If you believe in god, you're an idiot...

[Daldolma]

Originally Posted by Alawen [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

See your own discussion for why it's wishful thinking to believe in anything without evidence. The philosophic burden of proof is always on the advocate of theory to back it up. As I'm sure you already know, it's not possible to prove a negative. It certainly seems unlikely that we could scour the universe for intelligent life and definitely declare it to be found or not found within my lifetime. I am not taking the position that there is absolutely for sure no way can't be intelligent life out there. We have no evidence.

Here's a quote for you, Wikipedia boy:

Wishful thinking is the formation of beliefs and making decisions according to what might be pleasing to imagine instead of by appealing to evidence, rationality, or reality.

You've pigeon-holed evidence to include only definitive evidence. There is obviously no definitive evidence -- that doesn't make the discussion of intelligent extraterrestrial life pure guesswork. Our own existence is evidence of intelligent life in the universe. The vastness and age of the universe, and the widespread existence of Earth-like planets, suggests that intelligent life could have and should have occurred elsewhere, unless something about Earth is extremely atypical. We have no evidence to suggest that Earth is, or isn't, atypical in its ability to foster intelligent life. Our sample size is entirely too small. If years from now, we've explored thousands of Earth-like, habitable planets and found nothing, then we would agree -- there is a meaningful absence of evidence. As of now, the absence of evidence is simply a consequence of our ignorance.

And why do you suggest it is "pleasing to imagine" intelligent life elsewhere, for those who believe there is? I find it far more pleasing to believe Earth is entirely unique and humans -- and our descendants -- are the only intelligent life this unthinkably vast universe will ever know. I find it far more pleasing to believe we are special, rather than a natural and fairly unspectacular eventuality.

[Alawen]

You're free to believe in giant daddy in the sky, silver alien ask sperm, teleporting Jesus, Satan planted the fossils, or anything else that makes you happy, princess. You can even redefine evidence if you like. Have you met Hasbinbad? He likes to make up his own definitions,.too.

[HeallunRumblebelly]

Originally Posted by Alawen [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You're free to believe in giant daddy in the sky, silver alien ask sperm, teleporting Jesus, Satan planted the fossils, or anything else that makes you happy, princess. You can even redefine evidence if you like. Have you met Hasbinbad? He likes to make up his own definitions,.too.

Believing what you want is fine, until democracy o_o.


“Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'” --Isaac Asimov

[JerSar]

I like how we all quote from books. Pics or gtfo.

[Daldolma]

Originally Posted by Alawen [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You're free to believe in giant daddy in the sky, silver alien ask sperm, teleporting Jesus, Satan planted the fossils, or anything else that makes you happy, princess. You can even redefine evidence if you like. Have you met Hasbinbad? He likes to make up his own definitions,.too.

Your inability to respect opposing viewpoints is unbecoming. I wonder about your formal education.

But instead of meeting Hasbinbad, I'd love to meet Stephen Hawking. The following is a direct quote from Stephen Hawking:

"To my mathematical brain, the numbers alone make thinking about aliens perfectly rational," he said. “The real challenge is to work out what aliens might actually be like."

He even speculates.

"I imagine they might exist in massive ships ... having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they can reach.”

Apparently Stephen Hawking is also a wishful thinker, conjuring up his own imagined definitions of evidence. Certainly there is no evidence at all for that line of thought. I wonder if he believes Satan planted the fossils, too, since you've drawn an equivalence between those beliefs.

Wait, wait -- I know. This is an appeal to authority that holds no weight with you. You've got a nice little pseudo intellect troll going. Dismiss all relevant evidence as nonsense, then dismiss expert support for that evidence as appeal to authority. Hurray, anything you don't accept is not only wrong but ludicrous.

[deneauth]

So what is your expert opinion?

[Tarathiel]

Originally Posted by deneauth [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

So what is your expert opinion?

god is an alien

[Daldolma]

Originally Posted by deneauth [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

So what is your expert opinion?

Do you mean me? I don't have an expert opinion, I'm not a fucking expert. Stephen Hawking is. I'm just a guy on P99's RnF boards capable of respecting a belief that intelligent extraterrestrial life does exist, as well as a belief that intelligent extraterrestrial life doesn't exist. I refuse to consider either belief ludicrous.

If you want my non-expert, guy on elf emulator forum opinion, I believe Earth isn't extraordinarily atypical. I don't believe life is so extraordinarily rare that Earth is the only place in the entire universe where it has developed into what we would consider 'intelligent life' in over 13 billion years and throughout 100 billion galaxies. I don't think the fact that we haven't tripped across extraterrestrial life within 50 years of first being able to exit our own atmosphere means much of anything at all. There are potentially sextillions of habitable planets. The universe is 13 billion years old. The sheer enormity of those numbers would suggest that Earth would have to be extraordinarily atypical to be the only planet that harbored life for long enough to produce intelligent life, and I see no reason to believe that.

[Hasbinlulz]

Originally Posted by Alarti0001 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Again all you can offer is insults, without a thought process. I might give a shit about your insults if you would offer a well thought out idea.

As Alawen said I am speculating as there isn't enough evidence to prove anything one way or another. If you don't like my opinion and think you have a stronger case... provide your thought process to this discourse.
Can you?

It's almost as if you live in a fantasy world.

[deneauth]

Originally Posted by Daldolma [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Do you mean me? I don't have an expert opinion, I'm not a fucking expert. Stephen Hawking is. I'm just a guy on P99's RnF boards capable of respecting a belief that intelligent extraterrestrial life does exist, as well as a belief that intelligent extraterrestrial life doesn't exist. I refuse to consider either belief ludicrous.

If you want my non-expert, guy on elf emulator forum opinion, I believe Earth isn't extraordinarily atypical. I don't believe life is so extraordinarily rare that Earth is the only place in the entire universe where it has developed into what we would consider 'intelligent life' in over 13 billion years and throughout 100 billion galaxies. I don't think the fact that we haven't tripped across extraterrestrial life within 50 years of first being able to exit our own atmosphere means much of anything at all. There are potentially sextillions of habitable planets. The universe is 13 billion years old. The sheer enormity of those numbers would suggest that Earth would have to be extraordinarily atypical to be the only planet that harbored life for long enough to produce intelligent life, and I see no reason to believe that.

In regards to the thread title are people who believe in god stupid? I tend to agree with you. And yes this is a silly debate to have on this forum but consider us just a community of people sharing opinions right now.