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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
 Posted - 07/14/2007 : 09:13:12
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Just listened to an mp3 of a Sam Harris talk (video also available), after which I listened to an interview with philosopher Philip Kitcher.
Harris's writings are not without flaws, but I thought this talk was mainly on things which Harris is highly qualified to talk about. I thought it was very positive and very informative.
Then the Kitcher interview talked about how negative Harris and Dawkins and Hitchens are with their latest books about atheism. He talked about how they would throw out the good of religion with the bad.
I think nothing could be further from the truth. Harris talks about how, for instance, doing things that are "non-rational," not "irrational," may be necessary for humans. None of them would disagree with the things that churches do that are constructive. I think all of them, including Kitcher, would say that doing all those things without superstition is a good idea. Churches, however, in my opinion, do very little that is constructive.
I don't see anything negative about saying that belief in superstition is not a positive thing, and that losing the need for superstition is a very positive thing, that is, if you think that reality is a good thing. There is no need to replace superstition with anything.
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I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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Edited by - Gorgo on 07/14/2007 09:16:00
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2007 : 09:25:06 [Permalink]
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Hehe. And it's hard to imagine how a book with a title and premise like Dawkins' The God Delusion, could completely avoid being "negative" about religion. I personally feel Dawkins is quite gentle with religion, especially considering its millenia-spanning serial criminal record.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2007 : 10:02:42 [Permalink]
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I personally feel Dawkins is quite gentle with religion, especially considering its millenia-spanning serial criminal record.
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I haven't read that book yet, but saw the TV show and read other things. It's redundant to say it but reality is not negative, unless one has some problem with reality.
None of them say that religious people are idiots. They say that some aspects of superstition are dangerous. |
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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