XPost: alt.philosophy, alt.atheism, talk.atheism   
      
   In talk.atheism FreeThink  wrote:   
      
   > ralph wrote:   
   >> In message <1142381022.071450.207820@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>,   
   >> FreeThink  writes   
   >> >   
   >> >I think that if we did find a universal truth it would make us very   
   >> >unhappy. We would probably spend the rest of our existence trying to   
   >> >discount it....   
   >>   
   >> Given that e = m x c^2 may be one, does this make you very unhappy? Do   
   >> you spend all your time trying to discount it? Do you know anyone who   
   >> does?   
      
   > A bad analogy is like a leaky screwdriver. The fact that a law of   
   > physics may not be universal in scope is enough for it to not cause   
   > alarm. If one were proven to be applicable universally in scope then   
   > everything changes. At that point it becomes indestructible to us and   
   > must always be accommodated.   
      
   So? ALL laws of physics are, by nature, universal in scope in that they   
   affect everything in the universe in their way. I.e. e=m*c^2 relates to all   
   matter and energy and probably even figures into pretty much every other law   
   of nature in some small way (such as the fact that O2+2H2+=H2O+ due to the tiny conversion of mass to   
   energy is affected by e=m*c^2.)   
      
   >> >   
   >> >   
   >> >Bring on special relativity, string theory and determinism   
   >>   
   >> Why?   
      
   > If these are proven as ever present and correct then everything that   
   > has happened since the start of the universe has only been a chain   
   > reaction of forces. Therefore, everthing was predetermined and freewill   
   > does not exist. Does that scare you?   
      
   No. Should it? Does the fact that "what goes up must (usually) come down"   
   scare you? How about the 2nd law of thermodynamics? Or that O2+2H2+heat=H2O?   
   Why should this other fact of life scare us any more than those ones? BTW,   
   determanism doesn't exist absolutely due to quantum mechanics, but even if   
   it did, we'd never really be able to tell the difference or act any   
   different. In fact, if it did, your fear of it was then predetermined.   
      
   --   
   Mike   
      
   -------------------------------   
   "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop   
   thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do   
   we," George W. "Shrub" Bush Aug 5, 2004   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)