Religion

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

20. Philosophy and religion answer some questions that science can not or has not

Sat Jan 14, 2012, 04:05 PM

Jan 2012

for many people.

I don't think there is or should be a final arbiter of what is valuable in either of these realms.

If one comes to the table with the firm position that religious beliefs are irrational and constitute a mythology, and even go so far as to question the legitimacy of others celebrating Christmas, there is really very little room for discussion.

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Food for Thought [View all] UnrepentantLiberal Jan 2012 OP

If all the achievements of science were wiped out rrneck Jan 2012 #1

And the greatest chance we have to overcome those threats, and many more not attributable darkstar3 Jan 2012 #27

Is it? Or do we need more humanity, social justice, compassion and empathy? cbayer Jan 2012 #29

I don't think your items and mine are mutually exclusive. darkstar3 Jan 2012 #36

I don't think they are mutually exclusive either. cbayer Jan 2012 #42

I don't think more of what got us into this mess rrneck Jan 2012 #31

That's because you misattribute the responsibility for "this mess". darkstar3 Jan 2012 #34

Who is responsible? nt rrneck Jan 2012 #46

And we will still have had mass murder, smallpox outbreaks, most children dying before the age of 3. Humanist_Activist Jan 2012 #40

We have all those benefits rrneck Jan 2012 #45

Its what you do with those resources that count... Humanist_Activist Jan 2012 #51

I find your optimism appealing rrneck Jan 2012 #59

Correction, current technology(most of it) runs on fossil fuels... Humanist_Activist Jan 2012 #61

It's still the same problem. rrneck Jan 2012 #62

There is a reason he is a cosmologist and not a philospher. cbayer Jan 2012 #2

He was a good prophet though. nt rrneck Jan 2012 #3

I thought he was still alive. cbayer Jan 2012 #4

Nope. Died 12.20.96. An interesting fellah. nt rrneck Jan 2012 #5

You're thinking Sagan. SwissTony Jan 2012 #7

Ha! So i am! More coffee for me. nt rrneck Jan 2012 #8

He is. Carl Sagan and my brain are not. :) nt rrneck Jan 2012 #11

Dawkins is a cosmologist??? nt. SwissTony Jan 2012 #6

Like rrneck, I was also confused. Thought this was a Stephen Hawking quote. More coffee!! cbayer Jan 2012 #9

Um, he is FAR FROM a cosmolgist: MarkCharles Jan 2012 #12

Yes, I know. I had him confused (see above) cbayer Jan 2012 #13

And how would a philosopher regard the history of religion's contribution MarkCharles Jan 2012 #14

Guess that would depend on the philosopher. cbayer Jan 2012 #15

You condemned Dawkins for NOT being a "philosopher".. interesting... MarkCharles Jan 2012 #17

As I mentioned, I had confused him with someone else (see above.... again) cbayer Jan 2012 #18

So what, precisely does "philosophy" offer that "science"... MarkCharles Jan 2012 #19

Philosophy and religion answer some questions that science can not or has not cbayer Jan 2012 #20

Ah yes, how can one question Christmas? MarkCharles Jan 2012 #21

Why do you care what people do in the privacy of their own homes or organizations. cbayer Jan 2012 #22

"Why not join forces to fight common foes?" So who decides which are.. MarkCharles Jan 2012 #23

Well here on DU, it's pretty clear who the common foes are. cbayer Jan 2012 #24

I could ask the same question of religious believers. What... MarkCharles Jan 2012 #30

Mr. Charles, you have called me uneducated, immature, delusional, illogical and many other things. cbayer Jan 2012 #32

I have never called ANY PERSON on ANY forum those words... MarkCharles Jan 2012 #43

Oh, I forgot to add paranoid. We are done here. cbayer Jan 2012 #49

Not one of those accused YOU, but typical religious thought processes MarkCharles Jan 2012 #50

Now as to your rights to accuse Mr Dawkins of stating "baloney"... MarkCharles Jan 2012 #44

Is that really your purpose? Sal316 Jan 2012 #33

Your defensiveness is noted, as is your disdain for anyone MarkCharles Jan 2012 #35

And being a theologian makes you an "expert" in what? darkstar3 Jan 2012 #38

Uhhh...theology. Sal316 Jan 2012 #47

They weren't "scare quotes". They were "laugh quotes". darkstar3 Jan 2012 #48

Post removed Post removed Jan 2012 #58

Just like learning Klingon makes you and expert in... uhhh.... Klingon AlbertCat Jan 2012 #55

And what answers are those? darkstar3 Jan 2012 #25

IMHO, they are highly personal and individualized. cbayer Jan 2012 #28

So how are they "answers"? darkstar3 Jan 2012 #37

I'm not sure I understand the distinction. cbayer Jan 2012 #39

Yes. darkstar3 Jan 2012 #41

they are highly personal and individualized. AlbertCat Jan 2012 #56

Agree on all points. But they are not mutually exclusive. cbayer Jan 2012 #57

Philosophy and religion answer some questions ... for many people. AlbertCat Jan 2012 #53

There is a reason he is a cosmologist and not a philospher. AlbertCat Jan 2012 #52

The concept of a scientist probably did not exist until LARED Jan 2012 #10

You are quite right about the world "scientist" MarkCharles Jan 2012 #16

And? darkstar3 Jan 2012 #26

The ancient Greeks were well on the way.... AlbertCat Jan 2012 #54

So, we would be like China? (nt) The Straight Story Jan 2012 #60

His problem is he is casting science and scientists almost as a species separate from humanity. rug Jan 2012 #63