Because Atheist means P = 1. And isn’t using the correct terms important? I also wouldn’t say I need a cup of flour when I really needed 3⁄4 of a cup. If you’re not sure, say you are “Without Knowledge”, not you are “Without God.” Is it so hard to admit you don’t know? Even when I disagree with someone, I can admit I may know less than them, how else might I learn?
Of course, then I go and fact check, because they might be wrong too. But people can open paths you would never have looked down if you’re willing to say “I don’t Know” once in a while, instead of closing off conversation.
No real beef with the main issue, but as for the Extra Credit Problems:
I imagine I would weigh it depending on the group of friends I had with me, and previous experience with each of them in the field of guessing, geometry, even basic arithmetic. After I considered all that, I would then adjust my answer depending on each one’s credibility.
Think back on what I’ve done compared to what he’s done. His emotional concern is actually irrelevant, because its entirely possible he has gotten upset for reasons such as the dishes are supposed to be done on a rotation, but he uses more dishes when he knows its your turn, while yours stay consistent. However, the reverse is possible. Depending on the situation, a renegotiation of housework may be necessary, so I would suggest an accurate tracking of use to work ratios.
According to the question, there is no right answer, as you’re both arguing opinions, and like the haircut, they cannot be resolved. However, this question is heavily biased. Are there no such things as rational Christians? Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking have both made convincing arguments stating that a rational person should have difficulty declaring atheism (For Carl Sagan’s especially well thought out and rational perspective, read “The Demon Haunted World”). He is wrong, but it is entirely possible you are biased, from the Dawkin’s School of Atheist Fundamentalism. However, as you’re the rational one, the burden of proof is on you, not him. We should always ask for rationality from our discussion partners, but it is irrational to demand a higher standard of them than of ourselves. If we are unwilling to consider that we may be wrong, how can we expect them to reciprocate?
It’s a complicated idea, because his methodology is so fundamentally unsound. However, as an Atheist as opposed to an agnostic, you have declared there is absolutely no higher being. If you are every bit as unwilling to examine your own beliefs as he is, you are no less fundamentalist, and you are therefore both biased. A good skeptic should follow both the scientific and Socratic method’s, being equally capable of proving his own hypothesis (in this case, that God does not exist), and of understanding his opponents argument as if it were his own. This is a case of universal absolutes, as opposed to the previous problem, which was about temporal difficulties. A non-fundamentalist atheist, I.E., a rational Atheist, must be willing to truly understand the other side’s viewpoint, because otherwise they are as equally guilty as their religious fundamentalist counterpart. Or worse, as a religious person who has studied science and can legitimately argue against your claims is actually being more rational than you, who has chosen to do no research, and to consider nothing.
Sorry that was so long, but it was requested we search the questions themselves for bias. Is there actually any reason there can not be a Christian and an Atheist with an Equal level of Rationality? If so, why was this question worded towards a solely Christian extreme, portraying the Atheist as rational while the Xtian is not? Once again, for emphasis, from the way this question is worded, neither is rational, and both are being depressingly biased.
4. It is more likely Alfred’s will be smaller, although here is a chance Betty may increase her estimate as well. They should both eventually stabilize, however, for no other reason than because they both know that Betty is more knowledgeable, so if she sticks to an answer, it has a better chance of being correct.