Comments on: Credible credo

By: Dim at Another Blasted Weblog

Dim at Another Blasted Weblog — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 22:53:14 +0000

[...] Over on Pharyngula, PZ Myers still has no time for the coinage “bright”. And I’ve got to say, I’m still with him on this one. I think it is a daft term, for all the reasons brought up in the interminable comments to his post. I am an atheist. I may be a bright atheist — that’s not for me to say — but I am certainly not a bright. And just to show how bright I am, I’ve no intention of rehearsing any of the arguments against brights as a label. Let’s just say that even Richard Dawkins can have a a bad idea from time to time. [...]

By: Donna Liu

Donna Liu — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 19:49:36 +0000

Glad you got something out of the lecture. The second in the Stark series is also on the website, at: http://uc.princeton.edu/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=345&Itemid=20

Enjoy.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 04:28:45 +0000

You’re right Russ. But as I said, I’m not sure how to do it. Thankfully, perhaps, the opportunity has not yet presented itself.

By: Russ

Russ — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 01:43:18 +0000

Zeno, Jeremy,
When opportunities present themselves, as in the case with another person’s six-year-old child, it is absolutely imperative to let the child know that you think differently. Remember, a mind truly is a terrible thing to waste. One needn’t be crass or insulting to mom and dad, but a gentle, factual, unprovocative, and yet scientifically accurate, response to the youngster about the nature of our own star, the sun, and its many relatives, might pique the youthful curiosity far more than the inane religious overtures ever could. It might be the only timely substantive feedback the child receives on the topic. Share an experience with the family of visiting an observatory, or science museum. This has the added benefit of allowing you to avoid what might be a sticky situation, by introducing the messenger instead of being the messenger.

We live in a world with a million gnarly problems, none of which religious affiliation is equipped to solve or even deal with to the greater benefit of mankind. Childhood is the time to prepare the mind for the real problems that that child and his or her generational comrades will encounter. No one would expect that a child could turn out to be much of musician if we told them lies like “quarter notes are from the devil” or “all music in 3/4 time is evil.” In a similar vein then, how is it that we really expect to prepare children for the future while vilifying, denigrating, and degrading science – literally the only tool that will equip them confront and adequately address the myriad difficulties they will face. Many of the more intractable challenges will be ones which we will have made and left to them, while, at the same time, giving them religion instead of reason, thus leaving them utterly unprepared to take care of themselves, their children and the rest of mankind in an increasingly human hostile world.

So, everybody, please don’t let those learning moments slip by unrealized. Get in a word for reason, for science, for what may be the only hope for a stable, safe, healthy, happy future for humanity.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 21:10:52 +0000

Zeno

Thanks for dropping by. I’m no tongue biter myself, but I’m not sure I’d know what to do with a six-year old. What puzzles me is how to legitimate my intolerance of intolerance. I wouldn’t want to alienate the child’s parents, but nor would I want to stand idly by. It is a dilemna.