Beckwith and Ostler in the Cage of Death (for ALITD)

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_Analytics
_Emeritus
Posts: 4231
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:24 pm

Beckwith and Ostler in the Cage of Death (for ALITD)

Post by _Analytics »

Hi ALITD,

I apologize in advance if this seems like an inquisition, but since you are the one that started the intense debate about ethics and logic, I think it is fair to play out the endgame.

You referred us to an essay by Evangelical Francis Beckwith that “proves” that there can be no objective morals in a universe without a God.

You later referred us to an essay by Mormon Blake Ostler that “proves” Beckwith’s views on objective morality are necessarily unsound, and then goes on to provide a compelling, objective morality that is fully accessible in a universe without a God.

You have also claimed that you can’t imagine how an atheist could rationally believe they have an objective morality, which implies that either you haven’t thought Ostler’s views through, or can’t imagine how he could be right.

Here are my questions:

1- Do you believe that Blake Ostler’s view of objective morality is rational?

2- Do you concede that a universe without a God can have access to the objective moral structure that Ostler outlines? (quoting John Lennon, “All you need is love”).
It’s relatively easy to agree that only Homo sapiens can speak about things that don’t really exist, and believe six impossible things before breakfast. You could never convince a monkey to give you a banana by promising him limitless bananas after death in monkey heaven.

-Yuval Noah Harari
_Tarski
_Emeritus
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Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 7:57 pm

Re: Beckwith and Ostler in the Cage of Death (for ALITD)

Post by _Tarski »

Analytics wrote:Hi ALITD,

I apologize in advance if this seems like an inquisition, but since you are the one that started the intense debate about ethics and logic, I think it is fair to play out the endgame.

You referred us to an essay by Evangelical Francis Beckwith that “proves” that there can be no objective morals in a universe without a God.

You later referred us to an essay by Mormon Blake Ostler that “proves” Beckwith’s views on objective morality are necessarily unsound, and then goes on to provide a compelling, objective morality that is fully accessible in a universe without a God.

You have also claimed that you can’t imagine how an atheist could rationally believe they have an objective morality, which implies that either you haven’t thought Ostler’s views through, or can’t imagine how he could be right.

Here are my questions:

1- Do you believe that Blake Ostler’s view of objective morality is rational?

2- Do you concede that a universe without a God can have access to the objective moral structure that Ostler outlines? (quoting John Lennon, “All you need is love”).


Have we chased coggins away? I was ready to rumble.
_Analytics
_Emeritus
Posts: 4231
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:24 pm

Re: Beckwith and Ostler in the Cage of Death (for ALITD)

Post by _Analytics »

Tarski wrote:Have we chased coggins away? I was ready to rumble.


Maybe. If Coggins, ALITD, or any other Beckwith supporters won't respond give a detailed explanation about why Ostler is wrong in his detailed criticism of Beckwith, then it is fair to consider Beckwith's arguments thoroughly dead (may they rest in peace).
It’s relatively easy to agree that only Homo sapiens can speak about things that don’t really exist, and believe six impossible things before breakfast. You could never convince a monkey to give you a banana by promising him limitless bananas after death in monkey heaven.

-Yuval Noah Harari
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