[MD] a-theism and atheism

[John Carl]

Mark,

I believe the idea with many is that we are more intelligent now than we
> used to be.  I do not think there is any evidence of this, especially
> morphologically since the brain has not changed.


I would say there is no evidence of individual improvement, but there is
evidence of collective improvement.  That is, we have the same brains that
humans have always had (it's what defines 'human', after all) but our
society has evolved tremendously.



> The danger that arrises
> from such a notion of betterness, is the need to control things the way we
> see them now.  This form of control is very dogmatic and religious (in a
> negative sense), and implies the presence of leaders who Know.



The more advanced our power over the natural world and each other, the more
stringent our controls over each other.  We have the power to fly great
distances through the air, and we subject the individuals who do so, to more
and more control and inspection.  While society advances, individual liberty
recedes.  Extrapolating to the end of this progression leads us to a place
nobody wants to be.

Somebody better figure out a solution soon.

John