RE: MD Failure of the Enlightenment

From: David Buchanan (DBuchanan@ClassicalRadio.org)
Date: Sun Jun 16 2002 - 20:28:35 BST


Glenn and all:

This is just one more example of what I was complaining about yesterday. It
refutes statements made by nobody. It refutes nothing, offers nothing and
only demonstrates a complete failure to grasp the issue. Pirsig and Wilber
are NOT suggesting we look for morals through a telescope. They don't think
social codes are to be found in the moon. If you'll forgive the pun, only a
lunatic would suggest such a thing.

Thanks for nothing,
DMB

-----Original Message-----
From: gmbbradford@netscape.net [mailto:gmbbradford@netscape.net]
Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2002 12:25 PM
To: moq_discuss@moq.org
Subject: Re: MD Failure of the Enlightenment

Hi David B, Roger, others,
Being upset that morals and physical science don't mix makes almost as
little sense as being upset that oil and water don't mix. You're better
off accepting it. Attempts to re-integrate the former are compelling for
about 5 seconds, which is also about how long it takes for oil and water to
separate again after a vigorous stir. Just because Aristotle's science and
Christian theology were wedded and Galileo's science and Christian theology
were not, doesn't imply a "defect" or "contradiction" in Galileo's science
or his style of thinking. Even the Church, afterall, did not claim his
telescope showed up any morals.

On the contrary, the pock-marked blemishes found on the moon by Galileo's
telescope showed that the defect was with the Aristotlan/Christian view that

says the Moon is a perfect celestial body. It showed that the comfy,
touchy-feely Aristotlan/Christian view was based on ignorance and its
staying power was due to people's unflinching belief in its infallibility.

In order to integrate Galilean science with a spiritual world-view, you'd
have to somehow explain the moral purpose of thousands of lunar crater
impacts, not to mention the myriad other physical processes that don't
appear moral "under the microscope". Granted, you can brainwash people into
believing anything, such as "molecules are morals", but this just dulls and
erodes the normal meaning of morality and shoe-horns a reconciliation.
Ultimately this isn't any better than the Aristotlan/Christian worldview -
a worldview based more on wishful thinking than empiricism.
Glenn

__________________________________________________________________
Your favorite stores, helpful shopping tools and great gift ideas.
Experience the convenience of buying online with Shop@Netscape!
http://shopnow.netscape.com/

Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at
http://webmail.netscape.com/

MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net

To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html

MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net

To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:02:19 BST