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 [pollid:1101]
Spiritual experiences exist for some people [pollid:1102]
Spiritual experiences have a physiological/psychological explanation [pollid:1103]
Spiritual experiences are evidence for truth of religion [pollid:1104]
The point raised by this post is new for me [pollid:1105]
Thanks, Gunnar! Reading the other comments (and watching my karma sink below the threshold for future submissions) I was starting to feel some despair.
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 [pollid:1101]
Spiritual experiences exist for some people [pollid:1102]
Spiritual experiences have a physiological/psychological explanation [pollid:1103]
Spiritual experiences are evidence for truth of religion [pollid:1104]
The point raised by this post is new for me [pollid:1105]
Thanks, Gunnar! Reading the other comments (and watching my karma sink below the threshold for future submissions) I was starting to feel some despair.
People don’t come to a rationalist forum to hear about spiritual experiences. The OP should have anticipated that.
Agreed, the points this article made were only obvious in hindsight to me.