[Buddha-l] Karma and consequences

Bob Zeuschner rbzeuschner at roadrunner.com
Thu Mar 19 18:14:54 MDT 2009


I do not confuse "causality" (pratityasamutpada) with "karma" 
(consequences of moral deeds resemble the original action).

Human beings act and consequences ensue. This claim seems to accord with 
the universe I live in.
I see little empirical evidence to support the metaphysical claim that 
human beings act and the consequences of moral behavior resemble the 
initial action.

If there is little empirical evidence to support the claim, there is 
little reason for me to believe it to be an accurate description of the 
world.

The simplest hypothesis consistent with the empirical world we inhabit 
is that of causes and conditions, and effects.
The hypothesis of karma adds another layer to causality which appears 
entirely unfalsifiable, hence not an empirical claim.

For me, causality is not denied (although it is a difficult concept and 
when we generalize it, it becomes problematic), but I do not accept 
karma due to the fact that it is non-empirical (although it would be 
nice if karma were correct).

Bob

Vicente Gonzalez wrote:
> 
> complains about accuracy of kamma are very logical even needed.
> Kamma is an schema to be investigated, not an scientific development.
> 
> However, it cannot drive to the position of avoiding causality for the
> human being (body-mind). It remember when men of the past believed in
> the end of the sea. It is not the simplest hypothesis but confuses the
> simplest with the shortest.
> 
> 
> best regards,
> 
> 
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