Comments on: Hope in the Black Void of the Unknowable http://biochemicalsoul.com/2008/08/hope-in-the-black-void-of-the-unknowable/ Musings on Nature, Science, Evolution, Biology, and Education Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:23:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Carnival of the Godless #98 - biochemicalsoul.com http://biochemicalsoul.com/2008/08/hope-in-the-black-void-of-the-unknowable/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Carnival of the Godless #98 - biochemicalsoul.com Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:16:05 +0000 http://biochemicalsoul2.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/hope-in-the-black-void-of-the-unknowable/#comment-31 [...] included in this latest edition is my own previous post, Hope in the Black Void of the Unknowable, in which I muse on whether we really want every human on earth to see the Universe and ourselves [...] [...] included in this latest edition is my own previous post, Hope in the Black Void of the Unknowable, in which I muse on whether we really want every human on earth to see the Universe and ourselves [...]

]]> By: Irradiatus http://biochemicalsoul.com/2008/08/hope-in-the-black-void-of-the-unknowable/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Irradiatus Sat, 23 Aug 2008 05:20:00 +0000 http://biochemicalsoul2.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/hope-in-the-black-void-of-the-unknowable/#comment-10 I know what you're saying. Most of the time, this is what I think as well. But I sometimes waver on this topic, largely because of my wife's experiences as a clinical psychologist.<br/><br/>I'm not sure that we can actually "alleviate in the same way" though. Honestly, I think a very large proportion of people aren't helped that much from therapy. Let me step back, cause alot of psychologists would scream at me for saying that. Actually, what I mean is that their depression isn't "cured". But they learn to cope with it. And I think alot of that therapy is finding ways for people to find greater meaning in their lives.<br/><br/>I'm just not sure that a nihilistic worldview will help. <br/><br/>I want it to. I'm just generally pessimistic about our world's mental health. <br/><br/>Or perhaps you're right, perhaps I am exaggerating the numbers of psychological disorders causally affected by a meaningless worldview. I know what you’re saying. Most of the time, this is what I think as well. But I sometimes waver on this topic, largely because of my wife’s experiences as a clinical psychologist.

I’m not sure that we can actually “alleviate in the same way” though. Honestly, I think a very large proportion of people aren’t helped that much from therapy. Let me step back, cause alot of psychologists would scream at me for saying that. Actually, what I mean is that their depression isn’t “cured”. But they learn to cope with it. And I think alot of that therapy is finding ways for people to find greater meaning in their lives.

I’m just not sure that a nihilistic worldview will help.

I want it to. I’m just generally pessimistic about our world’s mental health.

Or perhaps you’re right, perhaps I am exaggerating the numbers of psychological disorders causally affected by a meaningless worldview.

]]> By: Atheist Okie http://biochemicalsoul.com/2008/08/hope-in-the-black-void-of-the-unknowable/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Atheist Okie Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:29:00 +0000 http://biochemicalsoul2.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/hope-in-the-black-void-of-the-unknowable/#comment-9 "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!"<br/><br/>Maybe some people will suffer depression if they suddenly had their ideas of "God" are stripped away, but I don't think the numbers would be as high as some think. Even with all the religious beliefs flying around in our country there are still many who suffer depression and other mental disorders already. So the argument from Christians that we atheists will just break so many hearts, I think, is wrong.<br/><br/>I think we can help alleviate this much in the same way a therapist/psychiatrist makes certain therapies available to ease the minds of the delusional and afflicted. “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!”

Maybe some people will suffer depression if they suddenly had their ideas of “God” are stripped away, but I don’t think the numbers would be as high as some think. Even with all the religious beliefs flying around in our country there are still many who suffer depression and other mental disorders already. So the argument from Christians that we atheists will just break so many hearts, I think, is wrong.

I think we can help alleviate this much in the same way a therapist/psychiatrist makes certain therapies available to ease the minds of the delusional and afflicted.

]]> By: Irradiatus http://biochemicalsoul.com/2008/08/hope-in-the-black-void-of-the-unknowable/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Irradiatus Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:18:00 +0000 http://biochemicalsoul2.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/hope-in-the-black-void-of-the-unknowable/#comment-8 It's amazing (sad?) that I'm still writing about the same topic in basically the same way that I did <a HREF="http://biochemicalsoul.com/2001/02/determinism/" REL="nofollow" rel="nofollow">seven years ago</a>. It’s amazing (sad?) that I’m still writing about the same topic in basically the same way that I did seven years ago.

]]> By: The Painter Of Oregon, C. L. Pagani http://biochemicalsoul.com/2008/08/hope-in-the-black-void-of-the-unknowable/comment-page-1/#comment-7 The Painter Of Oregon, C. L. Pagani Sun, 03 Aug 2008 02:01:00 +0000 http://biochemicalsoul2.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/hope-in-the-black-void-of-the-unknowable/#comment-7 Very interesting points. As a former ultra-fundamentalist Christian, I've only slowly reached the conclusion that there's nothing out there and that life is completely meaningless in the most absolute sense possible.<br/><br/>And now as I'm slowly dying due to lack of health care (thanks USA 'private is better' people), I would like to think that there is some outside chance, however small, that I might be wrong. Very interesting points. As a former ultra-fundamentalist Christian, I’ve only slowly reached the conclusion that there’s nothing out there and that life is completely meaningless in the most absolute sense possible.

And now as I’m slowly dying due to lack of health care (thanks USA ‘private is better’ people), I would like to think that there is some outside chance, however small, that I might be wrong.

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