From: Platt Holden (pholden@sc.rr.com)
Date: Fri Apr 01 2005 - 22:40:12 BST
Hi Ham:
You wrote:
> Inasmuch as the religious and philosophical objectives are both aimed at
> transcending finite existence, I would pose a different question. Have we
> not mistakenly equated Theism with belief in a personal deity? I submit
> that this is a misconception resulting from the haste of some to put down
> anything resembling a supernatural source -- and that includes the concept
> of Intelligent Design (not inherently theistic) as well as God (not
> necessarily anthropomorphic).
Excellent point. "Supernatural" is a term used by science to exclude as
"unreal" (and therefore stupidly religious) any phenomena that can't be
explained experimentally by mechanism and/or measurement. (Ironically,
since Darwin's theory can't be demonstrated experimentally, it fails by
science's own prerequisites.)
> I've called this attitude a tendency to
> 'throw the babe out with the bathwater', and I think it is hypocritical to
> be positing belief in a qualitative essence as a more "enlightened", more
> "intimate" approach to philosophical truth than belief in a transcendent
> reality.
Right. In my judgment, Pirsig's Quality is as transcendent as science's
Energy, and equally inexplicable.
> One doesn't need miracles or a virgin birth in order to believe in a
> transcendent primary source. But it does require the acceptance of a
> supernatural reality. That, I believe, is why religion continues to
> flourish while philosophies based on metaphysical euphemisms are doomed to
> endless rhetorical parsing.
Right. I think Pirsig's Quality is indeed a transcendent primary source,
as he says, "the source of all things." Quality is supernatural in the
sense that the instruments of science cannot deal with it. But, Quality is
not the personal, caring God of traditional religions. Rather, it's a
power that drives evolution with moral force.
Regards,
Platt
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