[MD] Natural or supernatural?

[david buchanan]

David M said to dmb:
What I am suggesting is that the idea of the transcendental really came out 
of the reality of such possibilities, their reduction into a actuality that 
is always a reduction, a subset, of the possible, and the loss of most 
possibilities that is built into the very being of what is actual.

dmb says:
The idea of the transcendental came out possibilities? That's exactly what I 
don't get. I understand that five possibilities will be lost when a 
six-sided die finally stops rolling. (Jez, you must think I'm a retarded 
child.) What I don't get is your assertion that these lost possibilities are 
the sorce of the idea of the transcendental. That makes no sense to me. As I 
see it, that idea comes from experience. It comes from actual transcendental 
experience, not from imaginig what might have been. The imagination is a 
wonderful thing and is essential in all forms of creativity, but I don't 
think there is anything supernatural or transcendent about that. I think 
you're trying to make something religious out of a coin toss.

David M also said:
To put it in different language, what emerges is dynamic and incredibly 
rich, what never emerges and remains Nothing is even vaster and richer.

dmb says:
What never emerges is vaster and richer? I honestly don't see how this can 
be anything other than confused nonsense.

David M said:
Or again, this actual world is only one of a vast range of possible worlds. 
The point of freedom is surely to choose a future that occupies one of the 
better rather than one of the awful possible future worlds.

dmb says:
This is just a string of platitudes. Of course there are many possibilites. 
Of course freedom depends on the ability to make choices. Of course we 
should choose a better future over an awful one. Is there a 12 year old 
child in the English-speaking world who doesn't already know that? Of 
course, of course, of course is true. But so what? I guess you are not 
taking this objection seriously, because I keep raising it and aren't 
offering any responses. In fact, you are using these same vague platitudes 
over and over and I keep saying, "Okay. So what?"

Why do you not answer my questions? In various ways I have repeatedly 
complained that "the problem is that I have no idea what you are saying 
about those explorations. ..Its extremely vague. ...I keep thinking, yea, so 
what? ...if this is so "richly explored in religious thought" why are you 
not sharing some of this? ...If you think I have any idea what you're 
talking about, you are definately wrong. ... Maybe you think I'm asking 
these questions out of fear or as a way to avoid something, but I'm telling 
you honestly that I do not see the point. See, if you answer questions like 
this, I might have some pretty good clues about what you're saying. I'm not 
rejecting your ideas so much as criticizing your communicaton skills. If I 
knew what you were talking about I'd have a real chance to agree or disagree 
with it. Maybe then I could try to avoid it, but right now I don't even know 
what your point is. I'm not even sure what the topic is anymore. I have 
repeatedly asked for explantions and repeatedly complained that your 
comments are too vague."

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