Judgment Day
Beyond Belief 2006: Last fall the cream of the scientific crop convened for the purpose of reckoning with religious belief. There is on display much disparagement of religion but also frequent attempts to moderate that disparagement.
Anti-theist superstars Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins see plenty of action but also encounter a surprising amount of resistance. Note: Session 8 begins with a very robust exchange between Harris and the anthropologist Scott Atan. I mention this because Harris is not listed in the line-up.
Throughout the talks there occurs the occasional jab at republicans and or the Bush Administration. Though not always invidious, most speakers evince clear sympathies with the political left. At the end of the day I wonder if most of these great scientists do not reserve more animus for the political right than the simply religious.
But perhaps I over-rate their capacity for discernment in the real world. They often don’t see very well without their micro and telescopes.
Filed under: KulturKampf, Opium of the Asses | Leave a Comment
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