Bayesian Jesus

Bayesian Jesus July 1, 2016

Bayesian Jesus

For those who may not get it, the meme above is poking fun at the fact that two apologists on the fringes of academia – Richard Carrier and William Lane Craig – have both attempted to introduce Bayesian reasoning to bring rigor to the subjects that interest them. In the one case, it supposedly proves that Jesus did not exist, while in the other, it supposedly proves that he rose from the dead.

The combination proves that Bayesian logic doesn’t eliminate the problem that its calculations are only as valid as the judgments that are incorporated into it. And both Craig and Carrier make judgments which are highly questionable.

The meme came to me via the Facebook page for an upcoming documentary about the quest for the historical Jesus, “Who Do They Say That I Am?” You can listen to the trailer here:


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