Sam Harris

I ran across this book last night at a used bookstore and purchased it.  Has anyone read it?  Any thoughts on it if you have?

http://www.thesixwaysofatheism.com/

Hmmm… after quickly scanning the link that you posted, I didn’t get the impression that all the arguments that were presented were logically sound. I disagreed with some of the premises and I felt that some of the conclusions didn’t necessarily follow. It’s as if the author didn’t think things through very thoroughly. I don’t know. Just my opinion based on a quick look see.

Ron

MrRon - 09 September 2009 10:50 PM

Hmmm… after quickly scanning the link that you posted, I didn’t get the impression that all the arguments that were presented were logically sound. I disagreed with some of the premises and I felt that some of the conclusions didn’t necessarily follow. It’s as if the author didn’t think things through very thoroughly. I don’t know. Just my opinion based on a quick look see.

Ron

The book itself is vastly more detailed.  The summaries were very “high-level”.

For example…

Argument 2: The Man And God Comprehension Gulf Argument
1. Man is finite (in time, space and power etc).
2. God if he exists is infinite (in time, space and power etc).
3. Therefore mankind cannot possibly recognise God or even know that God exists.

I fail to see how the conclusion follows the premises. The Universe is infinite (or let’s assume it is) yet mankind in all his “finiteness” can certainly know that an infinite Universe exists. So why couldn’t mankind know that a God exists? Besides, a God could design the Universe any way he wanted, so he could have made it possible for finite beings to be aware of infinite beings\things.

Also, Argument 5: The Universal Uncertainty Argument still has me scratching my head. And some of the other Arguments seem a bit lacking as well.

Don’t get me wrong, the book may be a great read. And hopefully the details may fill in the gaps. But at face value it seems the sort of thing that a theist can poke holes at (or at least attempt to). Or maybe it’s just me being too nit-picky.

Anyway, please let us know how the book is. And thanks so much for the post.

Ron

MrRon - 11 September 2009 12:06 AM

For example…

Argument 2: The Man And God Comprehension Gulf Argument
1. Man is finite (in time, space and power etc).
2. God if he exists is infinite (in time, space and power etc).
3. Therefore mankind cannot possibly recognise God or even know that God exists.

I fail to see how the conclusion follows the premises. The Universe is infinite (or let’s assume it is) yet mankind in all his “finiteness” can certainly know that an infinite Universe exists. So why couldn’t mankind know that a God exists? Besides, a God could design the Universe any way he wanted, so he could have made it possible for finite beings to be aware of infinite beings\things.

Also, Argument 5: The Universal Uncertainty Argument still has me scratching my head. And some of the other Arguments seem a bit lacking as well.

Don’t get me wrong, the book may be a great read. And hopefully the details may fill in the gaps. But at face value it seems the sort of thing that a theist can poke holes at (or at least attempt to). Or maybe it’s just me being too nit-picky.

Anyway, please let us know how the book is. And thanks so much for the post.

Ron

I’ll let you know!