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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Avantguardian wrote:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>> when you have a very high IQ you are good at seeing patterns</DIV>
<DIV>> of information. When you see so much pattern in the
universe,</DIV>
<DIV>> so little of which can be explained by mere science, it
engenders</DIV>
<DIV>> faith that there is SOMETHING out there calling the shots. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I don't think its high IQ that engenders that but
low psychology. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Intellectually little is gained by positing a
something out there calling the</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>shots and then treating that something as a great
unknowable black box</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>outside of and separate to the many other things
that intelligent people</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>also don't know. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I like Sagan's question on this point best. When
considering arguments</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>of uncaused causes and positioning that the
universe had or needed a</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>creator but that the creator didn't need
a creator - "why not save a step"?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I think the low psychology rather than high
IQ is the real cause. I think </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(and this is speculation I admit) that humans are
simply wired with a very</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>strong propensity to anthropomorphise. Much of
what we do and what</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>matters to homo saps happens in a social and
political context and our</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>brains have developed to reflect that
strong preoccupation. Seeing design</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and intention and athropomorphising all over the
place is easier and offers</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>the possibility of appeal when circumstances may
otherwise seem hopeless.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I do not think the high IQ types were immune
because of that from </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>existential </FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2>angst. Nor do see any reason why their existential angst
should</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>be </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>resolvable
</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>any better in the universe than that of
the lowest meanest </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>brute.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<DIV
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">if
you are willing to BELIEVE that every tangible bit of matter and </DIV>
<DIV
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">energy
in the the universe that you can see with our best telescopes</DIV>
<DIV
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">and
detection equipment comprise a mere 5% of what's actually
out</DIV>
<DIV
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">there, then
why can't you admit there might be room in the 95% of </DIV>
<DIV
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">the
universe you can't see for PROVIDENCE? </DIV></FONT>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I can admit it but I am not interested in dwelling
on it as the time is wasted</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and there are better more useful things for good
minds to be communicating</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>about. I see the turning toward religion and
providence as quite natural, as </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>natural as panic in the face of near certain
oblivion and about as helpful.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Brett</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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