--- A Question for ALL Atheistic ex-Dubs---- (page 7)

Asheron

I keep an open mind, just not so open that my brain falls out.

Those that believe in only things that they have seen or those that have an open-mind to think that the universe is not limited to human sensory perceptions.... The first guy that theorized the existence of ultra-violet radiation was a quack too!

Thats a bit of a straw man argument isnt it? The discovery of UV Radiation was confirmed by scientific, repeatable, verifiable tests. If those tests could not support the existance of UV Radiation than he WAS a quack. Turns out he wasnt. See below. Also, this was more on the lines of a "discovery". I am not sure that he first therorized its existance, rather he sought out a way to define the cause of a visible result.

Ritter's Experiments

The man credited with the discovery of ultraviolet light is German physicist Johann Ritter (1776-1910). Ritter experimented with silver chloride, a chemical known to break down when exposed to sunlight. He found that the light at the blue end of the visible spectrum (blue, indigo, and violet) was a much more efficient stimulant for this reaction. Experimenting further, Ritter discovered that silver chloride broke down most efficiently when exposed to radiation just beyond the blues. He called this new type of radiation ultraviolet, meaning "beyond the violet."

Asheron

Johann Ritter:
The Discovery of Ultraviolet Light

After learning about William Herschel's discovery of infrared light, which he found beyond the visible red portion of the spectrum in 1800, Johann Ritter began to conduct experiments to see if he could detect invisible light beyond the violet portion of the spectrum as well. In 1801, he was experimenting with silver chloride, which turned black when exposed to light. He had heard that blue light caused a greater reaction in silver chloride than red light did. Ritter decided to measure the rate at which silver chloride reacted to the different colors of light. He directed sunlight through a glass prism to create a spectrum. He then placed silver chloride in each color of the spectrum and found that it showed little change in the red part of the spectrum, but darkened toward the violet end of the spectrum. Johann Ritter then decided to place silver chloride in the area just beyond the violet end of the spectrum, in a region where no sunlight was visible. To his amazement, this region showed the most intense reaction of all. This showed for the first time that an invisible form of light existed beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum. This new type of light, which Ritter called Chemical Rays, later became known as ultraviolet light or ultraviolet radiation (the word ultra means beyond).

gordon d

We can't have a rational discussion with you getting all emotional like that!

Sorry! ... Intelligent, passionate, articulate women are a big weakness for me!

I guess your loving "god" will make sure that I have an eternity in hell to make up for it, won't he/she/it?

I think you have THIS God confused with one of the sadistic ones that mankind created! You'll need a priest for that!

You quoted Maslow!!!!! ........... Ummm..... So what are you wearing right now????

Maslow was one of the World greatest "Believers"!.... He was just too self-absorbed during his "Needs" phase to realize it...

Believe it or not, Deitist spirituality does not necessarily contradict the power of spiritual internalization or the enlightenment of self.... again, you'll need a priest for that!

stevenyc

Gordon,

Not a very good illustration. The eggs referred to are 'tangible' and can be verified by the children who find them by use of all their senses. I am yet to meet a sane person who has either seen, heard, felt, smelt or tasted 'God' in a literal way. When God believers use these terms they are always metaphors to describe some sort of 'inner feeling' or 'inner knowing'.

A better story would have been a bunch of kids denying that the kids had found the eggs. That what they had actually found wasn't the 'real' eggs, because that would be to simple. If they were the real eggs, then the search would be off, and then they would have to ponder 'Is this all there is to playtime?"

steve

Dune

If it wasnt for your use of "easter eggs" i'd have said that illustration came straight out of a watchtower.

gordon d

Asheron.... I seriously doubt that the guy from Three's Company discovered ultra-violet light... you might want to check you sources.

The point being, that prior to the scientific "Proof" of Ultra-violet light, the only basis for his hypothesis was found in the visible effects of this invisible phenomena. He chose to search for more proof and a greater understanding of something that was (as of yet) not proven!

It is not difficult for a person today to prove the existence os UV light, just as it would not be difficult for a being who had experienced life after death to prove their beliefs.... since that has not happened to any of us, we find ourselves in the same time frame as Ritter, proir to the establishment of proof. the only basis for our hypothesis is (again) in the visible effects of an invisible phenomena................. For most of us, the jury is still out!

nicolaou

Having just read this entire thread I feel the need to lie down in a darkened room, listen to my favourite Jilted John record and sup merrily from a bottle of Dalmore.

Nic'

daniel-p

That was a lucid, annylitical, and intellectual perspective.... You are in illustious company with your thoughts, with some of the "great thinkers" of human history.
.... but it's STILL, depressing as hell!
again... What are you doing with this new awareness?
Seriously, I'm curious, how does this perspective impact your lifestyle (not your view of life) but how you go about your days?
++++ this is not for the purpose of a "look at what I do... look at what you do" comparison++++

To the first highlighted comment: It's not as depressing as trying to wrap my brain around ever more illogical explanations of suffering and death.

To the second: It impacts my lifestyle by helping me to be more aware of how I use my time. If I use my time selfishly I will surely not have much at my deathbed to be satisfied about. I use my time glorifying that which gives me happiness; the love of my companion. It is strange, isnt it, that I could as easily be talking about my own personal Jesus? however, I am not. I'm speaking about my wife. The only thing that matters on an existential level is the experience of life - since we will never get another chance to live this one over again. Therefore, those that are experiencing this life along side me are the only things that trully matter. For me, faith was a black hole, sucking my energy - my life - away with ever more demands againts rational thought and practicality. So I turned my attention to that which actually can be felt, measured, and embraced on an emotional level - in effect, a spiritual level.

No matter what we believe, I think it is best if we come to believe it apart from the personal dogma of others. It is life that teaches the lessons we learn, and life itself that gives the "answers" to the Big Quesions, not people. I hope that you can respect other people no matter what they believe about life and death - I think you do - but it doesn't show very well when you judge athiests as hopeless or whatever. That's your impression based on your own needs.

hillary_step

Nicolaou,

Having just read this entire thread I feel the need to lie down in a darkened room, listen to my favourite Jilted John record

lol....Very droll....

HS

--- A Question for ALL Atheistic ex-Dubs----

Ritter's Experiments

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