Perhaps a question becomes a closed issue not when the probability of the belief reaches a certain point, but when our estimate of the probability of the belief changing reaches a certain threshold. A fair coin is heads 50% of the time, and my probability won’t change. That’s a closed question. I may be fairly confident about the modern theory of star formation, but I wouldn’t be too surprised if a new theory added some new details. So it’s not a closed subject.
I can imagine no evidence that would lead me to believe in something nonfalsifiable. Theism is a closed subject.
You say that you can’t imagine evidence that would cause you to believe in something nonfalsifiable. But then seem to apply that the theism in general. I’m curious. If say, almost all the evangelical Christians in the world disappeared along with all the world’s children, would you not assign a substantial probability to the Rapture having just taken place?
Fair point. Some religions make falsifiable claims.
But my point still stands. I assign a low probability to the rapture happening—even lower than there being a xian God, so I don’t put much weight into the idea my religious beliefs will change. The people who take the rapture seriously do so because they also believe in nonfalsifiable things.
Perhaps a question becomes a closed issue not when the probability of the belief reaches a certain point, but when our estimate of the probability of the belief changing reaches a certain threshold. A fair coin is heads 50% of the time, and my probability won’t change. That’s a closed question. I may be fairly confident about the modern theory of star formation, but I wouldn’t be too surprised if a new theory added some new details. So it’s not a closed subject.
I can imagine no evidence that would lead me to believe in something nonfalsifiable. Theism is a closed subject.
You say that you can’t imagine evidence that would cause you to believe in something nonfalsifiable. But then seem to apply that the theism in general. I’m curious. If say, almost all the evangelical Christians in the world disappeared along with all the world’s children, would you not assign a substantial probability to the Rapture having just taken place?
Fair point. Some religions make falsifiable claims.
But my point still stands. I assign a low probability to the rapture happening—even lower than there being a xian God, so I don’t put much weight into the idea my religious beliefs will change. The people who take the rapture seriously do so because they also believe in nonfalsifiable things.