I don't understand what this means. Do you?
He (she?) believes that a deity exists, where “exists” is meant in the same sense in which mathematical entities exist, rather than in the sense in which physical objects exist?
Well, in the first place, I'm really unclear on what it means to say that "the number 2 exists". I understand what it means to say "There are two sheep"; but to assert the existence of the number 2 seems to me rather vague. What would the world look like if it weren't so?
But that aside, my further objection is that the god doesn't seem to have any of the attributes of mathematical entities: It is not connected to any theorems, as it were. It is as though I had started the Peano Axioms by saying "0 is a number", and stopped. Why make this assertion? I can conclude that 0 'exists', but so what? The existence axiom is only useful in the presence of the other axioms.
I recognize the title could be more informative. At the same time I believe it says what is important.
I believe in a deity, I believe in mathematical entities in the same way.
The community of LessWrong (from whenceforth: LessWrong) is deeply interesting to me, appearing as a semi-organized atheist, reductionist community.
LessWrong seems very interested in promoting rationality, which I applaud. The effort does seem scattered, though, and this is the reason I post.
One has Eliezer's website with some interesting posts. The same of this community. The community links to some posts when you are coming for the first time into it, and you also have a filter for top posts. One has the blog. And recently, the center for modern rationality (in the same page as harrypoter fanfiction about rationality).
The point being there is no defined roadmap to go from AIC (average irrational chump to make an analogy to Game - which also seems to come up around quite a bit) to RA (again, rationality artist).
I write this post as to maybe generate a discussion on how the efforts could be concentrated and a new direction taken.
Should the creation of the Center for Modern Rationality envision this same concentration, this post may and should be disregard.
If it does not, then I leave it to your consideration.
Hang.