John Loftus responded to this previous post by stating that his presuppositions are fewer than mine, and thus his position is better. His exact words:
[T]he fewer things we must presuppose, then the more likely that accurately describes our human condition, based upon the principle of parsimony.
This ought to work well in the court of law.
“Your honor, it takes fewer presuppositions to suppose that the victim just died than it is to suppose that my client actively killed him; therefore, on the basis of parsimony, my client is innocent.”
Unfortunately, fewer isn’t better. Let’s get to as few presuppositions as possible:
Nothing physically exists, I just imagine it.
That’s far fewer presuppositions than to suppose that matter exists, that it is arranged as we view it, that we actually exist consciously, etc.
But John would obviously disagree with this conclusion.
Fewer isn’t better if it can’t explain something. John’s “fewer” atheistic presuppositions cannot explain morality and thus fewer is not better. John’s presuppositions must be able to actually work before he can claim we need to go with the argument with fewest presuppositions.
I’ll note that John has never once explained how his morality flows from his presuppositions, let alone how his logic does. I do give him credit for one thing though–it does appear he is at least trying to find his presuppositions now.






May 23rd, 2006 at 4:48 pm
Anyone who merely believed that a God created this universe (Deism) has far and away fewer presuppositons than you do! The more you must presuppose the more likely you could be wrong. Simple and few are better.
May 24th, 2006 at 11:28 am
Firstly, I disagree. In fact, would you please demonstrate for me right now what presuppositions a Deist requires? (I’m betting that you still don’t understand presuppositions and thus won’t be able to–please prove me wrong.)
Secondly, your response to my argument that “Fewer isn’t better if it can’t explain something” is that Deism “has far and away fewer presuppositons than you do!”
Can you explain how that deals with my argument that fewer presuppositions must still be able to explain reality?
There is this thing called irreducible complexity. Something cannot have fewer presuppositions than what are necessary in the first place. Otherwise, I could offer the following “argument” (which would definitely have far fewer presuppositions since 1) I’m not defining them and 2) I said so):
I win.
There, that was easy.