It is a stawman argument when the house is built of staw.
If we cannot discuss the tools used to derive our measurements from, if we cannot discuss how those tools are chosen, if cannot discuss how we KNOW those tools are the right tool for a job, if we cannot discuss proper calibration of said tools, and if we cannot discuss our assumptions, then there is no real platform for discussion.
Those who are unwilling to examine the foundation they build their science, philosophy or religion on are afraid of something.
That the atheists here chicken out from the REAL debate is not surprising to me at all.
I can clearly recall many years ago when in the halls of "logic" where philosophy professors were playing games, as they had long ago concluded they couldn't find truth.
If _______________ then ______________ becomes the game.
If physical perception and relativistic logic are the accurate means to know reality outside of human consciousness, then they would reveal the truth.
Yet, it remains a conditional statment no matter how much one wants to believe otherwise.
The condition accepted, but not proven except via circular reasoning, is that senses and relativistic logic are in FACT representative of Reality, and not just producinig illusion themselves.
I can see why you don't want to go there, i.e. discussion of your first assumption, but you prefer to practice blind faith in the tools of your choosing.
Who am I to take away that warm stupid feeling that comes when the human mind believes itself to know the Truth.
Quote from stu:
You have been slated by Axeman and others in every God thread I've read. Axeman correctly pointed out to you, time after time, your habit of raising strawman argument.
All you are now doing here is asking me to create my own straw man for you.
It is not reasonable inquiry to ask someone to create their own weak argument for you, so that you have something to try and tear down.
Also, assumption is not a necessity for debate.