It’s an anecdote that the “numinous” feelings that the religious sometimes cite as evidence of God can equally well be interpreted the opposite way. We can pull out Bayes’ Theorem to show that these numinous feelings really don’t make belief in God more rational. This isn’t a hugely controversial point here, but I think what this says about seizing on how evidence supports one’s side without considering the ramifications for the other is worth remembering.
True, but I had the feeling that some readers here would like it anyway. (I view this as more of a “quotes LW readers would like” thread than a literal “rationality quotes” thread.)
Also, it does fit into the joy in the merely real ethos, which in turn makes it emotionally easier to accept rationalism and reductionism.
I would question that this is a rationality quote. It’s a quote about how atheism is better for aesthetic reasons.
On the surface, yes.
It’s an anecdote that the “numinous” feelings that the religious sometimes cite as evidence of God can equally well be interpreted the opposite way. We can pull out Bayes’ Theorem to show that these numinous feelings really don’t make belief in God more rational. This isn’t a hugely controversial point here, but I think what this says about seizing on how evidence supports one’s side without considering the ramifications for the other is worth remembering.
True, but I had the feeling that some readers here would like it anyway. (I view this as more of a “quotes LW readers would like” thread than a literal “rationality quotes” thread.)
Also, it does fit into the joy in the merely real ethos, which in turn makes it emotionally easier to accept rationalism and reductionism.