Beyond Common Sense - Responses

Re: Mary Midgley on The God Delusion

Andrew Padgett — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 03:35:51 GMT

Ephraim, you have made a good point here in your critique of Midgley's critique of Dawkins, which is that she tends to read Dawkins with an agenda of sorts in mind -- one that she develops through all of her work, and which is by no means unique to her critique of The God Delusion.

But that is by no means to say that her critique is 'mumbo-jumbo', as you put it. Rather, there is a rigorous logic to her critique of 'scientism', which Dawkins's work represents, but this is a critique that requires a broader understanding of Midgley than what we can get from two pages in New Scientist. In very general terms, her argument is that science -- and Dawkins in particular -- is just as susceptible to the kind of dogmatic and irrational 'thinking' as are the 'religious' people that he is so quick to attack -- and indeed, that characterising all religious people as having the same 'religious mentality' as those fundamentalists who responded so egregiously to the publication of the cartoons of Mohammed in Denmark is itself an absurd claim to make!

I bring this up not to provoke an argument here, but only to point out that just as there is much more to say about this from Dawkins's side, so too is there much more to it from Midgley's side. And the point they both want to make, I think, is that it does a great disservice to both sides if we reduce their arguments to the kinds of simplistic formulations we all to often get on the Internet.

Nevertheless, thanks for the provocative article!
Andrew.

Re: Charles Darwin

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:53:39 GMT

Hi Ephraim,

True we should not expect to comment on something such as quantum physics when we do not have the expertise. I agree. But, I respectfully disagree when it comes to evolution. Here is why:

1. Not all scientists even agree about evolution. There is so much uncertainity.

2. I would argue that it is simply a fallacy to stand on the argument that the known universe came about on its own. Its complexity is self evident that there indeed is a creator behind all these things. The question is this "creator" cannot be known as you or I would like it to be known. But, those of us who believe in God say God amply make Himself known by His creation. Thus, it would be up to you and the others to know Him.

3. Unless He, God, reveal Himself you or I could not know Him. The good thing is God says "if you seek me diligently, you will find me."

I implore you to give Him a try.

God bless.

Amare

Theistic Argument Against Christian Theism

cosmicism — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:46:25 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUAoZRWVHQ Please watch my video that applies the same principle of the EAAN to the Bible! Thanks!