by Patterner » December 14th, 2009, 1:50 am
Well, it's been more than a year since the posts in this thread were made. I hope people stop by occasionally. :D
Short introduction... I'm an agnostic. When I see enough evidence for a creator, I'll believe there is one. So far, I haven't seen any. I'm not remotely unsatisfied with my beliefs, or the lack thereof. I do, however, think religion in general is something to look into a good deal more than many other subjects. Even if the fact that the overwhelming majority of humans throughout history have believed in a creator isn't evidence for a creator (not saying it isn't, just not sure it really qualifies), I think it's a good idea to try to understand the majority of humans throughout history. Therefore, I read about it and talk to people. I think Conversations With God, Fools Crow: Wisdom and Power, and Eknath Easwaran's introductions to his translations of the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita are absolutely amazing works. Filled with beauty and wisdom, even if I don't have reason to believe they represent the truth of existence.
So, while debating various aspects of our beliefs online with an Orthodox guy, he suggested Miracles. And, lo and behold, Chapter 3 is what I'm here to ask about. I don't understand something, and I don't see how to go on before I do. Maybe someone can help me. I'm not sure what Lewis means in his paragraphs about the word because. If I do understand him, I disagree with him. It seems he's saying we gain knowledge by way of Ground and Consequent. "Grandfather must be ill today because he hasn't got up yet (and we know he is an invariably early riser when he is well)." But we don't gain knowledge in that way. That's something that makes us suspect something - that gramps is sick. But we learn - we gain knowledge - whether or not he is via other methods. And even if it is proven that he is, indeed, sick, the Ground and Consequent that made us suspicious in the first place is not any part of the proof.
I think I disagree with more in the next several paragraphs, but, until I'm sure what he meant there, I can't say for sure.
Can anyone help?