I think metaphysics not only should but _must_ precede epistemology and ethics (and I'd put politics and economics in the larger category of ethics--i.e., "how should we treat one another?").
Denying God, you must agree, is an equally strong bias to start with?
I don't "deny" god. the idea (god) just doesn't even enter my mind or life. do you "deny" the legal jurisdiction of Cambodia, or does it merely not effect you - almost not even exist - in your life?
I meant no offense. From my perspective, his existence (and, thus, his presence) is as ubiquitous as the very air we breath. So, hearing someone express disbelief in God sounds to my ear very similar to someone expressing disbelief in air (while making use of that very air to do so). Again: I meant no offense.
To answer your question, are we assuming that I _do_ live in Cambodia, or that I _do not_ live in Cambodia? (And isn't that rather the point?)
🤙🏻
No offense taken whatsoever 🤝
Assume you do not live in Cambodia.
I knew that's what you meant...I was making the somewhat facetious point that the initial assumption of where I live determines whether their jurisdiction "exists in my life."
It's that presupposition thing again. None of us are neutral.
I think you're missing the original point about "active denial" vs "irrelevance".
You don't actively deny every jurisdiction that doesn't apply to you, not to mention the infinite number of nonexistent jurisdictions that you could _imagine_ and don't even purport reign anywhere. They are more like "irrelevant" or "N/A". Supporting a distant (or imaginary) jurisdiction is an active choice, simply not thinking about them is as close to neutral state of nature as you can get.
Did you think about an elephant while reading that paragraph? If not, were you "denying the elephant"?
Bro...if the elephant were _actually there_, then yes--I would have been ignoring and "denying" the elephant if I wasn't thinking of it. And certainly, if there was an elephant, it would be extremely relevant--don't you think? (And if there was an elephant, wouldn't you think me a little odd for having ignored something so obvious?)
Again: presuppositions. I gotta run. ✌️
