A quote from Hume 6 Oct 2008 But, allowing that we were to take the operations of one part of nature upon another, for the foundation of our judgement concerning the origin of the whole, (which never can be admitted,) yet why select so minute, so weak, so bounded a principle, as the reason and design of animals is found to be upon this planet? What peculiar privilege has this little agitation of the brain which we call thought, that we must thus make it the model of the whole universe? Our partiality in our own favour does indeed present it on all occasions; but sound philosophy ought carefully to guard against so natural an illusion. [Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, 1779, part 2] Have to say that “What peculiar privilege” would be a great title for a blog… Hat tip to John Atkins, my office mate. Creationism and Intelligent Design Religion
Freedom Pope gets tax-paid visit to UK to denounce equality of gays before the law… 2 Feb 2010 I am glad to see I am not the only person who finds this unconscionable… I hope the Grauniad won’t sue me for reposting their piece below the fold. Read More
Quotes Thomas Browne on compelling religion 13 Jul 2010 For, as it is no reasonable proceeding to compel a religion, or think to enforce our own belief upon another, who cannot without the concurrence of Gods spirit, have any indubitable evidence of things that are obtruded. So is it also in matters of common belief; whereunto neither can we… Read More
Accommodationism Accommodating science: Evolution and change 2 Mar 20146 May 2014 Robert J. Berry is a geneticist at University College London. He is also an evangelical Christian and has written a number of works on the compatibility of religion (his kind, anyway) and evolution (Berry 1975). He was moved to write to the science journal Nature, in which he took to… Read More
What peculiar privilege has this little agitation of the brain which we call thought, that we must thus make it the model of the whole universe? It’s not a privilege. It’s not even a choice 😉
What is Man that a creature of such limited intellect thinks Himself competent to establish what the Infinite may do?