything to do with faith.

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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Juan:
No, Juan, what I am saying is that human reason has a limit,
That's why I'm an agnostic, not an atheist - but I don't think the limits of human reason are the problem here.

Agnosticism is based on faith just like atheism; the entire question of faith with respect to the existence of God is unavoidable, and the question of faith is an inquiry as to the limits of human knowledge, and hence reason.

 

Juan:
Human reason does work when used to debunk revealed religion.

No it does not. One cannot rationally prove that Jesus Christ never rose from the dead. All that reason can do is give reasons for not believing it, and vice versa.

 

Juan:
In fact, the entire thesis that all beliefs must be supported by evidence is circular for where does that thesis emerge from, but a commitment of faith?
I never said that all beliefs must be supported by evidence.

It was a preemptive refutation of the thesis that all beliefs must be supported by evidence therefore showing that there are certain beliefs that can only be supported by faith.

 

Juan:
Also, I don't see how the thesis that all assertions must be somehow proven has anything to do with faith.

Ever read William Clifford's "The Ethics of Belief", or James William's "The Will to Believe." The thesis has great relevance not only to the question of faith over the question of whether, or not it is moral to base beliefs on faith, but also to the question of what beliefs can even be supported by evidence, and what are the ones that are a matter of faith.

I am becoming a Burkean Whig.

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Juan replied on Tue, Oct 13 2009 1:38 AM
Agnosticism is based on faith just like atheism;
Agnosticism is a philosophical position which explicitly recognizes the limitations of reason. I think you know that. But agnosticism does not open the door to faith nor is it based on faith.
One cannot rationally prove that Jesus Christ never rose from the dead.
Actually, what one can't do is prove that Jesus rose from the dead (granting he existed, which he didn't).
All that reason can do is give reasons for not believing it, and vice versa.
Yeah, reason can give reasons for not believing absurd things. If you want to believe absurd things, go ahead, but don't pretend it's rational, don't pretend it's justified, admit it's just tales.

Thanks for the pointers to Clifford and Williams. I'll check the papers you mentioned.

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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Juan,

Can you prove that I exist beyond Cartesian doubt or do you believe on the grounds of sufficient reason that I do?

The atoms tell the atoms so, for I never was or will but atoms forevermore be.

Yours sincerely,

Physiocrat

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Juan:
Are you irrational for not bowing to the consensus of college professors when it comes to economics.
No, I'm rational for not bowing to the nonsense the establishment preaches.
I'm not getting into the religeon topic here but somone presented me with this argument and if its true then 1. There should only be one huge textbook for each subject 2. You have no right to disagree with any intellectuals including the ones at Mises 3. We should have Plato's whole philosipher king/ leader thing where the ivory towers will command us all like the gods thet are 4. If we always believed mainstream stuff we'd still think the world is flat

All the statists and Keynesians will look up and shout "Save Us!" and I'll wisper "No." 

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Paul replied on Tue, Oct 13 2009 7:02 AM

Juan:
That's why I'm an agnostic, not an atheist

AFAICT, the only difference between an "agnostic" and an "atheist" is the former doesn't like to be called the latter.

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laminustacitus:
So you expect me to believe that you have absolutely no faith in your moral convictions. Do you not have faith that the "patently absurd things" do not exist?
Who needs faith when you have a real epistemic method called reason? Please PLEASE do not conflate rational trust with faith, either.

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laminustacitus:
No, Juan, what I am saying is that human reason has a limit, and that a basic result of that is that many of our ethical, moral, and religious beliefs must be founded on faith. The atheist has faith that God does not exist just as a Christian believes that Jesus Christ rose from the dead on Easter.
False. We have as much faith that there is no god as we have faith that there are no square circles and married bachelors. That you are incapable of understanding that is YOUR problem and YOUR problem alone.

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Physiocrat:
Can you prove that I exist beyond Cartesian doubt or do you believe on the grounds of sufficient reason that I do?
The mere fact that you asked and posted demonstrates your existence.

 

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