Thank you, thank you, thank you to Michael Ruse, professor of philosophy and zoology at Florida State University, for his excellent piece on new atheism on Comment is Free, entitled Dawkins et al bring us into disrepute.
Here's a little taster:
"I don't have faith. I really don't. Rowan Williams does as do many of my fellow philosophers like Alvin Plantinga (a Protestant) and Ernan McMullin (a Catholic). I think they are wrong; they think I am wrong. But they are not stupid or bad or whatever. If I needed advice about everyday matters, I would turn without hesitation to these men."
I am so grateful for such an insightful piece, that challenges this ridiculous (and false) polarisation of atheist and religious world-views. Such a deliberately divisive world-view as that espoused by Dawkins et al can never be a route to better understanding and human growth.
So, more please, Professor Ruse!
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6 comments:
Anna Drew for PM - You read it here first !!
Wha??? That's a dreadful idea ;o)
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But there is a massive difference between world views -if not between "religious" and "atheist" -then between Christian and atheist.
Thank heavenst the likes of Prof Ruse are finally speaking out. Far too often the loud mouthed drown out the thoughful. Prof Ruse puts things straight.
Hi Dave,
I'm not saying that the world views are identical - of course not. But you have to admit that Dawkins deals in a false polarisation of the reality? If we insist on being adversarial, we will never learn from each other. And yes, I do think there's plenty I could learn from some of my atheist friends.
Anna
Hi Anna,
He tends to come across as rude and ignorant about what other people are saying. Although watching both a debate between himself and Lennox I wonder if that is part for show to sell books and part rhetorical. Of course that rhetorical approach backfires because he misunderstoods the mood music of contemporary discussion/debate.
However, I don't think his polarisation is false. I agree with him -either we Christians are deluded and there is no God as he claims or he is deluded (or a fool as the bible puts it) for saying that there is no God.
There is a place both for dialogue and adversial type debate. Persoanlly I learn quite a lot from engaging in and watching adversial debate others don't!
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