Known, Unknown and Unknowable
Zelalem Mekonnen started this discussion 1 day ago.
ActivityWhen it comes to knowledge, there are three categories. Things we know, things we don't know, and things that are unknowable.
Religion and mysticism can come from confusing the unknown with the unknowable.
Religion can provide a protection against the reality of facing the unknown, which is the only way to create knowledge.
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With an account, you can revise, criticize, and comment on ideas, and submit new ideas.By definition, there is nothing in the unknowable, since it can't be known. One can rationally and with confidence move on and not even entertain anything that claims to be 'beyond human understanding.'
By definition, there is nothing in the unknowable, since it can't be known.
This isn’t true. There are unknowable things. Look up uncomputable functions, see eg
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computable_function#Uncomputable_functions_and_unsolvable_problems
- https://www.reddit.com/r/compsci/comments/2s2wgy/what_is_an_uncomputable_function/.
So there are things that computers like our brains can never access – there are fundamental, natural limitations.
In this context, I think of mysticism as restricting criticism and preventing error correction, ie creating a man-made barrier for reason. That’s different.
The sentiment of the sentence stands. Even with uncomputable functions, one shouldn't waste time in trying to solve them.
"Man simply invented God in order not to kill himself, that is the summary of universal history down to the moment."
Dostoevsky