A little somethign I picked up from a cave man...

Troubleshooter · 01-08-2005, 08:08 PM

www.enlightenedcaveman.com

I think there are two types of secularists - the ones who apply rationality to all things, including religion, and the ones who happen to be rational about religion, but have no particular allegiance to it in other matters. I am one of the former. Michael, I think the smug secularists you refer to would find themselves among the latter. In any case, there is one staggeringly straight forward fix for the problems that come from the need to explain and the attraction to hope. It is called critical rationalism.

We start by admitting that we can be certain about nothing. Nothing. Then, we decide to put everything into one of three categories - things we believe, things we do not believe, and things we choose to leave unsettled. To determine what we believe and what we do not believe, we demand evidence, and we favor evidence that disproves assertions over evidence that proves assertions (since we can never really prove anything). We weigh the evidence for possible explanations and decide what to believe and disbelieve, and when the evidence is not compelling one way or another, we abstain. We are not cavemen, which means ambiguity is not dangerous for us. We do not have to act or die. This means that we can (and must) become comfortable with uncertainty. If we are successful at being critically rational, we are immuned from the perils of false hope and irrationality. But rationalism for the hope-addicted mind does not always come easy.

At the end of the day, each of us must decide how we will think. If we do not, we will vacillate opportunistically between rationality and irrationality - invoking either one based upon personal convenience. But deciding to be rational at all times is like deciding to be nice all the time. It's an aim, an intention. We will, from time to time, falter. However, as long as we recognize the value of rationality, we will get back up and keep moving forward. That's life. It's best if we focus on our own journey and leave the arrogance to the certain, who always learn sooner or later that nothing is certain.

01-08-2005, 08:08 PM	#1
Troubleshooter The urban Jane Goodall Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 3,012	A little somethign I picked up from a cave man... www.enlightenedcaveman.com I think there are two types of secularists - the ones who apply rationality to all things, including religion, and the ones who happen to be rational about religion, but have no particular allegiance to it in other matters. I am one of the former. Michael, I think the smug secularists you refer to would find themselves among the latter. In any case, there is one staggeringly straight forward fix for the problems that come from the need to explain and the attraction to hope. It is called critical rationalism. We start by admitting that we can be certain about nothing. Nothing. Then, we decide to put everything into one of three categories - things we believe, things we do not believe, and things we choose to leave unsettled. To determine what we believe and what we do not believe, we demand evidence, and we favor evidence that disproves assertions over evidence that proves assertions (since we can never really prove anything). We weigh the evidence for possible explanations and decide what to believe and disbelieve, and when the evidence is not compelling one way or another, we abstain. We are not cavemen, which means ambiguity is not dangerous for us. We do not have to act or die. This means that we can (and must) become comfortable with uncertainty. If we are successful at being critically rational, we are immuned from the perils of false hope and irrationality. But rationalism for the hope-addicted mind does not always come easy. At the end of the day, each of us must decide how we will think. If we do not, we will vacillate opportunistically between rationality and irrationality - invoking either one based upon personal convenience. But deciding to be rational at all times is like deciding to be nice all the time. It's an aim, an intention. We will, from time to time, falter. However, as long as we recognize the value of rationality, we will get back up and keep moving forward. That's life. It's best if we focus on our own journey and leave the arrogance to the certain, who always learn sooner or later that nothing is certain. __________________ I have gained this from philosophy: that I do without being commanded what others do only from fear of the law. - Aristotle

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