Is it rational to be a theist?

[harvey1]

According to an atheist, there are few, if any, reasons to believe that God exists, and the God belief has been passed down from pre-scientific times in the guise of religion. The atheist often believes this in itself is good reason to reject the existence of God. The atheist might even say it is not rational to believe in God. Is it rational to be a theist?

[Curious]

What is half (1/2) of infinity? Infinity right?

In "theory" yes but infinity is actually indivisible (although "actual" infinity is itself purely theoretical).

[Cathar1950]

i am glad it is a theory. I would hate to try and use it to balance my check book. It is already a mess.

[harvey1]

To Harvey1 Just to illustrate my point concerning the cancellation of infinities. 1*infinity = 5*infinity ok lets cancel out the infinities 1 = 5 Err wait, that's not right is it?

The rules for the arithmetic of infinity have slightly different rules. See, for example, Yaroslav D. Sergeyev who has constructed arithmetic rules of infinity.

[Curious]

To Harvey1 Just to illustrate my point concerning the cancellation of infinities. 1*infinity = 5*infinity ok lets cancel out the infinities 1 = 5 Err wait, that's not right is it?

The rules for the arithmetic of infinity have slightly different rules. See, for example, Yaroslav D. Sergeyev who has constructed arithmetic rules of infinity.

This is as I said. You were attempting to apply the rules of finite mathematics to infinite mathematics which, as I demonstrated, does not give correct results. I am glad we now seem to be in agreement.

[harvey1]

This is as I said. You were attempting to apply the rules of finite mathematics to infinite mathematics which, as I demonstrated, does not give correct results. I am glad we now seem to be in agreement.

I don't recall saying that the exact same rules apply. I just mentioned that arithmetic can be used which make an infinite number become finite by applying these arithmetic rules. For example, +,-,*,/ can all be valid operators when dealing with infinite numbers.

[Curious]

This is as I said. You were attempting to apply the rules of finite mathematics to infinite mathematics which, as I demonstrated, does not give correct results. I am glad we now seem to be in agreement.

I don't recall saying that the exact same rules apply. I just mentioned that arithmetic can be used which make an infinite number become finite by applying these arithmetic rules. For example, +,-,*,/ can all be valid operators when dealing with infinite numbers.

In that case I will refresh your memory.

You have to follow the rules of multiplication. The infinities cancel themselves out.

As I have shown, the infinities do not cancel themselves out in such an equation.
Anyway, since we now seem to be in agreement regarding this I think it wise to leave this alone and concentrate on the main topic

[harvey1]

This is as I said. You were attempting to apply the rules of finite mathematics to infinite mathematics which, as I demonstrated, does not give correct results. I am glad we now seem to be in agreement... As I have shown, the infinities do not cancel themselves out in such an equation. Anyway, since we now seem to be in agreement regarding this I think it wise to leave this alone and concentrate on the main topic

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but my understanding of hyperreal arithmetic in non-standard analysis is that each term in the infinite (or unlimited) and each term in the infinitesimal are added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided term by term. I'm not an expert, but if you know differently, then I would be interested in learning more.

In any case, I agree, let's move on. It's getting a little technical for me when we start talking non-standard analysis. I'm just basing my information on some general information about the topic.

[Cathar1950]

what were we or you talking about before Infinity? i understand it is a mathmatical construct and has it's purpose. Maybe rationality or reason is theism in cognito. It might be implied by the question. The unified theory maybe the same goal it is just named diffrent.

[harvey1]

what were we or you talking about before Infinity? i understand it is a mathmatical construct and has it's purpose. Maybe rationality or reason is theism in cognito. It might be implied by the question. The unified theory maybe the same goal it is just named diffrent.

That seems like an infinite time ago...

I was asking how atheism can be considered more rational than theism when it seems that atheism has deep conceptual problems with the causal nature of the universe. Theism doesn't have these problems, so the atheist should provide an explanation how it is that atheism is more rational than theism. From where I look, the question of irrationality is more daunting to the atheist than to the theist.

[Curious]

what were we or you talking about before Infinity? i understand it is a mathmatical construct and has it's purpose. Maybe rationality or reason is theism in cognito. It might be implied by the question. The unified theory maybe the same goal it is just named diffrent.

That seems like an infinite time ago...

I was asking how atheism can be considered more rational than theism when it seems that atheism has deep conceptual problems with the causal nature of the universe.

I was under the impression that we were debating whether theism was rational, but I guess this opens the debate up.
I believe atheism is more rational because it is purely rational. It sees the data, analyses it and categorises it. The theist does the same but they also have subjective and intuitive considerations. Perhaps it is the atheists obsession with physical detail that has helped in the survival of this particular predisposition as the theist appears to have a definite evolutionary advantage in terms of health, general happiness and lifespan. Now if the atheist was to take this additional fact alone into consideration (which is verifiably true) then it would seem that not becoming a theist would be rather irrational.