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Religion

Jim__

(14,074 posts)

16. What is the scientific and rational approach to guessing the number of jelly beans in a jar?

Reply to Silent3 (Original post)

Wed May 2, 2012, 07:53 AM

May 2012

I don't believe that either science or religion is particularly concerned with guessing the number of jelly beans in a jar. A question like, "how many jelly beans are there in this jar?", does have a correct and easily verifiable answer. A questions like, "How should I live?", probably does not have a correct answer, certainly not an easily verifiable one. I consider the question, "How should I live?" to be the more important question, the far more important question.

Is the scientific and rational approach to problem solving better than other approaches? It depends on what problem you are trying to solve.

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26 replies

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Giant Jar of Jellybeans [View all] Silent3 May 2012 OP

I like it Goblinmonger May 2012 #1

I'm reasonably OK with that. Gore1FL May 2012 #2

Quite useful yes. I have to muse further a bit though dmallind May 2012 #3

Eenie meenie, jelly beany, the spirits are about to speak: dimbear May 2012 #4

But how many are ear wax flavored? longship May 2012 #5

Religion is not an approach to problem solving. rug May 2012 #6

That would be news to the vast majority of religious believers. n/t trotsky May 2012 #8

What is religion an approach to? cleanhippie May 2012 #9

At it's base, it's an attempt to encounter the divine rug May 2012 #11

Which may or may not be there to be encountered... Silent3 May 2012 #12

Or it might be there. rug May 2012 #14

I already allowed for "might be there" in my last post. Silent3 May 2012 #15

What is "the divine"? cleanhippie May 2012 #17

God, the Creator, that which is transcendent. rug May 2012 #19

There are questions, however, and supposed answers in religion... Silent3 May 2012 #10

A theist would approach the problem rrneck May 2012 #7

I like it! deucemagnet May 2012 #13

What is the scientific and rational approach to guessing the number of jelly beans in a jar? Jim__ May 2012 #16

So you're saying there isn't a rational approach to the question of "How should I live?" eqfan592 May 2012 #18

No, I'm not saying that. Jim__ May 2012 #20

Thank you for your clairification. (nt) eqfan592 May 2012 #21

Only the wishy-washy liberal versions of religion... Silent3 May 2012 #22

Religions, even the "wishy-washy" ones, are not primarily interested in jelly bean enumeration ... Jim__ May 2012 #23

What, other than special pleading, makes those other problems so different? Silent3 May 2012 #24

I'm "riding to the rescue?" Jim__ May 2012 #25

Repeating what you already said, then stating a few examples of questions... Silent3 May 2012 #26