Pascal's Wager like thinking can justify almost anything

[ygolo]

Pascal's wager - Wikipedia

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Pascal's mugging - Wikipedia

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I'm not sure how to argue against this line of thinking without making more Pascal's wager-like arguments that lead to opposite or contradictory decisions.

 

[ygolo]

I will start making random Pascal Wager-like demands/arguments to show how ridiculous they get.

Aliens from other planets could show up and wipe out humanity. We need to be able to fight them off. The chance may be low, but in order for humanity to survive, we need to invest as much as we can in the global military.

*Of course, I don't believe in this nonsense.

 

[Polaris]

Pascal's Wager assumes a deity would actually want people to believe in him or her. In reality, it's quite possible a god would actually like atheists more than religious fundamentalists due to the fact, for example, that the latter are likelier than atheists to be immoral and intellectually dishonest. Another point against the wager is the fact that God, if he's psychologically similar to humans, would probably take a harsher stance against someone choosing the wrong religion--which would be likely to happen, given the vast number of religions in existence--than he would against an agnostic or someone who simply hasn't made up their mind.

On a side note, I do believe in a supreme being. I just don't think Pascal's Wager is a good argument for that belief.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Pascal's Wager assumes a deity would actually want people to believe in him or her. In reality, it's quite possible a god would actually like atheists more than religious fundamentalists due to the fact, for example, that the latter are likelier than atheists to be immoral and intellectually dishonest. Another point against the wager is the fact that God, if he's psychologically similar to humans, would probably take a harsher stance against someone choosing the wrong religion--which would be likely to happen, given the vast number of religions in existence--than he would against an agnostic or someone who simply hasn't made up their mind.

On a side note, I do believe in a supreme being. I just don't think Pascal's Wager is a good argument for that belief.Aft

After experimenting with religion for a while, I'm back to atheism/agnosticism. It's technically possible that God could exist, I just don't think it makes any sense for me to worship such a being given the world that we're dealing with. If we were maybe dealing with a supreme being who just dealt out horrible fates/unfortunate setbacks to people as they saw, that would be one thing. What it seems to me that I've been dealing with in my life is the existence of false hopes and the apparitions of bright tomorrows before they are all cruelly ripped away, and I'm often left to behold things that mock any meager ambitions I might have had. I see cruelty in that; it creates wounds that are much harder to heal. If God's going to be cruel like that anyway, why should my acknowledgement of the existence of a supreme being even matter in my life? Worship god or things will continue to be shitty after life fucks with your mind for a bit? There's no point.

 

[ygolo]

I wonder if any kids got what they want by claiming it's God's bidding they are doing, or that they need to resist the devil?

Oh wait, wasn't that how the Salem witch trials happened?

 

[The Cat]

I wonder if any kids got what they want by claiming it's God's bidding they are doing, or that they need to resist the devil?

Oh wait, wasn't that how the Salem witch trials happened?

Well that is a questions with a shocking amount of labyrinthine and deep rabbit holes of horror.
Here's one:

​

 

[ygolo]

Well that is a questions with a shocking amount of labyrinthine and deep rabbit holes of horror.
Here's one:

​

"This last picture will shock you", 10 minutes (and 50 ad views) later, you're shocked at how much time you've wasted.

 

[The Cat]

"This last picture will shock you", 10 minutes (and 50 ad views) later, you're shocked at how much time you've wasted.

Didnt watch it did you?

 

[ygolo]

Didnt watch it did you?

Nope. It's narrative style is something I hate.

 

[The Cat]

Nope. It's narrative style is something I hate.

If you didnt watch it, how do you know what it is to hate? Did you at least use Pascal's wager?

 

[ygolo]

If you didnt watch it, how do you know what it is to hate? Did you at least use Pascal's wager?

The style of building "mystery" by leaving out information to try to annoy you to get to the end is annoying and made me skip to the end.

It's a horrible sequence of events. That's all I got from it.

 

[The Cat]

The style of building "mystery" by leaving out information to try to annoy you to get to the end is annoying and made me skip to the end.

It's a horrible sequence of events. That's all I got from it.

Man, I guess that's why you're not a practicing doctor.

 

[ygolo]

Man, I guess that's why you're not a practicing doctor.

Ham fisted "mystery" is different from real life ones.

Real doctors are pretty busy, and patients intentionally hiding information makes a hard job even harder.

I know plenty of practicing doctors who would skip those types of videos.

 

[The Cat]

Ham fisted "mystery" is different from real life ones.

Real doctors are pretty busy, and patients intentionally hiding information makes a hard job even harder.

I know plenty of practicing doctors who would skip those types of videos.

No patience. (patients) But that's enough from me for now. I was only here for the good company. Pascal's wager is fascinating and all, but I'm not in the habit of taking wagers. Gambling seems like a slippery slope to me. But to each their own.

 

[Polaris]

After experimenting with religion for a while, I'm back to atheism/agnosticism. It's technically possible that God could exist, I just don't think it makes any sense for me to worship such a being given the world that we're dealing with. If we were maybe dealing with a supreme being who just dealt out horrible fates/unfortunate setbacks to people as they saw, that would be one thing. What it seems to me that I've been dealing with in my life is the existence of false hopes and the apparitions of bright tomorrows before they are all cruelly ripped away, and I'm often left to behold things that mock any meager ambitions I might have had. I see cruelty in that; it creates wounds that are much harder to heal. If God's going to be cruel like that anyway, why should my acknowledgement of the existence of a supreme being even matter in my life? Worship god or things will continue to be shitty after life fucks with your mind for a bit? There's no point.

Belief in God doesn't necessarily come packaged with religiosity. In my case, for example, I speak to the supreme being every now and then (usually getting little or no response--God appears to be a shy introvert), and that's about as far as my religiosity goes.

Regarding the whole tradition of people worshiping God, I think it's likely unnecessary, maybe even downright off-putting, from God's viewpoint. It's probably just a holdover from ancient days when people feared their gods and sought to appease them by whatever means possible. The real God probably just wants to be a friend. I certainly don't see why he would want people to prostrate themselves before him and sing cheesy songs about how he's so great. If such behavior has any purpose at all, it would be for the potential benefit it might provide for the worshipers. I'm not sure what that benefit would be other than good feels, but I've heard some believers claim there is one.

It's true that God can seem pretty callous. There was a scientific study that showed no benefit to patients who were prayed for vs. those who didn't receive prayers. From that, I conclude God probably doesn't come to our rescue the way we might wish. He usually, maybe even always, seems to leave us to our own feeble resources. Belief in God is justified in my mind not because it provides me with any comfort or consolation but simply because I have a strong intuition that a supreme being exists.