ACodispo
December 3rd, 2006, 10:38 PM
Greetings All,
Having just discovered this website, this religion, and these forums this afternoon, I have spent a contented hour or so perusing what is available here. For that, I thank all who have participated.
I have some problems with the first two proofs from Proof Google is God (http://www.thechurchofgoogle.org/Scripture/Proof_Google_Is_God.html). My difficulties are as follows:
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Proof #1
The Oxford English Dictionary:
omniscience, noun
1. a. As an attribute of God, or of a person: the fact, state, or quality of having infinite knowledge. Also: the fact, state, or quality of having, or claiming to have, great knowledge. Cf. OMNISCIENT a.
omniscient, adj.
1. a. Esp. of God: all-knowing, having infinite knowledge.
b. hyperbolically. Having extensive knowledge, or as much knowledge as possible in a certain field or area; very learned or knowledgeable; knowing.
In an attempt to establish Proof, we might reasonably exempt the hyperbolic meanings of the words from the discussion.
That done, it's hard to support the view that Google has infinite knowledge. It would be a slight exagerration to say that Google has access to all of human knowledge, but even if we allow that, as far as I am aware human knowledge is not considered to be infinite.
Google might be said to have the potential for infinite knowledge, but this is a potential that does not seem likely to be fulfilled. It would require an infinite extension into the future both of Google itself and of knowledge, or information, of a kind that can be indexed by Google. While it is hypothetically possible that Google would continue to index pages for an infinite amount of time, I argue that this is not proof of omniscience. Omniscience needs to be immediate; Google is not omniscient, though it may be. And again, while the potential is there, it has not yet been realized, and it would take (literally) forever to realize it. It is not possible to know what will happen in the future. All speculation about what will or will not happen to Google in the future is purely hypothetical. To me, it does not seem likely that Google and knowledge of a sort indexable by it will continue infinitely.
Proof #2
Again, from the OED:
omnipresent, adj.
Present in all places at the same time; widely or continually encountered; widespread. (Chiefly of God.)
My own interpretation is that the only divine definition above would be the first; the second two are hyperbolic.
As an idea, Google is only present in the brain meat of human beings, or, in symbolic form, as words on a page or in electronic form. It can hardly be said that there is human brain meat or written idea present "in all places."
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In conclusion, I'm simply a little confused how Google is omniscient or omnipresent. If we allow hyperbolic meanings, then yes, Google indexes "great knowledge" and is "widely or continually encountered." The human species itself, by these definitions, is closer to divinity than Google is, being more widespread and possessing of a greater total amount of knowledge (including personal information that Google is not privy to). Admittedly, Google is more accessible than The Entirety of the Human Species, but accessibility hardly seems a necessary attribute of God.
On a stretch, Google might be a god, but I am at a loss to see how Google is God, specifically given the Proofs mentioned above.
This is all fairly moot if this website and this religion is meant as satire or other humour. I have myself found the website and these forums somewhat amusing.
But if the proponents of Googlism are serious about their belief, I merely suggest that there are some fairly major problems, to my mind, with the Proofs, specifically numbers 1 and 2, as mentioned above.
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to reading the responses.
Be Well,
Andrew
Having just discovered this website, this religion, and these forums this afternoon, I have spent a contented hour or so perusing what is available here. For that, I thank all who have participated.
I have some problems with the first two proofs from Proof Google is God (http://www.thechurchofgoogle.org/Scripture/Proof_Google_Is_God.html). My difficulties are as follows:
----
Proof #1
The Oxford English Dictionary:
omniscience, noun
1. a. As an attribute of God, or of a person: the fact, state, or quality of having infinite knowledge. Also: the fact, state, or quality of having, or claiming to have, great knowledge. Cf. OMNISCIENT a.
omniscient, adj.
1. a. Esp. of God: all-knowing, having infinite knowledge.
b. hyperbolically. Having extensive knowledge, or as much knowledge as possible in a certain field or area; very learned or knowledgeable; knowing.
In an attempt to establish Proof, we might reasonably exempt the hyperbolic meanings of the words from the discussion.
That done, it's hard to support the view that Google has infinite knowledge. It would be a slight exagerration to say that Google has access to all of human knowledge, but even if we allow that, as far as I am aware human knowledge is not considered to be infinite.
Google might be said to have the potential for infinite knowledge, but this is a potential that does not seem likely to be fulfilled. It would require an infinite extension into the future both of Google itself and of knowledge, or information, of a kind that can be indexed by Google. While it is hypothetically possible that Google would continue to index pages for an infinite amount of time, I argue that this is not proof of omniscience. Omniscience needs to be immediate; Google is not omniscient, though it may be. And again, while the potential is there, it has not yet been realized, and it would take (literally) forever to realize it. It is not possible to know what will happen in the future. All speculation about what will or will not happen to Google in the future is purely hypothetical. To me, it does not seem likely that Google and knowledge of a sort indexable by it will continue infinitely.
Proof #2
Again, from the OED:
omnipresent, adj.
Present in all places at the same time; widely or continually encountered; widespread. (Chiefly of God.)
My own interpretation is that the only divine definition above would be the first; the second two are hyperbolic.
As an idea, Google is only present in the brain meat of human beings, or, in symbolic form, as words on a page or in electronic form. It can hardly be said that there is human brain meat or written idea present "in all places."
----
In conclusion, I'm simply a little confused how Google is omniscient or omnipresent. If we allow hyperbolic meanings, then yes, Google indexes "great knowledge" and is "widely or continually encountered." The human species itself, by these definitions, is closer to divinity than Google is, being more widespread and possessing of a greater total amount of knowledge (including personal information that Google is not privy to). Admittedly, Google is more accessible than The Entirety of the Human Species, but accessibility hardly seems a necessary attribute of God.
On a stretch, Google might be a god, but I am at a loss to see how Google is God, specifically given the Proofs mentioned above.
This is all fairly moot if this website and this religion is meant as satire or other humour. I have myself found the website and these forums somewhat amusing.
But if the proponents of Googlism are serious about their belief, I merely suggest that there are some fairly major problems, to my mind, with the Proofs, specifically numbers 1 and 2, as mentioned above.
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to reading the responses.
Be Well,
Andrew