Re: Pascal's Wager

Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
09 Dec 1998 12:33:29 +0100

"Zenarchy" <jr@shasta.com> writes:

> From: Anders Sandberg
> >Is it just me, or doesn't it look like there is ample room for an
> >interesting synthesis of transhumanist thinking with some of the
> >eastern philosophical systems without having to throw important things
> >like critical thinking and empiricism overboard (as you often have to
> >do when trying it with western religions)?
>
> Yes, I think so. Like other aspects of emerging singularity-related
> acceleration, the convergence of science and contemplative approaches seems
> entirely appropriate, if not inevitable.

The problem with the contemplatice approaches is that they are, well, contemplative. This is why they need science, to rein in speculations and mystical insights so they relate to the real world (whatever that place is) and not just remains flights of fancy.

> Remember, for example, Einstein's famous line, "God does not play dice."
> (So, Pascal, take your silly wager and... )

Quantum mechanics proved Einstein wrong about the dice; but Pascal should remeber that God likes to play with hidden dice, making it hard to detect cheating. 

-- 
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Anders Sandberg                                      Towards Ascension!
asa@nada.kth.se                            http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/
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