God's Linda Problem

[◊ Krowb ◊]

What are the reasons for your belief?

 

While this is presently addressed to @Johnny, it's relevant to all theists who visit.

 

Let's keep in mind a few basic facts. 
1.  X being false does not require that Y is true.  The answer could be Y, or Z, A, B, or a combination.
2.  Each ascribed attribute must be adequately supported.

 

Which of these scenarios is more likely to be true:
1. I have a pink ball.
2. I have a pink ball with white spots.
3. I have a pink ball with white spots and made in China.
4. I have a pink ball with white spots, made in China, by a woman.

 

The Linda Problem a/k/a the Conjunction Fallacy:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjunction_fallacy

 

When proposed sequentially as I did above, there is no issue, because it's obvious that each additional attribute is nested within the larger universe of previous attributes lacking the additional limiting descriptor.

 

@Johnny

What are the reasons for your belief that:
1. The universe is created - (I'll answer this one for you:  incredulity and lack of personally convincing evidence otherwise)
2. Purposefully
3. By a creative force - (incredulity and lack of convincing evidence otherwise)
4. And that creative force further is
  a. Uncreated

  b. Intelligent
  c. Singular
  d. Purposeful
  e. Eternal
  f. Emotional
  g. Involved in the affairs of humans by
     i. Intentional creation of earth
     ii. Intentional creation of humans as generally presently configured
     iii. Intervening
     iv. human moral law giving
     v. physically appearing to humans
     vi. human written and maintained texts of this creative force's place outside/inside the observable universe and its desires for humans.

These are some of the building blocks on which your specific non-denominational, Christian beliefs rest.

[RankStranger]

Childhood indoctrination should be added to the list.  That's powerful stuff.

[duderonomy]

Tell me more about Linda, Zealot.

 

Not being snarky, but what is the "Linda" problem?

[◊ Krowb ◊]

On 7/23/2022 at 11:31 PM, duderonomy said:

Tell me more about Linda, Zealot.

 

Not being snarky, but what is the "Linda" problem?

 

It's name given to the conjunction fallacy which can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjunction_fallacy. "The Linda problem" was the name given to it by Tversky & Kahneman in their original research.  The Undoing Project (link below) provides a nice introduction to the larger world of cognitive and I found an enjoyable read.

 

Humans are not perfectly rational and the last several decades have been enormously fruitful in identifying the common patterns in our irrational or sub-optimal thinking.  It's a fascinating field of study, and based on the research, so far holds true across cultural boundaries and educational strata.  Professional statisticians are just as likely as the general population to make statistical errors in reasoning when the problems hide the underlying statistical nature of the problem.

 

It's well known that humans operate on mental shortcuts (or heuristics).  While this ability may have helped our ancestors make life and death decisions, these shortcuts impede our ability make rational decisions in a modern world.  And the most interesting part (to me at least) is the nature of these shortcomings appear fairly universal.

 

Some light introductory reading on the subject and related concepts:

• The Undoing Project:  https://isbnsearch.org/isbn/9780393354775

• Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions:  https://isbnsearch.org/isbn/9780061353246

• Thinking, Fast and Slow:  https://isbnsearch.org/isbn/9780374275631

•  

  Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment:  https://isbnsearch.org/isbn/9780316451406

 For a more academic review:

• Choices, Values, and Frames:  https://isbnsearch.org/isbn/9780521627498

•  

  Judgment Under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases:  https://isbnsearch.org/isbn/9780521284141

I'm currently reading Predictably Irrational & Thinking, Fast and Slow.

[duderonomy]

Thanks Krowb, I'd never heard of that. 

 

It sounds like bullshit to me now that you explain it, but what do I know? 

 

I don't want to discuss or argue, but thanks for letting me know what 'The Linda Problem" is.