Alper's Harsh Reality
- NoDeity
- Franc28
- NoDeity
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» NoDeity - "Even many atheists I've come across..."
I'm always at least a little intrigued by this sort of thing:"In regard to the reductionistic qualities of such a theory, people seem to be further ired--even the non-religious--by the greater implication that all cognition/perception/emotion/sensation is derived from our genetic make-up in conjunction with the environment in which those genetic potentials are nurtured, neither variable of which we have the slightest control or influence therefore suggesting that there is no such thing as free will.
Even many atheists I've come across renounce such a harsh world view. "
(from the Alper interview -- emphasis mine)
To the rational, of course, whether or not something is "harsh" has nothing to do with whether or not it is most probably true. I sometimes find it frustrating that so many of us seem to think that the universe must necessarily be nice to us. The universe has no such need, of course, and there is no reason to think that there is anyone other than ourselves to take care of us.
-- posted by NoDeity
» Franc28 - Re: "Even many atheists I've come across..."
I agree with you NoDeity. But I also do not think it is a harsh worldview.Why is reductionism considered "harsh" ? Because we cannot change our basic genetic makeup ? Should we consider physics harsh because we cannot change the fact that all atoms have electrons ? Should we consider cosmology harsh because the Sun will one day extinguish ?
I think on the contrary it should be a source of rejoicing. DNA permits us to unravel human nature as well as the evolution of species. It is our very own "book of the dead". For a good spiritual outlook on DNA, I would recommend "Unweaving the Rainbow" by Dawkins (which, if this topic was a course, would be the main textbook).
-- posted by Franc28
» NoDeity - Re: Re: "Even many atheists I've come across..."
Good points. I hadn't actually given much thought to whether or not it really is harsh. Thanks for the book recommendation. The subtitle, Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder, makes it quite enticing for me. I'm reading the sample pages at Amazon now...-- posted by NoDeity
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