[MD] Journey to the Stars

[John Carl]

On Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 12:21 PM, david buchanan <dmbuchanan at hotmail.com>wrote:

>
> John said:
> The arrogance of Humanism which treats the cosmos like an object that can
> be weighed, measured in age, analyzed and defined from man's  subjective
> perspective. Can anything cure such a wide-spread inculcation of hubris?
>
>
> dmb says:
>
> As I understand it, there has never been a worldview (scientific,
> humanistic, mythological or otherwise) that didn't include some kind of
> cosmology. In Joseph Campbell's view, for example, every healthy
> mythological system has to have a coherent picture of the universe. If
> having a cosmology is hubristic then all worldviews are full of hubris.



 Presentation is everything.

(love that Needleman)

"The order by which a teaching is introduced to mankind may be the most
essential thing about it, more so even than the conceptual content of the
teaching itself.  For the apparent content varies, depending on
interpretations, circumstance and on individuals, but the sequence of
experiences which a great teaching brings to humanity at large is fixed and
invariable.  A teaching is true to the extent that this sequence is a
particular incarnation of fundamental cosmic laws."

He says so much of interest and value in this chapter, that I end up wanting
to type as fast as I read.  We'll take up his refutation of pragmatism some
day, but right now  listen to the way he describes ancient cosmological
schemes as describing a reality that exceeded man's life in quality  in
addition to scope and size.


"Obviously, there is a great difference between contemplating a universe
which exceeds me in size alone or in intricacy alone, and one which exceeds
me in depth of purpose and intelligence.  A universe of merely unimaginable
size excludes man and crushes him. But a universe that is a manifestation of
great consciousness and order places man, and therefore calls to him.

So much is obvious, for a conscious universe is the only reality that can
include human consciousness.  And only when I am completely included by
something does the need arise for me to understand my relationship to it in
all the aspect of my inner and outer life.  Only a conscious universe is
relevant to the whole of human life."


dmb]


> I'd also object to the notion that the cosmological picture painted by
> scientific materialism even constitutes humanism. Glorifying humanity is
> about the last thing it does. As the bumper-sticker so succinctly puts it,
> that picture portrays you and me as "a tiny speck in a cold, ruthless
> universe". It paints a picture of reality that is entirely indifferent to
> human interests. Christianity, on the other hand, portrays you and me as the
> reason the universe was created and puts us at the very center of a great
> cosmic drama, involving the sacrifice of God's only son on humanity's
> behalf, that will determine the fate of our eternal souls. I mean, if you're
> looking for signs of excessive self importance, I think you might be barking
> up the wrong tree.


John]

"Man is the measure of all things" - I don't agree with.  "Some men carry
measuring tapes"  - I do.  In fact, I gotta get back to it AND taking the
bark off the RIGHT trees, but the rest of this I will contemplate and get
back on it later.

Ciao,






>
> You're right about one thing, though. That Stephen Hawking is a real idiot.
> Newton and Einstein were also too stupid to realize that science is just
> another faith-based religion. All scientists are arrogant pricks who just
> need to get right with God. (Please read this part with a sarcastic tone.)
>
> Thanks.
>
>

Well I never knew Isaac well.  But I really like Albert.  He's such a sweety
with that big hair and all.  But Hawking!  Ewww... in that icky wheelchair
and that fake voice he uses.






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-- 
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There are differing interpretations of Reality, some are just better than
others, that's all.
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