tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post1263959457667376471..comments2023-10-24T04:29:23.693-06:00Comments on Atheist Ethicist: Priorities and the Bottom 49%.Alonzo Fyfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-48182746939276542232007-03-13T00:03:00.000-06:002007-03-13T00:03:00.000-06:00The fourth category that I want to present for dis...<I>The fourth category that I want to present for distinguishing the best 51% from the worst 49% is defined by those who lie, engineer false beliefs, market confusion, and engage in intellectually reckless, and intellectually lazy behavior. Again, we need a real-world understanding of what is around us if we are going to avoid the worst pitfalls in store for us. Those who market in deception – who make their money lying to others or engineering false beliefs and confusion – are only working to blind people from the pitfalls that await them.</I><BR/><BR/>Couldn't agree more. How I define evil: using the proliferation of ignorance as a strategy.<BR/><BR/>Your point is also well taken about working with people we don't completely agree with. For me this only works combined with an uncompromising stance against the above described beliefs which create confusion and prevent progress. So I guess political cooperation with philosophical boundaries would be my approach.BlackSunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15591731325290405256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-58437355438942603492007-03-12T05:35:00.000-06:002007-03-12T05:35:00.000-06:00Reading your post reminds me of what George Holyoa...Reading your post reminds me of what George Holyoake said in <I>English Secularism</I>:<BR/><BR/><B>Secularism is a code of duty pertaining to this life, founded on considerations purely human, and intended mainly for those who find theology indefinite or inadequate, unreliable or unbelievable. Its essential principles are three: (1) The improvement of this life by material means. (2) That science is the available Providence of man. (3) That it is good to do good. Whether there be other good or not, the good of the present life is good, and it is good to seek that good.</B><BR/><BR/>Though Holyoake is known for his defense of atheism and liberalism, his views on secular ethics is perhaps one of the more influential to modern secular humanists. Even to non-secular humanists, it is a wake up call that religion is not the end all be all. One must plow the field before sowing the seed or else the whole village will starve. In other words, a complete reliance upon immaterial aspirations will leave us short-handed.Shawn Wilkinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18308205724057373941noreply@blogger.com