Breaking the Spell
question
Is Dennett being reasonable?
Peter
May 18, 2012 10:00AM
Having just finished this, I was pleasantly surprised by Dennett's reasonable and rational discussion. I certainly feel that the point he raises - a thorough scientific analysis of religions of all types - is an extremely valid one, and I find it hard to see how anyone could disagree with him.
Has anyone?
Has anyone?
most theologians tend to disagree with him, but I dont think to many logically thinking people do.
if anything, i think Dennett is too reasonable and I would like to see him be a little more critical than he is most of the time.
Thought I did watch one of his lectures about this book at cal-tech i believe and he was awesome.
if anything, i think Dennett is too reasonable and I would like to see him be a little more critical than he is most of the time.
Thought I did watch one of his lectures about this book at cal-tech i believe and he was awesome.
I don't know how Dennett could conceivably have been fairer to believers.
People who haven't bothered to read Breaking the Spell assume the title refers to religious belief itself. But it's clear from the start that he's talking about transgressing the unwritten rule against submitting religion to the same critical attention we use when we study other human phenomena like language or sexuality.
I like how Dennett makes the whole God-is-God-ain't debate completely irrelevant. He's not talking about religion as a set of claims about reality. He's talking about religion as a self-perpetuating construct that has co-evolved with humanity.
People who haven't bothered to read Breaking the Spell assume the title refers to religious belief itself. But it's clear from the start that he's talking about transgressing the unwritten rule against submitting religion to the same critical attention we use when we study other human phenomena like language or sexuality.
I like how Dennett makes the whole God-is-God-ain't debate completely irrelevant. He's not talking about religion as a set of claims about reality. He's talking about religion as a self-perpetuating construct that has co-evolved with humanity.
I read this book as I was exiting religious belief. Can't say that he was the deciding factor but his approach did contribute.
if you're really into scientific study of religion, you will find this article about Dennet's book very informative, it's by Armin W. Geertz and it's entitled : "How not to do cognitive science of religion today".
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Jun 30, 2012 10:12PM