In a message of 29 Apr 98 mark lewis wrote to me:
 ml> hehehe... ok, good enough... you're not a religious person, are you? i
 ml> make that comment only in that "proof of god" is not readily apparent
 ml> either...
All the sensible religious people I know agree that it is not possible to 
prove or disprove the existence of God. If it were, either all or none would 
be believers!
 PF>> Until then:
 PF>>  NO tooth fairy without proof;
 PF>>  NO intelligent life on other planets without proof;
 PF>>  NO guilt without proof.
 PF>> Is that simple or what?
 ml> well, "tooth fairy" and "intelligent life" are 'positive' things.
 ml> "guilt" is a 'negative' thing... "innocence" is a 'positive' thing...
 ml> sure, if one were to believe that comparing apples and oranges is a
 ml> valid approach then one would believe the above... >
Sorry Mark, but you are quite wrong here. None of these concepts has a 
negative state, only positive or zero.
 X exists=1
 x not exists=0
Saying guilt is a negative thing is confusing human value terms with math 
terms. Guilt is positive if it exists and zero if it doesn't, same as tooth 
fairy or extra terrestrial life.
 ml> your third line, above, comes out incorrectly for what you are
 ml> apparently trying to say... make them all 'positive' or make them all
 ml> 'negative' then try again ;-)
No, _you_ have a good think and try again.
BTW, is the Tooth Fairy male or female? He told me he's female.
_patrick_                 (email: patrick.ford@amiga.gen.nz) 
             Team *Amiga*
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