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
Quotes A quote 30 Mar 2010 Well I’ve always said, There’s nothing an agnostic can’t do if he really doesn’t know whether he believes in anything or not. [Monty Python’s The Final Rippoff album] Read More
Administrative Adaptationism for and against 30 Sep 2009 My passing comment on San Marco has triggered a really interesting debate at Larry’s place. Larry thinks I think nothing can be selectively neutral, however. This is wrong. I think that things can be at the same time, selectively neutral (in that there is no real selective difference between an… Read More
Creationism and Intelligent Design On the lateral transfer post 2 Apr 2009 Well yes it was a joke. But it was based on the inappropriate manner in which the well-known work on lateral transfer was reported by New Scientist as showing that Darwin was wrong. That genes occasionally cross over taxonomic borders among single celled organisms by transduction (viral exchange), conjugation (sharing… 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?