Anyone want to have a formal debate? - Page 4 - Religion, God, and Theology

I'm against such a debate. The way I see it going down, things quickly fall apart because of the size of the gap between the idea of design and any sort of empirical measurement. I haven't look at it in several years, but from what I saw, people just weren't able to bridge the gap in any meaningful way (despite their best efforts).

I should add that I'm in *favor* of the idea that design can be detected. Philosophically, the idea of intelligent design is not unreasonable. However, the absence of a meaningful evaluation mechanism creates an insurmountable barrier for the affirmative case for ID.

As far as I can see it, one of the huge issues for Intelligent Design is the 'Intelligent' part. Maybe we could have a Sloppy Design v Evolution debate

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06-05-2013 , 10:05 AM

#77

well named

poorly undertitled

Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 78,078

the atheist line up looks formidable. Hopefully we use the all-kill format for this

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06-05-2013 , 10:49 AM

#78

tame_deuces

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 18,062

I'm signed up for the theist side. On the off-chance that this would be interesting, I have more interest in the "big questions" ("does god intervene" etc) than the smaller ones.

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06-05-2013 , 01:42 PM

#79

Sommerset

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 3,863

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cwocwoc

I vote against OrP. He is very verbose and incoherent in his arguments. We need someone with a sharper mind.

LOL

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06-05-2013 , 04:27 PM

#80

zumby

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 4,277

My thoughts on topics.

I think some of the most interesting debates will be ones where the allegiances of the audience will not be divided simply by their position on theism. For example "There is purpose in an atheistic universe" is a topic where I can think of atheists who disagree as well as theists who agree.

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06-05-2013 , 08:15 PM

#81

BeaucoupFish

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 4,575

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sommerset

LOL

I would be absolutely fascinated in a second concurrent debate that had cwocwoc on the theist side vs. say jibninjas repping the atheist side.

For the main event, I'd be inspired to read almost any other combinations in debate (zumby vs OrP would be great, no offense to any of the others), but part of me would like to see zumby (or OrP) vs a well-qualified theist (try as I might, I find it hard to think of ganstaman as a theist!). There just needs to be the possibility of someone ending up crying!

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06-06-2013 , 01:17 AM

#82

the1macdaddy

adept

Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 909

Quote:

Originally Posted by Original Position

I'm willing to debate for either side. I think you should open it up for alternative topics as well though--God's existence, non-existence has been fairly well beaten into the ground.

this seems like a much better [more interesting] thing to argue. I'd love to argue either topic.

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06-06-2013 , 01:18 AM

#83

the1macdaddy

adept

Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 909

Quote:

Originally Posted by tame_deuces

I'm signed up for the theist side. On the off-chance that this would be interesting, I have more interest in the "big questions" ("does god intervene" etc) than the smaller ones.

freewill/determinism/in-determinism, etc. awesome! I love talking/debating things like that!

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06-06-2013 , 04:41 AM

#84

smrk2

veteran

Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 3,120

Topic suggestions: a) is deism any more rational than theism b) positive vs negative theology.

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06-06-2013 , 02:57 PM

#85

well named

poorly undertitled

Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 78,078

dibs on negative theology

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06-07-2013 , 06:58 AM

#86

Ratamahatta

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,157

I like reading zumbys posts so I vote for zumby.

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06-07-2013 , 09:19 AM

#87

smrk2

veteran

Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 3,120

Quote:

Originally Posted by well named

dibs on negative theology

I took a course on medieval philosophy a long time ago, sort of embarrassing how little I remember but I do remember being interested in the idea of negative theology (Maimonides comes to mind); formulating it as 'positive theology vs negative theology' is almost certainly crude but if anybody can come with a more focused debate topic on the theme I think it can be very interesting (and it would not be an atheist/theist debate which is a plus). For or against "God/God's attributes can be described positively" could work I guess.

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06-07-2013 , 02:15 PM

#88

jokerthief

No reason to get excited

Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 4,765

Alright, we need to start voting or we'll never get this off the ground.

I vote Zumby vs. Gangstaman.

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06-07-2013 , 03:22 PM

#89

montecarlo

journeyman

Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 383

I vote for whoever is willing to argue for the opposite of their stance.

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06-07-2013 , 06:21 PM

#90

BeaucoupFish

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 4,575

Quote:

Originally Posted by jokerthief

Alright, we need to start voting or we'll never get this off the ground.

I vote Zumby vs. Gangstaman.

I'd prefer to choose the debaters after the topic has been decided.

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06-09-2013 , 11:24 AM

#91

BustoRhymes

Grand Elf

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 26,670

OrP vs Zumbo sounds epic, but I suspect my head would a'splode.

I also would enjoy Zumbo vs Ganstaman.

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06-09-2013 , 12:15 PM

#92

All-In Flynn

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 10,923

I'd be more interested in a 'Saturnalia' encounter where I argue for Generic Theism versus some game theist poster who argues for atheism (or at least against GT). It's more of a challenge.

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06-09-2013 , 02:38 PM

#93

ganstaman

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Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 11,123

Quote:

Originally Posted by BustoRhymes

I also would enjoy Zumbo vs Ganstaman.

That would entail fewer head explosions, but then also less value, right?

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06-09-2013 , 03:54 PM

#94

Aaron W.

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Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 30,132

I think someone needs to just make a decision. Otherwise, this will never happen.

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06-09-2013 , 05:46 PM

#95

uke_master

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Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 16,571

Perhaps a good way moving forward is for people to say "I, so and so, would like to debate topics A, B or C and have the time to do so starting on date D, would anyone like to oppose?".

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06-09-2013 , 05:47 PM

#96

BustoRhymes

Grand Elf

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 26,670

Why don't we do randomized match ups leading up to a championship debate? Zumbo vs gangstaman, OrP vs uke_master, etc. The winner of each debate progresses to the next round. One match up per week.

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06-09-2013 , 06:38 PM

#97

uke_master

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Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 16,571

i can't do anything for a couple weeks but sure...

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06-09-2013 , 08:28 PM

#98

well named

poorly undertitled

Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 78,078

Zumby/Gangstaman seems like a good start. I have no idea what topics gangsta is interested in though, or anything about his beliefs in order to propose something that might work for those two. Maybe just the debate from the OP?

I would be interested in debating theism vs atheism on the problem of evil, the value of faith, or the general "is it reasonable to be religious" of the OP. I'd also be interested in debating any of the topics I had suggested before.

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06-09-2013 , 10:01 PM

#99

ganstaman

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Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 11,123

Quote:

Originally Posted by BustoRhymes

Why don't we do randomized match ups leading up to a championship debate?

We do have 16 posters that voted to take part, which is a great number for a tournament set up.

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06-09-2013 , 11:20 PM

#100

BustoRhymes

Grand Elf

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 26,670

We could do more than one match up a week then. It'd be cool tho to do this tournament style. Three match ups a week. Might take a month and a half to finish, but there'd be some glorious lurking to do during that time.

Would we want to make it so a public poll determines the winner of each debate? Or should we have an anonymous moderator? I'd say OrP for that except we need him to debate.

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