Argument #1 works in the least convenient imaginable world, in my opinion. However, the OP concerns the least convenient possible world. The existence of an omnicient Omega seems to be possible in only the same sense as the existence of a deity; i.e., no-one has proven it to be impossible. The ability to hypothesize the existence of Omega doesn’t imply that its existence is actually possible.
OK, here goes. I made a misstep by involving Omega in my least convenient world scenario at all. But I was right to try to redirect attention away from omniscience -- it just doesn’t matter how you get to the epistemic state of discounting all possibilities other than Catholicism or atheism. All you need to grant is that it’s possible for your brain to be in that state. Did knowledge from Omega put you there? Did you suffer an organic brain injury? Did your social context influence the possibilities you were willing to consider? Were you kidnapped and brainwashed? Who cares? It’s irrelevant—the presence of eternal damnation in the payoff matrix makes it so. However you got there, you must now face Pascal’s Wager head on. How will you answer?
But I was right to try to redirect attention away from omniscience—it just doesn’t matter how you get to the epistemic state of discounting all possibilities other than Catholicism or atheism. All you need to grant is that it’s possible for your brain to be in that state.
Given the epistemic state of recognizing only those two possibilites, I suppose I would cop out as follows. I would examine the minimum requirements of being a Catholic, and determine whether this would require me to do anything I find morally repugnant. If not, I would comply with the Catholic minimum requirements, while not rejecting either possibility. In other words, I would be an agnostic. (I don’t think Catholicism requires a complete absence of doubt.)
Argument #1 works in the least convenient imaginable world, in my opinion. However, the OP concerns the least convenient possible world. The existence of an omnicient Omega seems to be possible in only the same sense as the existence of a deity; i.e., no-one has proven it to be impossible. The ability to hypothesize the existence of Omega doesn’t imply that its existence is actually possible.
It’s been more than two and a half years, dude!
OK, here goes. I made a misstep by involving Omega in my least convenient world scenario at all. But I was right to try to redirect attention away from omniscience -- it just doesn’t matter how you get to the epistemic state of discounting all possibilities other than Catholicism or atheism. All you need to grant is that it’s possible for your brain to be in that state. Did knowledge from Omega put you there? Did you suffer an organic brain injury? Did your social context influence the possibilities you were willing to consider? Were you kidnapped and brainwashed? Who cares? It’s irrelevant—the presence of eternal damnation in the payoff matrix makes it so. However you got there, you must now face Pascal’s Wager head on. How will you answer?
sorry—I was led there by a recent thread.
Given the epistemic state of recognizing only those two possibilites, I suppose I would cop out as follows. I would examine the minimum requirements of being a Catholic, and determine whether this would require me to do anything I find morally repugnant. If not, I would comply with the Catholic minimum requirements, while not rejecting either possibility. In other words, I would be an agnostic. (I don’t think Catholicism requires a complete absence of doubt.)