How do we know that places like Narnia do not exist?

delphi_ote said:
What reasons do we have to believe that Narnia or a place like it don't exist? It violates all known laws of physics. All experimental knowedge mankind has gained so far tells us you can't climb through a wardrobe and end up in a magical world.
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Not only does Narnia defy the laws of physics, it defies the rules of simple logic. For instance, is Narnia a universe, or just a small country? At different times in the books, it is described as both. So which is it? Is there a country Narnia within a universe Narnia?

I think the answer is: If you have to ask, you're missing the point. It's a children's story. The places and situations are created soley as story-telling devices. I think Lewis was interested in telling moral tales first, creating vivid imagery second, and was concerned with the logic of his make-believe world last of all.

THAT is why I think this whole discussion is fairly pointless. But then, perhaps I'M missing the point.
 
Dawkins said “The adult world may seem a cold and empty place” he is talking about how adults (with a few exceptions) do not believe in fairies, Santa and Narnia (due to the lack of evidence not dues to the lack of their existence). He then goes on to say however that the world is not cold and empty but fascinating and wonderful.

The point he makes is not that there is no Narnia nor that there is no evidence for Narnia. He makes the point that if people want their wonder gene satisfied they only need to look at what the real world has to offer.
 
aggle-rithm said:
Not only does Narnia defy the laws of physics, it defies the rules of simple logic.
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Which laws of physics does it defy and how? How can a different Universe defy physical laws in our Universe.

Also what rules of logic does it defy?

For instance, is Narnia a universe, or just a small country?
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It's a country. Therte's also Archenland and umm . .can't remember. Loads of places. I can tell you haven't read the books! But we'll call it the Narnia world/Universe lacking any other name.

At different times in the books, it is described as both. So which is it? Is there a country Narnia within a universe Narnia?
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Yes.

I think the answer is: If you have to ask, you're missing the point. It's a children's story. The places and situations are created soley as story-telling devices. I think Lewis was interested in telling moral tales first, creating vivid imagery second, and was concerned with the logic of his make-believe world last of all.

THAT is why I think this whole discussion is fairly pointless. But then, perhaps I'M missing the point.
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I still fail to understand the rules of logic it contravenes. Could you name these logical rules and how it contravenes them?

And can someone tell me if parrallel worlds like Robert Sawyer's Neanderthal Universe could not exist?
 
Lothian said:
Dawkins said “The adult world may seem a cold and empty place” he is talking about how adults (with a few exceptions) do not believe in fairies, Santa and Narnia (due to the lack of evidence not dues to the lack of their existence). He then goes on to say however that the world is not cold and empty but fascinating and wonderful.

The point he makes is not that there is no Narnia nor that there is no evidence for Narnia. He makes the point that if people want their wonder gene satisfied they only need to look at what the real world has to offer.
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The world as interpreted by materialists/atheists has nothing to offer. It is a cold impersonal place where all hope, wonder and purpose is banished.
 
Interesting Ian said:
The world as interpreted by materialists/atheists has nothing to offer. It is a cold impersonal place where all hope, wonder and purpose is banished.
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Very good Ian you are getting the idea. Now Richard Dawkins is saying that it seems that way to you but in fact the world is a wonderful place and science (as opposed to wishful thinking) is the key to this magical world
 
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Ian said:
The world as interpreted by materialists/atheists has nothing to offer. It is a cold impersonal place where all hope, wonder and purpose is banished.
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Let's assume this absurd description for a moment. I'll ask you one more time: How does a world where everything is Mind and I live forever improve the situation? Can I have some specifics?

~~ Paul
 
Ersby said:
:D

Well, at least this explains why Ian's so angry all the time.
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Good point. He reminds me of...
Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn,
Grew lean while he assailed the seasons
He wept that he was ever born,
And he had reasons.

Miniver loved the days of old
When swords were bright and steeds were prancing;
The vision of a warrior bold
Would send him dancing.

Miniver sighed for what was not,
And dreamed, and rested from his labors;
He dreamed of Thebes and Camelot,
And Priam's neighbors.

Miniver mourned the ripe renown
That made so many a name so fragrant;
He mourned Romance, now on the town,
And Art, a vagrant.

Miniver loved the Medici,
Albeit he had never seen one;
He would have sinned incessantly
Could he have been one.

Miniver cursed the commonplace
And eyed a khaki suit with loathing:
He missed the medieval grace
Of iron clothing.

Miniver scorned the gold he sought,
But sore annoyed was he without it;
Miniver thought, and thought, and thought,
And thought about it.

Miniver Cheevy, born too late,
Scratched his head and kept on thinking;
Miniver coughed, and called it fate,
And kept on drinking.

-- Edwin Arlington Robinson
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Interesting Ian said:
The world as interpreted by materialists/atheists has nothing to offer. It is a cold impersonal place where all hope, wonder and purpose is banished.
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Ridiculous. The materialistic world is a wonderful and fascinating place. Purpose ? What better world than one in which you can decide your own purpose ?
 
Interesting Ian said:
To be replaced by despair. It is inimical to the yearning spirit.
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Is that what bugs you ? I don't understand why people who find the real world too bleak decide to intentionally try to see the imaginary as actual. Thinking about things does not make it true.

Really, Ian. You're not that "Interesting" at all.
 
Belz... said:
Is that what bugs you ? I don't understand why people who find the real world too bleak decide to intentionally try to see the imaginary as actual. Thinking about things does not make it true.

Really, Ian. You're not that "Interesting" at all.
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The real world is not too bleak. Reason shows that the materialist/atheist Weltanschauung is flat out wrong (as I have shown many times on here). Moreover the collective experience of mankind throughout history and across all cultures testifies against this modern western Weltanschauug.
 
There's just as much proof for narnia as there is for god. A book. And if I had to choose between the 2, I'd choose Narnia, it's far more entertaining and well written. :)

After reading that book I was constantly flinging open doors hoping. Not believing, mind you, but hoping that there'd be something magical behind it. There's nothing wrong with imagining things, as long as you don't believe it's reality.
 
Interesting Ian said:
The real world is not too bleak. Reason shows that the materialist/atheist Weltanschauung is flat out wrong (as I have shown many times on here). Moreover the collective experience of mankind throughout history and across all cultures testifies against this modern western Weltanschauug.
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Fancy word translation offered by dictionary.com.

world·view Pronunciation Key (wûrldvy)
n. In both senses also called Weltanschauung.
1. The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world.
2. A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group.
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I still have not seen a satisfactory answer why, given the lack of credible evidence that there actually are places like Narnia, why simply "I do not believe in it" is not a complete enough answer to the issue of whether one believes in it. If even a little bit of evidence suggests that Narnia or its like would violate our rational expectations of how the world behaves, then "I do not believe in it" trumps "I believe in it" unless some other evidence or experience changes the balance. Faith is not the default position.
 
Interesting Ian said:
The real world is not too bleak. Reason shows that the materialist/atheist Weltanschauung is flat out wrong (as I have shown many times on here). Moreover the collective experience of mankind throughout history and across all cultures testifies against this modern western Weltanschauug.
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Correction: as you attempted - and failed - to demonstrate on here in the past.
 
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