Evolution took a long time (Introduction)

by David Turell , Saturday, February 11, 2017, 01:35 (2843 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: We cannot know his thought patterns, since He is not human, and we are. We have to work backwards from what is created, where we might then see something that looks like purpose. We need to avoid describing what God may see as a personal purpose for Himself.

dhw: Why? The fact that we cannot know his purpose or his nature does not mean we mustn’t speculate. In fact, it’s only natural that we should. You have asked yourself why humans are here, and you guess that God specially produced us. You have asked yourself why he specially produced us, and you guess that he wants a relationship with us. You have convinced yourself that there is not a smidgen of evil in your God, and you have asked yourself why in that case there is evil in the world, and you guess that he is a God of tough love who expects us to solve the problems he sets us. If you can guess at God’s personal purposes, why shouldn’t I?

You certainly may analyze God's purposes. Note those of mine you listed contained no reference to God's purpose as it related to God's self obtaining a self-reward such as your proposal of entertainment!

DAVID: That is what has no evidence to support it. What is produced in creation does allow a proposal of purpose as theory. Note the differentiation.

dhw: The history of evolution allows a proposal of purpose and of non-purpose as theory, just as the existence of life and the universe allows a proposal of God and non-God as theory, just as the hypothetical existence of God allows a proposal of different divine purposes as theories. There is evidence to support all theories (otherwise they would be sheer nonsense), but there is no evidence to provide conclusive proof (otherwise the theories would become facts). The history of philosophy would have been pretty bare if humans were only allowed to speculate on matters they can actually “know”.

I totally agree with your statement.