tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post5228104934564205659..comments2023-10-24T04:29:23.693-06:00Comments on Atheist Ethicist: Uncompromising PositionsAlonzo Fyfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-8087230907203631072007-04-12T10:23:00.000-06:002007-04-12T10:23:00.000-06:00“Okay, geocentrist, just to show you that I am wil...<I>“Okay, geocentrist, just to show you that I am willing to compromise, here is my offer. You say that the Earth is at the center of the solar system. I claim that it is the sun. So, let’s compromise. Let’s say that the solar system revolves around a spot that is halfway between the Sun and the Earth. Will you find that position acceptable?”<BR/><BR/>Actually, I find that position absurd.</I><BR/><BR/>Although, technically, the centre of mass (barycentre) of a single planet heliocentric system (in this case the Earth) isn't at the <EM>centre</EM> of the Sun, but <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Orbit4.gif" REL="nofollow">still pretty close to the solar centre</A> (the Sun has over 99% of the entire system's mass) so there <EM>is</EM> a middle ground, of sorts, but I will freely admit to spliting hairs.<BR/><BR/>Of course, within a multi-body solar system within a local stellar group, etc. this can get very complicated very quickly, but for all intents and purposes to assume that that is the case for things that we have control of on our metre scale (e.g. shuttles and satellites and the like) is both practical and scientifically sound (i.e. you can predict where a spaceship will go if you launched it on a certain vector).nullifidianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17525511015814128503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-30117905688819085602007-04-12T08:58:00.000-06:002007-04-12T08:58:00.000-06:00I've recently discovered your blog - very insightf...I've recently discovered your blog - very insightful stuff. <BR/><BR/>The best response I've heard to the atheist/foxhole statement is "There are no Christians in hospitals."chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07716628521872882440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-72293441622936290742007-04-12T05:15:00.000-06:002007-04-12T05:15:00.000-06:00blacksunActually, the idea that it is wrong to cha...<B>blacksun</B><BR/><BR/>Actually, the idea that it is wrong to challenge the views of extremists finds its strongest expression in the secular European philosophy of post-modernism and its less radical cousin moral subjectivism, not among religious moderates.<BR/><BR/>Even in America, it was secular liberals who embraced the idea that all of morality is subjective and there is no objective basis for the criticism of another person's morality, while many religious moderates continued to hold fast to the idea that there is an objective wrong and some people can truthfully be called evil.<BR/><BR/>Blaming religious moderates for what was essentually a secular philosophical movement is a bit unfair.<BR/><BR/>This brings to the surface another point - that there is no necessarily relationship between one's religiosity and one's unwillingness to criticize moderates. There is nothing inconsistent with a moderate condemning extremism as a perversion of religion, or with an atheist refusing to condemn extremism in the name of tolerance and inclusion.<BR/><BR/>So, let's blame those who are actually guilty, rather than make up excuses for condemning people who do not share our views about God.Alonzo Fyfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-59693357160431053042007-04-11T23:03:00.000-06:002007-04-11T23:03:00.000-06:00Alonzo, great post. I have one quibble:Now, I disa...Alonzo, great post. I have one quibble:<BR/><BR/><I>Now, I disagree with some of these ‘new atheists’ in that they extend the blame for these harms to those who are not responsible.</I><BR/><BR/>I think what Harris says, if I can summarize him correctly: By refusing to challenge the preposterous ontological claims of extremists, which they also believe, (though they reject the tactics), moderate believers foster a climate that allows the extremists to prosper.<BR/><BR/>Now this to me is very different from holding a moderate religious person responsible for the actions of others. I think it's important for atheists to make this distinction and stand up for Harris.BlackSunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15591731325290405256noreply@blogger.com