New Atheist Perspective
Nov. 1st, 2007 02:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wolven7That is to say, a bit of perspective on the "New Atheism," from a self-avowed "non-believer."
'No doubt Dennett would reply that he is writing in metaphors for the layman and that he could translate all his statements into a language without either moral evaluation or purpose included in it. Perhaps he would argue that his language is evidence that the spell still has a hold over even him, the breaker of the spell for the rest of humanity. But I am not sure that this response would be psychologically accurate. I think Dennett’s use of the language of evaluation and purpose is evidence of a deep-seated metaphysical belief (however caused) that Providence exists in the universe, a belief that few people, confronted by the mystery of beauty and of existence itself, escape entirely. At any rate, it ill behooves Dennett to condescend to those poor primitives who still have a religious or providential view of the world: a view that, at base, is no more refutable than Dennett’s metaphysical faith in evolution.'
I like it. Nothing new, nothing sacred. It's all up for grabs, and fundamentally foundationless, or we can't even have the conversation.
Yes, I'm staying home from school, today, with nothing else to do... I've turned my draft in to my director, and now it's more waiting.
It really is, in fact, the hardest part...
'No doubt Dennett would reply that he is writing in metaphors for the layman and that he could translate all his statements into a language without either moral evaluation or purpose included in it. Perhaps he would argue that his language is evidence that the spell still has a hold over even him, the breaker of the spell for the rest of humanity. But I am not sure that this response would be psychologically accurate. I think Dennett’s use of the language of evaluation and purpose is evidence of a deep-seated metaphysical belief (however caused) that Providence exists in the universe, a belief that few people, confronted by the mystery of beauty and of existence itself, escape entirely. At any rate, it ill behooves Dennett to condescend to those poor primitives who still have a religious or providential view of the world: a view that, at base, is no more refutable than Dennett’s metaphysical faith in evolution.'
I like it. Nothing new, nothing sacred. It's all up for grabs, and fundamentally foundationless, or we can't even have the conversation.
Yes, I'm staying home from school, today, with nothing else to do... I've turned my draft in to my director, and now it's more waiting.
It really is, in fact, the hardest part...
