|
|
#11
09-25-2005, 02:18 AM
|
|||
|
|||
Re: More Russell Quotes on Religion
[ QUOTE ]
“There is something feeble and a little contemptible about a man who cannot face the perils of life without the help of comfortable myths. Almost inevitably some part of him is aware that they are myths and that he believes them only because they are comforting. But he dare not face this thought! Moreover, since he is aware, however dimly, that his opinions are not rational, he becomes furious when they are disputed.” [/ QUOTE ] More Russell: "Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth - more than death. Thought is subversive, and revolutionary, destructive and terrible; thought is merciless to privilege, estabished institutions, and comforable habits; thought is anarchic, careless to the well-tried wisdom of the ages. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid.....Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man. But if thought is to become the possession of the many, and not the privilege of the few, we much have done with fear. It is fear that holds men back - fear that their cherished beliefs should prove delusions, fear least the institutions by which they live should prove harmful, fear lest they themselves prove less worthy to the respect then they have supposed themselves to be." I'll include this Russell statement as a final flourish: "Man, even if he does not commint scientific suicide, will perish ultimately through the failure of water or air or warmth. It is difficult to believe that Omnipotence needed so vast a setting for so small and transitory a result. Apart from the minuteness and brevity of the human species, I cannot feel that it is a worthy climax to such an enormous prelude." 
|
|
#13
09-25-2005, 02:36 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: More Russell Quotes on Religion
Alright..I found one fallacy I was trying to remember: Fallacy of Authority.
I can't find one other one though. It is based on the idea of the whole being as good as it's parts. Just because you have a group of 20 "geniuses" does not mean that they will together come up with the greatest ideas, etc... Does anybody know the name of this fallacy? craig
|
|
#14
09-25-2005, 02:40 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: More Russell Quotes on Religion
[ QUOTE ]
My favorite Russell quote is here "unyielding despair" - yep, my kinda guy. [/ QUOTE ] Maybe the problem is you see 'unyielding despair' as his conclusion when he says it is a firm foundation which kind of suggest it isn't. chez
|
|
#15
09-25-2005, 02:48 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: More Russell Quotes on Religion
[ QUOTE ]
'Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.' Wittgenstein [/ QUOTE ] Why is this? So all the demagogues and privateers of nonsense can have an open field and fill that void with puerile myths, comforting delusions, and bogeymen to hold sway over the credulous? -Zeno
|
|
#16
09-25-2005, 02:52 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: More Russell Quotes on Religion
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] 'Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.' Wittgenstein [/ QUOTE ] Why is this? So all the demagogues and privateers of nonsense can have an open field and fill that void with puerile myths, comforting delusions, and bogeymen to hold sway over the credulous? -Zeno [/ QUOTE ] I think Wittgenstein (I am not an expert in this area by any means) meant that if it could not be put into words (like feelings, God, etc..) then it wasn't worth discussing or even thinking about. He was basically saying that most philosophy was worthless. Wasn't this the Logical Positivists stance? craig
|
|
#17
09-25-2005, 02:54 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: More Russell Quotes on Religion
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] 'Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.' Wittgenstein [/ QUOTE ] Why is this? So all the demagogues and privateers of nonsense can have an open field and fill that void with puerile myths, comforting delusions, and bogeymen to hold sway over the credulous? -Zeno [/ QUOTE ] Don't think so, nothing to stop you speaking about them. No need to join them in talking nonsense - its not going to cancel out. chez
|
|
#18
09-25-2005, 03:02 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: More Russell Quotes on Religion
[ QUOTE ]
Maybe the problem is you see 'unyielding despair' as his conclusion when he says it is a firm foundation which kind of suggest it isn't. [/ QUOTE ] I think it's the foundation he laid from a conclusion he came to because of his acceptance of chance as ultimate. I think he probably read Nietzsche. I like the quote because it rubs your nose in the only possible reasonable position to hold if God doesn't exist - though of course calling anything reasonable in a universe of chance is problematic at best.
|
|
#19
09-25-2005, 03:06 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: More Russell Quotes on Religion
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] Maybe the problem is you see 'unyielding despair' as his conclusion when he says it is a firm foundation which kind of suggest it isn't. [/ QUOTE ] I think it's the foundation he laid from a conclusion he came to because of his acceptance of chance as ultimate. I think he probably read Nietzsche. I like the quote because it rubs your nose in the only possible reasonable position to hold if God doesn't exist - though of course calling anything reasonable in a universe of chance is problematic at best. [/ QUOTE ] If I saw thing as you do it might rub my nose in something, but I don't so it doesn't. Thanks anyway. chez
|
|
#20
09-25-2005, 06:04 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: More Russell Quotes on Religion
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] Maybe the problem is you see 'unyielding despair' as his conclusion when he says it is a firm foundation which kind of suggest it isn't. [/ QUOTE ] I think it's the foundation he laid from a conclusion he came to because of his acceptance of chance as ultimate. I think he probably read Nietzsche. I like the quote because it rubs your nose in the only possible reasonable position to hold if God doesn't exist - though of course calling anything reasonable in a universe of chance is problematic at best. [/ QUOTE ] You have pointed out where Russell was wrong. It is NOT needed to have an 'unyielding despair' as a foundation. It's just that geniuses aren't always able to empathize as much as you and I. What Russell may mean to say is along the lines of, when his reason told him that there likely was not a God he went into a state of despair. He was then able to build off of and out of that state of despair. It is his oversight that the state of despair was needed for a foundation, solely because he fell into one. The psychological reasons for that state of despair are the same reasons why you cannot truly examine the belief in God. For instance, to test the theory of God, you might entertain the thought "God does not exist." But you have an axiom that states God created the universe and everything in it so If God doesn't exist then neither does the universe. Your reason is intact but your axioms are interfering with the true examination of god’s existence. Your reason then says "Well that can't be, the universe does exist, and therefore God exists." This same type of logic loops for each piece of information you have about god. 1st it’s the universe, then it’s morals, next it’s self, and so on. Or if that bit of physiology doesn't fit. Take RJT's post about becoming an atheist. If he were to believe there was no God, he would have to divorce his wife. His love of his wife is dependent on the belief in God. It becomes impossible to truly examine the existence of God, when the question leads to I wouldn't Love my wife if there wasn't God. One has to much invested to give the possibility any consideration. It would be interesting for you to take up chez's offer for a debate with him as Russell.
|
 |
|
|
Linear Mode
