Gunnar_Zarncke comments on Is Spirituality Irrational? - Less Wrong

5 Post author: lisper 09 February 2016 01:42AM

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Comment author: Gunnar_Zarncke 09 February 2016 08:02:23PM 3 points [-]

I'm not clear why this is downvoted so much. I think the point it is making ("some people believe in God because they have had first-hand subjective experiences for which the best explanation that they can come up with is that they were caused by God") is not obvious (except likely in hindsight) and the path via analogy and such seem suitable for people who have not had these kinds of experiences. But maybe it does target the wrong audience.

Let's tease that out with a poll:

I have had spiritual experiences

Spiritual experiences exist for some people

Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree

Spiritual experiences have a physiological/psychological explanation

Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree

Spiritual experiences are evidence for truth of religion

Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree

The point raised by this post is new for me

Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree

Submitting...

Comment author: polymathwannabe 12 February 2016 03:01:31PM 1 point [-]

I'm not clear why this is downvoted so much.

People don't come to a rationalist forum to hear about spiritual experiences. The OP should have anticipated that.

Comment author: lisper 10 February 2016 12:19:46AM 3 points [-]

Thanks, Gunnar! Reading the other comments (and watching my karma sink below the threshold for future submissions) I was starting to feel some despair.

Comment author: Gleb_Tsipursky 09 February 2016 09:41:30PM 0 points [-]

Agreed, the points this article made were only obvious in hindsight to me.

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