From: rhuss+@EDRC.CMU.EDU (Robert Huss)
Subject: Re: YO! READ THIS (not an answer, a question) (WAS: Re: Truth)
Organization: Carnegie Mellon University
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 16:08:31 GMT

In article <1992Dec19.184748.22163@mksol.dseg.ti.com>, noonan@mksol.dseg.ti.com (Michael P Noonan) writes:




|> |> There could be a god, who encouraged many forms of religion, all with some
|> |> common ground.
|> 
|> There could be, but why should you believe that there is?  A lot of things
|> "could be".
|> 
|> I really don't understand how you can be an atheist and believe that there
|> are universal truths.  (Although I have a feeling I'm going to find out!)
|> If you're going to go that far, you might as well believe in a god, too.
|> There is just as much evidence for each, IMNSHO.  To me it is just wishful
|> thinking that there is a Universal Truth, at least until I see some evidence
|> for it.

	Well, according to other posts "defining" the levels of atheism,
I'd be a weak athiest.  I don't believe in god, don't think there is one,
but I'm not so sure of myself that I would say that there couldn't be.  Actually,
I'm very confident that there is no god like the various religions claim there
is.  Given the nature of the universe however, it is quite possible that there
are "godlike" entities, or a single godlike entity.  
	As far as my belief in a Universal Truth, I think it is obvious that
there is a single way that the universe DID come into existance, and a single
set of physical laws which rule the universe.  I just think that Belief in
a specific Truth doesn't make a bit of difference to us.

 
|> |> 	I think 3 is kind of neat, although I don't buy it.  There are theories
|> |> about multiple universes, mutliple dimensions and such which might allow 3
|> |> to flourish.
|> 
|> Like I said, I wouldn't have phrased 3 the way you did.  If there is no
|> truth, then there is no truth.  What's all this multiple universe stuff
|> all about?
|> 
|> |> Perhaps our "souls" are interfacing in this dimension via
|> |> these bodies, but there are other possible dimensions, and other possible
|> |> creations of the universe.  Therefore, when we die, our "souls" would
|> |> return to their respective home dimensions, and the alternate realities 
|> |> would
|> |> be experienced.
|> 
|> What's all this "soul" stuff about?  I'm not sure what you mean here.
|> It all sounds like jibberish to me.  Are you an atheist who believes in
|> souls?  Please don't take offense, but this last paragraph is all very
|> confusing to me.  Why are there "souls" if there is no God, no Truth?

	Since I am simply proposing possibilities, not explaining my beliefs.
That is why I am putting quotation marks around the word souls.  I am proposing
that the reference for a Universal Truth is the creation of the universe.  If
we propose that there is no One Truth, then we are saying that the creation of 
the universe was not a specific unique event.  If it was, then this would be the
basis for the Truth.
	So, if there is no such thing as One Truth, then there is no such thing
as a unique creation of the universe, and there are multiple possibilities
for the creation of the universe.  Each person's belief would define a truth.
so I'm using the word "soul" to denote a person's true self.  If there are multiple truths which are all true, there must be some way for them to be
compatible.  If I'm right that there is no god, and Pat Robertson is right
that there is a god, there must be some complex ordering of "reality" for
them both to hold.


|> 
|> Perhaps a better way of saying 3 would be the following:
|> 
|>  3'. There is no such thing as One Truth.  Each person's perception of
|>      truth is unique.  There are multiple ways to live your life with
|>      meaning - pick one.

	Your way of saying 3 makes no real distinction on the personal level
between 2 and 3.  2 states that there is a One Truth, but that it doesn't matter
what your perception of truth is.  My original statement of 3 suggests that
there is no One Truth, and multiple ways to be right, but it certainly would
matter what you believed, since your belief could affect your Truth.  In
2, your belief would not affect the Truth.

Bob "deeper and deeper (make that stranger and stranger)" Huss.
Newsgroups: alt.atheism