From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Thu Jan 03 2002 - 09:30:33 MST
From: "Mike Lorrey" <mlorrey@datamann.com>
> The error in Dawkins' line of logic is the irrational assumption that
> attending a faith-based school will automatically program said attendee
> to be a good little unthinking stooge of the sponsoring religion.
It's not merely a matter of logic, because empirical evidence comes into it as
well. Theologues usually inherit their religiosity from their parents, as I
think a direct survey of parents and children reveals. Missionary work
concentrates especially on children, providing food and clothing to orphans as
a bribe. In addition, children usually end up with (after some initial
rebellion) the political persuasion of their parents. Immunity to religiosity
may have a genetic component, or perhaps it involves non-exposure to the
parasitic protozoan Toxoplasma gondii.
http://www.natur.cuni.cz/~flegr/toxo95.htm
Anyway, I agree with Dawkins that faith-based schooling of children causes
divisiveness.
Look how divisive you are.
(Just kidding.)
--- --- --- --- ---
Useless hypotheses, etc.:
consciousness, phlogiston, philosophy, vitalism, mind, free will, qualia,
analog computing, cultural relativism, GAC, Cyc, Eliza, cryonics, individual
uniqueness, ego, human values, scientific relinquishment, malevolent AI,
non-sensory experience, SETI
We move into a better future in proportion as science displaces superstition.
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