Elon Musk a theist?
Posted on: June 4, 2016 - 11:37pm
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Elon Musk a theist?
Peviously, he seemed to indicate atheism.
https://www.quora.com/Is-Elon-Musk-an-atheist
But would believing in this qualify for theism?
http://www.vox.com/2016/6/2/11837608/elon-musk-simulation-argument
God is a VR programmer? Unless of course he is also a simulation.
Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen
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A lot of people think we're most likely in a simulation. If their premise was correct, they'd be right about the odds, insofar as we can calculate them. Unfortunately for their arguments though, they are building an argument on a foundation that doesn't exist.
1: There is no evidence that a species could last long enough to become sufficiently capable technologically to render a complete simulation of a universe, right down to the quantum level. We can't even guess at how intricate a computer would have to be to pull that off, nor how much power it would take. No model we've ever made comes anywhere near as detailed. It's like comparing a hang glider to warp drives the difference is so vast.
2: We have no evidence that artificial intelligence is even possible, and artificial intelligence is a prerequisite for any such simulation.
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
never mind the fact that, philosophically speaking, what constitutes a "simulation" as opposed to "reality" is hardly cut and dry. in a very concrete way, we all live in a "simulation" provided by our senses.
"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson
So how can we tell Christians that evolution is reality? All claims about the true nature of reality are equally valid.
It seems that Musk's belief is very similar to what you get from Christian apologetics. This world is not real and will pass away only to reveal true reality. The devil is combination of troll and hacker, continually spamming us, tricking us and putting viruses in our brains. The only difference between Musk and a fundy is he doesn't have a specific story(the bible) that purports to reveal the true nature of reality.
Suppose the evidence builds that we are in a computer simulation. Should we take Pascal's wager and become ass kissers of whomever created us so hopefully they will give us everlasting bliss? Or are they dicks for creating suffering for the sole purpose of their amusement? Or just ignore them?
Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen
We can't just tell christians that evolution is true. To have a hope of convincing a christian that evolution is, you have to educate them on it. Most christians who denounce evolution don't know what evolution is in the first place. They heard some idiot describe it ridiculously and that's what they go with.
Musk's view is quite different from a religion though. Ultimately it doesn't matter whether we're in a simulation or not. We can't behave any differently or accomplish anything new or change anything whether this ireality or not. It's still our reality, regardless of whether it's a simulation or a hologram or whatever. It has no impact on us either way.
We can't do anything to appeal to anyone who would be running the simulation. The whole purpose of such a simulation is to learn. You can't learn about your universe by simulating a universe and messing around with it. You have to let the simulation run its course and then examine the data.
It's unlikely they could interfere anyway. A computer can simulate far faster than even a group of people can examine data. By the time someone noticed the numerical bump that suggested a simulated civilisation attempted contact our sun would have burned out.
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
Actually he would be a Diest not a Theist, same as people like Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin. He just has more knowledge about the technology that a creator may have used to create our reality.
Thiesm is Deism plus added beliefs about the actions and nature of the diety. True?
Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen
Except that if we were in a simulation, it wasn't created by one being. And the beings who created it are no more special than we are. In fact, it is quite likely that they too are simulated.
There's no deity involved of any kind. Just people and computers,
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
i almost never use words like "true" or "real" without heavy qualification, even in everyday conversation. i hate those words. i would say evolution is empirically true.
"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson