[ExI] Atheism again

[Giulio Prisco]

Re "I am starting to think there is a need for a book about the early
development of a long list of Extropian ideas..." PLEASE WRITE IT!!!!

On Thu, Apr 23, 2020 at 7:50 AM Keith Henson via extropy-chat
<extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>
> Will Steinberg <steinberg.will at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Wed, Apr 22, 2020, 13:40 John Clark via extropy-chat <
> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>
> >> I hope you're right and nobody around here cares about an omnipotent
> >> omniscient being that created the universe, I can't prove the idea is wrong
> >> but I can prove the idea is silly.
>
> >  To the contrary, Bostrom has shown just how probable this scenario is.
>
> Ah, are you aware that the modern simulation idea originated in a joke
> between me and Hans Moravec at the1986 Artificial Life Conference?
> Hans and I discussed this origin on this list.  I think I could find
> it if anyone cares. (The idea dates back to Simulacron-3 (1964) by
> Daniel F. Galouye though I didn't make the connection at the time.)
>
> > However--even not in a simulation--I believe that reality requires an
> ultimate contingency.  The big bang has a reason, and that has a reason,
> and so does that.
>
> I have read that the universe came about in a way similar to a bubble
> forming in a pot of boiling water and no reason was involved.
>
> > The only way to rationalize these infinitely recurring
> causes is to assume said contingency, which I would call God.  Even a
> simulator's world may have the some argument attached to it.  So if reality
> is an endless series of creators--what's the difference?  The creative
> force is God
>
> I don't need to rationalize the origin of the universe.  It happened,
> that's enough for me.  But if you feel the need for a god, that's OK
> too.
>
> Keith
>
> PS.  I am starting to think there is a need for a book about the early
> development of a long list of Extropian ideas.  Max More would be the
> obvious one to write it, but I *might* consider doing it if he does
> not want to write it.  Max gave me the early archives a couple of
> years ago.  The book would be largely one of postings and explanations
> from the early days.  Perry Metzger and maybe some of the other early
> posters would need to review it.
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