Here's a random rambling on the topic of skepticism. Just some thoughts that came up when thinking of some stuff that Randi tells us about.
You could call me a daft variety of a skeptic. Or, in more accurate terms, a hopeful skeptic.
Basically, I never deny the possibility that supernatural exists. In my view, science tells us everything we need to know about "how", and doesn't even begin to explain "why". I believe in God through the cosmological argument - the ultimate root cause of everything.
So people might as why - well, as said there, I'm a hopeful person. The criticism of cosmological argument boils down to "was there a first cause, or did we just spring out of nothingness just because". But at that point of our reasoning, we're deep in the territory of non-practicality, and all questions about whether or not there was a root cause are nothing but curious questions we don't need "scientific" answers for. It's just about as valid to state that there was no reason, or there is. What matters to us now is that ultimately, that lead to the world we're in now.
So why do I subscribe to need to have a divine reason to this world? It's more fun that way.
Now, to the topic: Why do I write?
I write fantasy stuff and fiction in general because all this cool magic stuff regrettably doesn't seem to work in real world. And I guess that's something the skeptics and I agree with.
I write because in fantasy worlds, it's terribly hard to be an atheist and skeptical of magic. In the fantasy worlds, gods chuckle and fry you if you doubt them in a bad day. Doubting effectiveness of fireball spells just begs for practical testing.
Don't you wish real life was like that?
In our world, regrettably, existence of paranormal is merely an academic curiosity. We can't prove things in either way. I'm picking things my way. Everyone else is free to pick their way. We can stick to the facts we know about the universe for certain.
I write because in fiction, it doesn't have to be that way. In fiction, we can create universes that work the way we want.
It's kind of interesting, though, because it leads to yet another observation: In fiction, I've seen, most people don't behave any differently whether there's gods you can touch, or gods that just exist as thought exercises. It just shows that ultimately, how things really were caused doesn't matter... Also shows that I believe exactly in what Pratchett said wizards believe in: Gods have their place in a perfectly working universe, but worshipping them is like worshipping the postman. =)
