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Atheism/God and complexity #2

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Question
Hello,


If you remember, I stated that intelligence, consciousness and volition are complex process.

But defenders of argument from Design can reply that an immaterial deity, like a human, can choose to not reasoning or to not being intelligent, thus there would not be complex process involved in that case.


My question is: does the ABILITY of being conscious, intelligent and having will require complex process?


Sincerely

Answer
It has to start from a state of being intelligent, conscious, and volitional in order to make a choice to not be intelligent; ergo the original objection holds. What's more, such a choice would be a choice to abandon most of the attributes usually associated with a deity: omniscience, omnipotence, omnibenevolence, being a person, etc. In effect, it's a choice to cease being a deity. So why worship it now?

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Austin Cline

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I can address questions regarding atheism, agnosticism, skepticism, humanism, religious philosophy & history, and arguments both for and against theism. I am also familiar with many of the skeptical and atheist resources in print and on the internet.

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I have been an atheist and a secular humanist for many years. I actively run a site about agnosticism & atheism and attempt to help people understand more about these topics. I have made extensive study of both philosophy and of a wide vareity of religions.

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I belong to the Freedom From Religion Foundation and the Council for Secular Humanism.

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I have a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MA from Princeton University. I have also studied in Germany and Switzerland.

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Phi Beta Kappa and a Fulbright Scholar.

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