Negative atheism? (Introduction)

by dhw, Monday, January 05, 2015, 12:12 (3610 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: Once intelligence exists, on no matter what level, it can guide itself.-DAVID: But how do you get to intelligence? After an inorganic universe starts by something, then life has to appear and to develop intelligence, but how? I see nothing but guidance.-Once again, NOBODY knows the source of intelligence. Your guidance begins with a somehow existing intelligence, mine with a somehow evolving intelligence. Pinky and Perky.
 
DAVID: And I view your hypothesis as impossible. Your alternative of an evolving intelligence in an interplay between energy and matter must involve chance, although you deny that.-I am saying we don't know how it came about - any more than we know how first cause energy could simply “be” intelligent. You might as well say first cause energy just happens to have had consciousness. Lucky old thing.
 
DAVID: I keep coming back to Davies point as to how highly significant it is that sentient humans appeared against all odds. I don't think an inorganic universe can invent a consciousness, which is your proposal. One had to exist to start with.
-All life appeared against all the odds. I agree with you: I don't see how an inorganic universe can invent a consciousness. Nor do I see how first-cause energy can simply BE conscious. Two equally “impossible” hypotheses. That is a pretty good reason for agnosticism. Paul Davies is also an agnostic. Why do you think that is?