Jarhyn
Wizard
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2010
- Messages
- 14,632
- Gender
- Androgyne; they/them
- Basic Beliefs
- Natural Philosophy, Game Theoretic Ethicist
So, taking after my desire to look at problems from new or interesting directions, especially considerations of "god" owing to my predilections...
Perhaps instead of discussing 'belief that there is a...' we can discuss 'how can I improve my understanding of ___ by thinking about...'
As such, perhaps I would like here to discuss things which, while we probably ought not have belief in such without evidence, consideration of the thing as a concept nonetheless yields some interesting and useful outcomes.
Among these is already my discussion of simulation and Pascal's Wager, or in discussing concepts such as "free will" in the context of determinism.
Other times, there is the use of "god" as a stand-in for what we don't know, something to place in a gap because we don't have better words perhaps not to allow 'belief in', but simply as an unsatisfying placeholder that goads us to make better words.
What other beneficial philosophical uses of this ideological tool might be observed?
Perhaps instead of discussing 'belief that there is a...' we can discuss 'how can I improve my understanding of ___ by thinking about...'
As such, perhaps I would like here to discuss things which, while we probably ought not have belief in such without evidence, consideration of the thing as a concept nonetheless yields some interesting and useful outcomes.
Among these is already my discussion of simulation and Pascal's Wager, or in discussing concepts such as "free will" in the context of determinism.
Other times, there is the use of "god" as a stand-in for what we don't know, something to place in a gap because we don't have better words perhaps not to allow 'belief in', but simply as an unsatisfying placeholder that goads us to make better words.
What other beneficial philosophical uses of this ideological tool might be observed?