Is God dead?

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marco
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Is God dead?

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Post by marco »

Nietzsche famously said "God is dead." Various meanings have been attached to this saying. Perhaps it means the old gods have gone; or the Christian God is no longer with us; or belief in some absolute that gives us our moral values is no longer accepted.


In what sense might we conclude today that God is dead?

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marco
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Post by marco »

William wrote:
The only thing physical science can do to actually make theological philosophy a dead end would be if it could find a way to make an individual human life continue indefinitely.

I can see that death might cause people to wish for some continuation. Theology is a possibile resort; or multiple dimensions, without bothering a deity. Physical science has moved to the borderlines of the imaginary, with virtual particles, so perhaps the theorems of theology will soon be abandoned. The only use I see for theories about a benign God and an afterlife of pleasant dreaming is the consolation value.

Science will eventually kill God before philosophy does.

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Post #12

Post by William »

[Replying to post 11]

marco: I can see that death might cause people to wish for some continuation.

William: Some people for sure. Not all. Any more than one could argue that life might cause people to wish for no continuation.

marco: Physical science has moved to the borderlines of the imaginary, with virtual particles, so perhaps the theorems of theology will soon be abandoned.

William: Unlikely, given present science. The problem of Consciousness remains in present scientific examination, and the only use in abandoning that is if science can be used to defeat death. Along with Consciousness is Imagination, without which, humans would be so much less advanced.
There is still the problem of Consciousness being stuck within this reality indefinitely.
I would think those who would mostly dislike that idea would be the same ones as those who currently dislike the idea of their existence continuing on...although there would be shifts in positions, because some theological-minded folk are also adverse to this particular Universe, not the heavens that they imagine, so are more likely to resist any move to be included among those science might gift with an indefinite life in this universe.


marco: Theology is a possibility resort; or multiple dimensions, without bothering a deity.

William: It is all possible.

marco: The only use I see for theories about a benign God and an afterlife of pleasant dreaming is the consolation value.

William: Perhaps this is because you would view it as some kind of weakness on your part to adopt such notions?

marco: Science will eventually kill God before philosophy does.

William: I doubt that. If anything it will simply replace GOD, if indeed it is able to [strike]gift[/strike] sell humans an indefinite life in this Universe. Or more to the point, a tool for Human Gods to use in order to go about doing the only thing they will be able to do, and that is to create a machine out of the stuff of the universe.
Then what? Long for death?

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Royston
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Re: Is God dead?

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Post by Royston »

marco wrote: Nietzsche famously said "God is dead." Various meanings have been attached to this saying. Perhaps it means the old gods have gone; or the Christian God is no longer with us; or belief in some absolute that gives us our moral values is no longer accepted.


In what sense might we conclude today that God is dead?
My impression (for "impression" it must be as Nietzsche can't be asked directly (and I'm insufficiently read on the topic to know if he made a reply to the OP's question) is that the [learned] philosopher was perhaps 'grandstanding' and perhaps claiming that the Elightenment so-called 'did' for said deity -- or perhaps a bit of both. Anyway, God is dead to me personally, though I regularly find myself wishing that He (i.e. the kind, forgiving and fatherly, Abrahamic-take, that is) was at least twitching today, but that's another story.

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Re: Is God dead?

Post #14

Post by marco »

Royston wrote:
marco wrote: Nietzsche famously said "God is dead." Various meanings have been attached to this saying. Perhaps it means the old gods have gone; or the Christian God is no longer with us; or belief in some absolute that gives us our moral values is no longer accepted.


In what sense might we conclude today that God is dead?
My impression (for "impression" it must be as Nietzsche can't be asked directly (and I'm insufficiently read on the topic to know if he made a reply to the OP's question) is that the [learned] philosopher was perhaps 'grandstanding' and perhaps claiming that the Elightenment so-called 'did' for said deity -- or perhaps a bit of both. Anyway, God is dead to me personally, though I regularly find myself wishing that He (i.e. the kind, forgiving and fatherly, Abrahamic-take, that is) was at least twitching today, but that's another story.
A warm welcome, Royston. Nietzsche probably saw that the usefulness of God was passing, for whatever reason. When we read the OT it is clear that Yahweh serves a purpose - he keeps people in their place.

As you hint, I still think that there is a place for old attitudes, provided they don't involve burning, hanging and stoning sinners. Chrstmas isn't a bad derivative from both Roman and Christian myths. Go well.

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