Classic Phillips: Life After Death or Eternity?
Recall, Phillips was arguing that even if the idea of an empirically based after-life made sense, it would make no difference. Would Nietzsche, for example, change his mind if he woke from death to find the risen Christ standing before him? No, of course not, argues Phillips. Therefore, even if it made sense (which it doesn’t), there’s no point in it anyway.
April 17, 2001 (Part 3):
Stephen Davis: See, I can buy that, even though I believe that verification might possibly make sense, eschatological verification, because I can imagine a situation where Christianity lets say, or any other religion potentially, could be verified yet there still be lots of unbelievers. I think that makes perfectly good sense. Maybe they’re stiff-necked, or close minded, or something like that.
D.Z. Phillips: But does this make sense to you? I suppose this comes down to Craig’s question about life after death. . . .So, supposing now I don’t buy what doesn’t make sense to me, so that you have everything that Christianity means to you except eschatology, understood in a futuristic verificationist sense. Supposing I were right. Of course, neither of us are going to find out if I’m right. You’re going to find out if you’re right – that’s one of the horrible aspects of my view. You’re all going to be in the port of Swinburne from heaven, refusing me my class of water in Gehenna.But, anyway, I’m not going to find out if I’m right in a verificationist sense, but, of course, we can pose it now. If I were right, and it went into this category of a truth which says itself. Obviously, if I ask you, would it be any less, in certain respects you’d say “yes, there’s a whole dimension left out”. But the more interesting question, well, not the more interesting question, but the question I’d want to press is if that dimension were out, would it effect everything other than that for you>
Stephen Davis: Yes it would because I think most of the crucial Christian claims, Christian doctrines as theologians would put it, are organically tied to the future. And it would be – it’s all of a piece, it’s not like you can lump off this part and the rest of it makes sense. So, no I don’t think it would make any sense. And this has nothing to do with my sort of anally wanting to survive death or something like that
Phillips: No, no, no, no, no
Davis: That’s not the issue at all. As a system, I just don’t think it would make any sense.
Women’s Dictionary
Gabby, one of my philosophy students, e-mailed me this list (I thought you might enjoy it.
A guide to female language:
(1) Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are
right and you need to shut up.
(2) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour.
Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more
minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.
(3) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something and you
should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in
fine.
(4) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don’t Do It!
(5) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often
misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and
wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you
about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)
(6) That’s Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a woman can
make to a man. That’s okay means she wants to think long and hard before
deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.
(7) Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or Faint. Just say
you’re welcome. (I want to add in a clause here – This is true, unless she
says ‘Thanks a lot’ – that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at
all. DO NOT say ‘you’re welcome’ … that will bring on a ‘whatever’).
(8) Whatever: Is a woman’s way of saying **** YOU!
(9) Don’t worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning
this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is
now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking ‘What’s
wrong?’ For the woman’s response refer to # 3.