A Philosopher Looks at Human Beings

by Michael Ruse

Why do we think ourselves superior to all other animals? Are we right to think so? In this book, Michael Ruse explores these questions in religion, science and philosophy. Some people think that the world is an organism - and that humans, as its highest part, have a natural value (this view appeals particularly to people of religion). Others think that the world is a machine - and that we therefore have responsibility for making our own value judgements (including judgements about ourselves). Ruse provides a compelling analysis of these two rival views and the age-old conflict between them. In a wide-ranging and fascinating discussion, he draws on Darwinism and existentialism to argue that only the view that the world is a machine does justice to our humanity. This new series offers short and personal perspectives by expert thinkers on topics that we all encounter in our everyday lives.

Genres: Philosophy

222 pages, Paperback

Published May 20, 2021

About the author

Michael Escott Ruse was a British-born Canadian philosopher of science who specialised in the philosophy of biology and worked on the relationship between science and religion, the creation–evolution controversy, and the demarcation problem within science. Ruse began his career teaching at The University of Guelph and spent many years at Florida State University.

Reviews

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

A philosopher? Not really. A governmental bureaucrat that has a piece of paper that says ”philosopher” and his name. Is this philosophy? Yes, in the sense that navel gazing can be called philosophy. So why the effort to write this? Well, it's because the public seems to ask something in return from the academic leeches: so Ruse has to ”publish” in order to get more money from the taxpayer's pocket. And there is a catch too: after a checklist is filled, Ruse won't even have to bother going to work, the public will have to pay him a wage just for breathing.

[Roy Kenagy · Rating 4 out of 5]

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