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
General Science The difference between astrology and astronomy 20 Aug 2009 … about 50 IQ points: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4F5z8cVux0&hl=en&fs=1&] Read More
Epistemology Atheism, agnosticism and theism 3: Knowledge claims about gods 20 Jul 201122 Jun 2018 Previous posts in this series: One and Two . In an influential book, W. V. O. Quine, one of the leading philosophers of the twentieth century, wrote with his student: It is important to distinguish between disbelief and nonbelief – between believing a sentence false and merely not believing it true…. Read More
Accommodationism Degrees of religion 8 Feb 201420 Feb 2014 Larry Moran quotes Jason Rosenhouse disputing Phil Plait: So, after all, that, let us return to Plait’s argument. He tells us that the problem is too many people perceiving evolution as a threat to their religious beliefs. Indeed, but why do they perceive it that way? Is it a failure of… 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?