[MD] Dawkins a Materialist (is watching?)

[Jos Laycock]

Hi Platt 

Funny thing is, Dawkins almost has me...
He is not a SOMist by our definitions, frequently citing a tendency towards
dualist attitudes in children as being a primary factor in susceptibility to
the acceptance of religious ideals. He utterly rejects any mind/body split.
In his view the more advanced or sophisticated* (and scientific) stance is
monism. His only difference from the MOQ seems to be that his world is made
of a substance (that he can't define) and ours is made of Values (that we
can't define), the two may prove to be indistinguishable. There is even a
lengthy section on theories of how cultural memes and belief systems evolve
in a quasi Darwinian fashion, which could have plucked directly from Lila.

I'll dig out the quotes if anyone cares, but the book is if nothing else a
good laugh so go read it!

(*what an in8teresting connotation that word can have!)
 

-----Original Message-----
From: moq_discuss-bounces at moqtalk.org
[mailto:moq_discuss-bounces at moqtalk.org] On Behalf Of pholden at davtv.com
Sent: 11 January 2007 00:41
To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
Subject: Re: [MD] Dawkins a Materialist (is watching?)



> Jos Quoted Dawkins:
> "All of us believe in evidence in our own lives, whatever we may profess 
> with our amateur philosophical hats on."

Reminds me of Ben Franklin's observation: "So convenient a thing it is to
be a rational creature, since it enables us to find (evidence)or make a
reason for everything one has a mind to do (or believe)." Parens added.

I recall a time not long ago when the scientific rationale and evidence for
eugenics was indisputable. Those who worship at the altar of science today
might want to take note as well as ponder the defect in the thinking of 
people like Dawkins that Pirsig reveals in Lila. 

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