Do Most Atheists Know that science..... Part 2

[Elizabeth I]

I wish I'd paid more attention in high-school physics! It's so interesting now.

I did pay attention. I didn't understand at least half of it (no lie - I got every grade from an A to an F in that class.)

But I did make it through The Elegant Universe and one other book about string theory.

 

[arthwollipot]

I wish I'd paid more attention in high-school physics! It's so interesting now.

I absolutely agree. I didn't like science in school - it was only well after I finished school that I started reading.

Now I have a very good layman's understanding of science. I understand, for example, what general relativity says and what it means, but I don't understand the mathematics behind it. If I could do my life over again I'd pay more attention to maths and science in school.

 

[DOC]

DOC - let me re-iterate my offer. One copy each of Climbing Mount Improbable and The Big Bang to you if you'll promise to read them and post your reviews here. They are both readable, comprehensive and accessible summaries of the basics of the two theories you have so much problem with.

What have you got to lose? You'll learn what the things you are so convinced are wrong actually say, the better to arm yourself against these kinds of threads. All you'll be doing is preventing yourself arguing against strawmen.

You are flooding the thread, I already responded once.

ETA: Nobody is stopping you from bringing in excerpts so we can discuss them.

 

[mrshadyvale]

Yeah, don't you guys remember? He has no interest in reading anything about facts and science, his time is too valuable!

 

[DOC]

Yeah, don't you guys remember? He has no interest in reading anything about facts and science, his time is too valuable!

This is dishonest, nowhere did I say this.

 

[mrshadyvale]

If I thought for a second that your books had answers, I would take the time in my busy life to read them.

Now, maybe I'm just an ignorant country mouse, but I would say my interpretation of the above remark is fair.

Or, maybe you would like to clarify what you meant. Since you are so adamant about joobz owning up to what he said, I am sure you will have no problem practicing what you preach.

Cheers.

 

[DOC]

Actually my personal opinion is that most atheists (and theists also) don't know that there are 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe and that they all came from a thing smaller than a single atom according to mainline scientific "theory". They might have heard of the big bang, but they know what that entails.

On what do you base this opinion, if I may ask?

Many years of life experience. If others have a different opinion so be it.

Why? I've told literally thousands of people about this exact thing, and the reactions I have seen generally range from "so what" through to "pretty cool" and "how do we know?"

Sounds like they were students. Maybe later in their life when they have the time to dwell on it, it probably will baffle some like it baffled and irritated Einstein.

 

[DOC]

And this eternal, "outside of time" spirit* expects his worshipers to practice symbolic, ritualistic canabalism? I think if more people knew what christinanity said, then perhaps we'd have less christians.

Joobz it sounds like you make up your own lexicon (example: canabalism). You should stay as close as possible to the wording of the sources you read.

And this is off topic anyway.

 

[mrshadyvale]

#226

DOC, you accused me of being dishonest.

I replied to your assertion with evidence to the contrary.

I am not as dense as to think that you would offer up an apology. In fact, in rereading this thread from the beginning it is my opinion you owe many people an apology by your continued disregard for their opinions... but none will be offered.

It is obvious you are a hypocrite. Call this a personal attack, but I think the evidence clearly shows that you either do not have the capacity for respect of other people or you are blatantly rude for personal benefit.

If you mean to portray yourself as a messenger for your lord and savior, I think he should be distancing himself from you in every way possible. By all viewable remarks, it certainly appears that your crusade in the JREF forums is not a selfless mission to bring the word of god to the masses... but rather a selfish practice of snide indulgence and self prescribed ignorance.

You insulted me, blatantly. I will not cry over the remark, much worse has been said, but you continue to disrespect us all through your hypocrisies.

You started this thread to converse, but only by your own selfish rules. Do you even have the ability to engage in fair and coherent discussion... or will this post be ignored like so many others?

 

[arthwollipot]

Many years of life experience. If others have a different opinion so be it.

Far be it from me to claim that I know the circumstances of your life, but I would hazard a guess that you haven't really hung around with a lot of atheists. You're a religious man, right? People of like interests tend to gather in social groups. Most of your friends and acquaintances would also be religious folk, just like most of my friends and acquaintances are atheists and agnostics. Water finds its own level.

Additionally, many atheists don't tend to talk about being atheists very much around strangers - especially in the USA. So you wouldn't necessarily know that any given person is an atheist.

So I would put it to you that your "many years of life experience" does not equip you to make generalisations about what "most" atheists think or believe.

I could be wrong about this - you may have grown up as the only theist in a town full of atheists. But I doubt it.

 

[DOC]

DOC, you accused me of being dishonest.

I replied to your assertion with evidence to the contrary.

Where's the evidence?

 

[mrshadyvale]

#226.

In my experience, reading helps a great deal in forums such as this one.

 

[DOC]

Yeah, don't you guys remember? He has no interest in reading anything about facts and science, his time is too valuable!

and

If I thought for a second that your books had answers, I would take the time in my busy life to read them.

are not in any way similar, Mrshadyvale. It sounds trollish to me especially coming from someone with 32 posts.

 

[mrshadyvale]

So your only evidence that I am a "troll" is that I have only 32 posts to my name?

Do you have more evidence, or is this remark much like your others?

 

[-Fran-]

So your only evidence that I am a "troll" is that I have only 32 posts to my name?

Do you have more evidence, or is this remark much like your others?

Ignore him. He has stated many times before that he thinks his high post count, and the fact that many people respond to his threads means that what he says is actually smart and worthwhile, so by his own twisted logic a person with low post count can't have anything important to say - that is of course yet another indication of that he talks a lot of you know what You are not the first to point out to him that it is totally irrelevant, and have realized that it is much like banging your head against the proverbial wall to do point this out to him, along with all the other logic he doesn't get either.

 

[DOC]

So your only evidence that I am a "troll" is that I have only 32 posts to my name?

Do you have more evidence, or is this remark much like your others?

I'm "done" talking with you unless you talk about the topic and not me personally. The evidence is in post 233. And I see you've been a member over 2 years with 34 posts.

 

[arthwollipot]

I'm "done" talking with you unless you talk about the topic and not me personally. The evidence is in post 233. And I see you've been a member over 2 years with 34 posts.

And since I have been a member since 2005 and have over 10,000 posts, what I have to say isn't worthwhile either.

 

[mrshadyvale]

Thanks, Fran, I have been going back and reading some of the other threads started by said person. I admire many of you in this forum for your wonderful show of patience while attempting to fight an unwindable battle.

I love these forums, most of you guys and gals kick butt.

Cheers.

 

[DOC]

Ignore him. He has stated many times before that he thinks his high post count, and the fact that many people respond to his threads means that what he says is actually smart and worthwhile, so by his own twisted logic a person with low post count can't have anything important to say ...

This is laughable and false. The only times I bring up my thread counts is when people try to discredit or debase me in someway. I never said it means I'm smart.

 

[paximperium]

Thanks, Fran, I have been going back and reading some of the other threads started by said person. I admire many of you in this forum for your wonderful show of patience while attempting to fight an unwindable battle.

I love these forums, most of you guys and gals kick butt.

Cheers.

Well keep posting. Don't let someone like DOC prevent you from contributing to a thread because he sure as hell doesn't contribute anything just volume. He "wins" an argument by pure repetition until everyone else gets bored and leave.