[MD] a-theism and atheism

[david buchanan]

John said to dmb:
... For instance, you yourself have many times offered as an argument, "Because Pirsig says I'm his favorite" and you seem to think that sort of social conferring of authority carries intellectual weight.


dmb says:
I think you have it backwards. Pirsig didn't says Ant and I "are the two foremost philosophers today on the MOQ and it's implications" for social reasons and he's not talking about my social qualities. My argument has never been that I'm his favorite or that being so favored would make me right. That's just silly. But he wrote the books and he thinks Ant and I understand them as well as anyone. I've also been studying around it full time in grad school for years and my grades couldn't be higher. If that doesn't count as evidence of some intellectual credibility, what in the world would count as evidence? Pirsig's opinion and my grade point average are not based on the fact that I give good back-rubs and it doesn't come from schmoozing either. It's based on what I write. And that's all we have to go on here. 
And that was the main point in posting the quote from Pirsig. He sees the very same thing you see; my writings on the MOQ. And yet your conclusions couldn't be further from his. It couldn't be further from the people who grade my papers either. Wouldn't a reasonable person ask himself why fails to see what they see? I'm not expert on humility, obviously, but how can you imagine that you are in a better position to judge than they are? That's not just a lack of humility, that's downright delusional. Speaking of which....


John said:

... I've posted a perfectly legitimate intellectual challenge to the validity of "a brief history of time" and it's underlying metaphysical assumptions and have I received a single answer or refutation of my arguments?  Nope.  All we get is, "well, he's more famous and brilliant than you, so shut up."  Is that what you consider an intellectual argument dave?


dmb says:

Do you really not understand how crazy that sounds? 

I hate to break it to you but (In a whisper) you're not even a physicist, dude. You simply haven't done the work to be in that club and if you think you can rival Hawking before getting the credentials or working a single day in the field, then you really are delusional. And of course none of this has anything to do with his fame or even your intelligence. Even if you were the greatest genius who ever lived, you still haven't done the work to be in that club. Intellectual skills are acquired not granted as a favor or magically conferred. Practice and hard work. What makes you think you get to skip all that and still be at the same level as Hawking. That's just nuts.