We Should Not Speculate About Heaven
If something cannot be experienced and cannot be exactly defined, then we should not speculate about it. That is, we should only speculate about something that can either be experienced or exactly defined. An example of something that can be experienced but not exactly defined is gravity. Gravity does not have an exact definition as of yet other than the mere explanation of the force that we experience. Of course, the explanation of the force might definition of it, but it is far from exact. We are only explaining what happens, not what it is. Even with this, we experience it and therefore can speculate about it. That is, I can see if I let go of a pen that I am suspending in the air, it will fall to the ground because of the force of gravity.
As for, something that we can exactly define, yet cannot experience, are triangles. Triangles can be exactly defined as a polygon with three sides and from this definition, we can speculate about the nature of triangles. For example, we can know, through speculation, that a triangle's corners have a total of 180 degrees. But with all this said, there is no way for us to experience a real triangle in itself.
This is all to say, that to speculate about something, we either need to be able to experience it or have an exact a priori definition of it.
With this said, it does not seem the case that we should speculate about something that we can neither experience nor have an exact definition for since there is nothing to speculate about. Heaven is one of these things. We cannot experience heaven ourselves until we get there. Of course, some people claim to have had experience in heaven, but if we wish to speculate about such an experience it would only be about their account of heaven and not about heaven itself. Perhaps they can speculate about it themselves, but this does not mean that people who have not experienced it should speculate about it. For example, if someone explains to you what a chair is like, without you ever having experienced a chair, all you can speculate about is what he said about the chair, not the chair itself.
We also do not have an exact definition of heaven. Of course, we can say that it is paradise, but there is no exact definition of paradise other than vague things like a place where everything is perfect. Here we only have a thing that is said to be perfect, but no account of what perfect is in this case.
Therefore, it seems that we should not speculate about heaven because we cannot experience it and do not have an exact definition for it.
As for, something that we can exactly define, yet cannot experience, are triangles. Triangles can be exactly defined as a polygon with three sides and from this definition, we can speculate about the nature of triangles. For example, we can know, through speculation, that a triangle's corners have a total of 180 degrees. But with all this said, there is no way for us to experience a real triangle in itself.
This is all to say, that to speculate about something, we either need to be able to experience it or have an exact a priori definition of it.
With this said, it does not seem the case that we should speculate about something that we can neither experience nor have an exact definition for since there is nothing to speculate about. Heaven is one of these things. We cannot experience heaven ourselves until we get there. Of course, some people claim to have had experience in heaven, but if we wish to speculate about such an experience it would only be about their account of heaven and not about heaven itself. Perhaps they can speculate about it themselves, but this does not mean that people who have not experienced it should speculate about it. For example, if someone explains to you what a chair is like, without you ever having experienced a chair, all you can speculate about is what he said about the chair, not the chair itself.
We also do not have an exact definition of heaven. Of course, we can say that it is paradise, but there is no exact definition of paradise other than vague things like a place where everything is perfect. Here we only have a thing that is said to be perfect, but no account of what perfect is in this case.
Therefore, it seems that we should not speculate about heaven because we cannot experience it and do not have an exact definition for it.
Comments (6)
Why-ever not? Where is the harm in speculation? Particularly about a story we made up ourselves?
1. We should only speculate about something if we can either experience it or exactly define it.
2. We cannot experience heaven.
3. We do not have an exact definition of heaven.
4. Therefore, we should not speculate about heaven.
The argument raises some valid concerns about the challenges of speculating about abstract concepts or phenomena beyond our direct experience or exact definition. However, I also believe that there are some important considerations that could expand the scope of this argument and provide a more nuanced perspective on the topic of speculation.
Firstly, while it may be difficult to speculate about something that we cannot directly experience or define precisely, I think that speculation has often played a key role in advancing human knowledge and understanding in various fields. Speculation can inspire new ideas, hypotheses, or theories, which can then be tested and refined through empirical observation and logical analysis. As such, the value of speculation might not be limited solely to things we can experience or define precisely.
Secondly, the argument assumes that we cannot experience heaven, which may be true for most people. However, some individuals claim to have had near-death experiences or other mystical encounters that they interpret as glimpses of heaven. While these experiences may not be universally accepted or verifiable, they can provide a basis for speculation and discussion, offering insights into the human condition and our understanding of the afterlife.
Lastly, although we may not have an exact definition of heaven, various religious and spiritual traditions offer their interpretations of what heaven might be like. These descriptions, while not universally agreed upon, can serve as starting points for speculation and discussion. Engaging in such discussions can help us better understand our own beliefs, values, and world views, which can be valuable for personal growth and development.
The better question might be do we have any good reasons to speculate that there is a heaven?
Amongst religious people I know, it has often been the subject of speculation whether there is sex in heaven, or whether we have genitals or not. Can I take a piss under my favourite lemon tree in paradise? Many religious folk (Muslims are notorious for versions of this) hold to childlike accounts of heaven as a ceaseless, vulgar, Las Vegas-style party in the sky, where there is always a show (Elvis is there, of course) and you can eat and do what you want... for free.
But it seams reasonable to think - if we speculate about this notion from a more 'spiritual' and less crassly materialistic perspective - that there would be some kind of transformation when you enter heaven - as a spirit self, the orientations, beliefs and appetites of a physical self would be gone and replaced by something wholly incomprehensible to us 'down here'.
Too late. Claims about Heaven are part of our cultural history. It is not simply a matter of fact but of belief, or how people both in the past and present understand life and themselves, with an eye to their future.
Quoting ClayG
And yet, your proclamation has not and will not stop people from speculation about any number of things. One name for doing just that is 'metaphysics'.
Is that an exact definition?
Does that mean that a great many if not most threads on TPF should be removed? It's already been decided that definitions here need not be exact - or, in some cases, comprehensible.