Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Pascal's Wager Squared, an Underfable



          Pascal’s Wager Squared


          Once upon a time an Atheist said, “I know God does not exist.”
          A voice from Heaven said, “Oh, really?”
          The Atheist jumped straight up.

          His friend, an Agnostic, said, “I do not know if God exists.”
          A voice from Heaven said, “Hello!”
          The Agnostic smiled.

          Later the Atheist became a Dogmatist, and the Agnostic a Mystic. The Dogmatist said, “I understand God.”
          A voice from Heaven said, “Oh, really?”
          The Dogmatist jumped straight up.

          The Mystic said, “I love God.”
          A voice from Heaven said, “Hello!”
          The Mystic smiled.

          Moral:       Bet that you might be wrong.
          Comment:
Both atheist and agnostic were surprised, though the agnostic more pleasantly. If God does not exist, then there is no difference between atheism and agnosticism; but if God does exist, then agnosticism is better. Therefore, by this version of Pascal’s Wager, agnosticism is better than atheism.
          Both dogmatist and mystic were also surprised, though the mystic more pleasantly. If God does not exist, then there is no difference between dogma and worship, but if God does exist, then worship is better. Therefore, by this version of Pascal’s Wager, worship is better than dogma.
          In both cases the error was certainty. Therefore I propose Hellerstein’s Wager:
          Bet that you might be wrong.

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