You: We know that ice cream is cold and that it retains its form because it is cold. We know that as it warms the molecules become agitated and the ice cream melts. What we do not know is how to predict the movement of those molecules or the particular way in that an individual scoop of ice cream might melt.

Because we cannot predict the movement of melting ice cream molecules, we must, by your argument, assume that they are controlled by a supernatural force. For this reason I now postulate a race of miniscule and invisible creatures that I shall call "Ice Cream Elves."

Since you seem to have derived a very complete picture of God from the simple actions you claim he is visible by, I will feel completely justified in postulating that my Ice Cream Elves always dress in Lincoln green on weekdays and have an incredible fear of microwaves.

As my argument works in much the same way as yours does, I take it that you are now convinced that Ice Cream Elves exist. Should you be convinced, I will be taking up a collection in their favor a little later in the conversation.

Aaron: You are being ridiculous. These "Ice Cream Elves" of yours are a completely different thing all together, and your argument is full of holes. The reason that we can postulate the existence of God from certain unexplained physical phenomena is that God is the simplest explanation for those phenomena. Your Ice Cream Elves, with their well-developed patterns of dress and morbid fears, are a great deal more complicated than God is.

How do you respond?

  1. No they aren't. Go
  2. That is true. Go