I will write my usual comment: what is discussed here and elsewhere is much simpler than is most often assumed.
First, atheism, agnosticism, determinism, etc., are defeated when infinite regress is made an essential part of each. Without infinite regress, one cannot have any of the three (all are essentially the same).
Second, infinite regress is made a non sequitur when one examines its implications, which is seldom done. I had a long conversation with one of the modern AI programs on infinite regress, and I won when it eventually admitted that my point was valid based on logic.
So discussions that involve determinism/atheism, etc, are nonsense because one is discussing impossibilities. This leads to beginnings and the potential causes of a beginning. This leads to an entity we can call a creator that started everything. This leads to the characteristics that such an entity/creator must have.
This leads to the Christian God for me and most people on this site. It is not the end of the discussion, but the issues that should then be discussed are much different than usual.
I will write my usual comment: what is discussed here and elsewhere is much simpler than is most often assumed.
First, atheism, agnosticism, determinism, etc., are defeated when infinite regress is made an essential part of each. Without infinite regress, one cannot have any of the three (all are essentially the same).
Second, infinite regress is made a non sequitur when one examines its implications, which is seldom done. I had a long conversation with one of the modern AI programs on infinite regress, and I won when it eventually admitted that my point was valid based on logic.
So discussions that involve determinism/atheism, etc, are nonsense because one is discussing impossibilities. This leads to beginnings and the potential causes of a beginning. This leads to an entity we can call a creator that started everything. This leads to the characteristics that such an entity/creator must have.
This leads to the Christian God for me and most people on this site. It is not the end of the discussion, but the issues that should then be discussed are much different than usual.