Beg pardon. Perhaps it was out of place -- I was only thinking
it to be an analogy. I only meant that when we make, in your
words, "speculations, which are based on different assumptions"
there may be implications in the material world, which we can go
looking for. That is a shorthand definition of science. So yes,
"all such assumptions and presuppositions are on equal footing"
UNTIL we go and check out their implications.
>A better example would be the water that Christ turned into wine.
>There are all sorts of questions one can ask about the nature of
>the wine and the answers would be based on assumptions.
As for Jesus turning water into vino, all we are left with beyond
the text is speculations as there were no scientists on hand to
analyze it. For that I am grateful. That God has only of late
allowed our kind (scientists) to flourish is, as it must be in our
fallen world, a mixed blessing.
But I do agree with you that there are all sorts of interesting
questions one can ask about the wine. But why stop with the wine?
How many angels could fit into one of the stone water jars? I
speculate there could be an infinite number, as I assume that they
are infinitely compressible. This is a silly example and there
are many perfectly good questions that can be asked. However, in
this example from the Bible, we are only left with speculation if
we try to go further than the text. Of course that speculation
may be subject to rules of logic, et al. But there are other
instances in which there are testable, tangible implications that
fall within the realm of science. Speculations of that sort then
have the opportunity to be placed on unequal footing (ie, tested).
That's all I meant.
I don't know why I got started. I have finals to study for.
Happy holy-days! Jeff