Comments on: The God Delusion http://www.thulasidas.com/2009-08/the-god-delusion.htm Perception and Physics. Science and Spirituality. Life and Work. Money and Quantitative Finance. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:14:22 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Manoj http://www.thulasidas.com/2009-08/the-god-delusion.htm/comment-page-1#comment-510 Manoj Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:17:08 +0000 http://www.thulasidas.com/?p=1388#comment-510 Thanks for your comment. I started replying as a comment, but thought I might as well make <a href="http://www.thulasidas.com/2009-09/on-rationality-and-delusions.htm" rel="nofollow">a post</a> out of it. Thanks for your comment. I started replying as a comment, but thought I might as well make a post out of it.

]]> By: M Cuffe http://www.thulasidas.com/2009-08/the-god-delusion.htm/comment-page-1#comment-501 M Cuffe Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:50:44 +0000 http://www.thulasidas.com/?p=1388#comment-501 You seem to simply be saying that one has a right to be irrational... and to hold fast to a worldview that encourages and reinforces a belief in the irrational. This argument might at first seem to be one that promotes tolerance and a respect for mankind's diversity. However this view is itself irrational. Naturally, we all live with a degree of uncertainty in our lives, however, believing that a god can move mountains is not the same as believing that an atom bomb can move mountains; not only can it move the mountain, it can literally blast it "to kingdom come" :-) Believing that a god can move mountains has no precedent (as far as I know!), no logical method for arriving at that understanding and no process by which that end result can be achieved. One might as well believe in magic. Therefore to promote a world view where the ability to have faith in such magical occurances is not only considered possible but also a virtue is not only delusional but also ultimately divisive. Divisive because each of the world's established systems of faith maintain that their brand of magic is the one true brand and the others are at best misguided. While at this point I don't care to argue whether or not an adult should have the right to hold a worldview based on faith, I do however think it is important to highlight the dangers that mankind faces from holding on to these primitive beliefs. A worldview based on faith is not only about a belief in gods, it also shapes our attitude towards other man-made systems such as capitalism and the economic system based on the "free market". Ironically it is the most scientifically advanced country in the world that not only maintains but also actively promotes the universal acceptance of these systems, both religious and economic - You better believe what I believe, or else... One has a right to hold on to an irrational worldview as much as one has a right to be ignorant :-) You seem to simply be saying that one has a right to be irrational… and to hold fast to a worldview that encourages and reinforces a belief in the irrational. This argument might at first seem to be one that promotes tolerance and a respect for mankind’s diversity. However this view is itself irrational. Naturally, we all live with a degree of uncertainty in our lives, however, believing that a god can move mountains is not the same as believing that an atom bomb can move mountains; not only can it move the mountain, it can literally blast it “to kingdom come” :-)

Believing that a god can move mountains has no precedent (as far as I know!), no logical method for arriving at that understanding and no process by which that end result can be achieved. One might as well believe in magic. Therefore to promote a world view where the ability to have faith in such magical occurances is not only considered possible but also a virtue is not only delusional but also ultimately divisive. Divisive because each of the world’s established systems of faith maintain that their brand of magic is the one true brand and the others are at best misguided.

While at this point I don’t care to argue whether or not an adult should have the right to hold a worldview based on faith, I do however think it is important to highlight the dangers that mankind faces from holding on to these primitive beliefs. A worldview based on faith is not only about a belief in gods, it also shapes our attitude towards other man-made systems such as capitalism and the economic system based on the “free market”. Ironically it is the most scientifically advanced country in the world that not only maintains but also actively promotes the universal acceptance of these systems, both religious and economic – You better believe what I believe, or else…

One has a right to hold on to an irrational worldview as much as one has a right to be ignorant :-)

]]> By: Sapiens http://www.thulasidas.com/2009-08/the-god-delusion.htm/comment-page-1#comment-486 Sapiens Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:59:28 +0000 http://www.thulasidas.com/?p=1388#comment-486 In theory the idea of a limited 'worldview' is a nice idea, but it falls down where an individual has knowledge of a wider universe but then still chooses to believe that to which he has been indoctrinated. In one of the latter chapters of TGD, Dawkins describes a promising and brilliant geologist/palaeobiologist who decides to put to test what he knows scientifically and what he has been told about/by the bible. The individual chooses the bible over his lifetime's work and adopts the notion that the Earth is approx. 10,000 years old despite his original 'worldview'. This scientist was not limited by a "certain amount of knowledge". Quite the opposite - he had more than most. It's far easier and more comfortable or convenient to call something the truth when you don't have to justify any of the answers. In theory the idea of a limited ‘worldview’ is a nice idea, but it falls down where an individual has knowledge of a wider universe but then still chooses to believe that to which he has been indoctrinated. In one of the latter chapters of TGD, Dawkins describes a promising and brilliant geologist/palaeobiologist who decides to put to test what he knows scientifically and what he has been told about/by the bible.

The individual chooses the bible over his lifetime’s work and adopts the notion that the Earth is approx. 10,000 years old despite his original ‘worldview’. This scientist was not limited by a “certain amount of knowledge”. Quite the opposite – he had more than most. It’s far easier and more comfortable or convenient to call something the truth when you don’t have to justify any of the answers.

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