To try and make some vague link with IT here...
Something I find useful is to imagine God/deity as a computer programmer. (S)He creates a universe, writes the objects, workflow etc etc, and this universe, being well programmed, contains objects able to have some form of self-consciousness. These objects then wonder if they've been created by the big Programmer in the sky, or whether their universe is a digital accident. The only way for them really to know would be that the Programmer speaks through an object.
They could perhaps deduce certain things from the structure of their universe, but it wouldn't prove anything either way. The Programmer would have to reveal him/herself within the program for them to be sure.
Of course, if the Programmer was able to set up the universe to run on base principles, a few basic laws that allowed the rest to evolve... then that would be pretty excellent programming. A deity that had to invoke "adam = new Human(bellybutton = true)" would be decidedly second rate
Slashdot Mirror
40 responses and not a single noodly appendage in sight. Is everyone OK?
On the same note, they should remove "Solitaire" from all computers belonging to geeks.
To try and make some vague link with IT here... Something I find useful is to imagine God/deity as a computer programmer. (S)He creates a universe, writes the objects, workflow etc etc, and this universe, being well programmed, contains objects able to have some form of self-consciousness. These objects then wonder if they've been created by the big Programmer in the sky, or whether their universe is a digital accident. The only way for them really to know would be that the Programmer speaks through an object. They could perhaps deduce certain things from the structure of their universe, but it wouldn't prove anything either way. The Programmer would have to reveal him/herself within the program for them to be sure. Of course, if the Programmer was able to set up the universe to run on base principles, a few basic laws that allowed the rest to evolve... then that would be pretty excellent programming. A deity that had to invoke "adam = new Human(bellybutton = true)" would be decidedly second rate