Torah and Jewish Idea > Torah and Jewish Idea
Richard Dawkins
Rubystars:
There are a few things I like about Dawkins.
His ideas about memes are interesting, and I think that memetics is one way to describe what can be termed "Cultural evolution".
Another thing I like about Dawkins is his description of a cell as a 'survival machine' for a bit of genetic material. This concept probably helps a lot in abiogenesis research.
Genetics preceded cells.
However I agree with most of what has been said about his being an arrogant and hateful person. I don't believe all atheists are this way, but a sizable number of them that I've met have been that way. He's not content to have his philosophy and leave others be, he feels that he must ridicule believers.
Neither theism nor atheism are based in science, as science only studies the natural world. Theism is a belief and atheism is generally a lack of belief in the supernatural. Dawkins crosses the line from a simple lack of belief, to that of a positive belief that there is no supernatural world. That's the distinction between weak and strong atheism. Strong atheists, in my experience, tend to be the more obnoxious types, while weak atheists tend toward agnosticism.
One of the most ridiculous things that Dawkins has been involved in was the "Brights", a group of atheists who apparently think they're brighter than the theists, even though they claim that's not what it means.
AussieJTFer:
--- Quote from: Rubystars on October 16, 2007, 01:56:43 PM ---There are a few things I like about Dawkins.
His ideas about memes are interesting, and I think that memetics is one way to describe what can be termed "Cultural evolution".
Another thing I like about Dawkins is his description of a cell as a 'survival machine' for a bit of genetic material. This concept probably helps a lot in abiogenesis research.
Genetics preceded cells.
However I agree with most of what has been said about his being an arrogant and hateful person. I don't believe all atheists are this way, but a sizable number of them that I've met have been that way. He's not content to have his philosophy and leave others be, he feels that he must ridicule believers.
Neither theism nor atheism are based in science, as science only studies the natural world. Theism is a belief and atheism is generally a lack of belief in the supernatural. Dawkins crosses the line from a simple lack of belief, to that of a positive belief that there is no supernatural world. That's the distinction between weak and strong atheism. Strong atheists, in my experience, tend to be the more obnoxious types, while weak atheists tend toward agnosticism.
One of the most ridiculous things that Dawkins has been involved in was the "Brights", a group of atheists who apparently think they're brighter than the theists, even though they claim that's not what it means.
--- End quote ---
Do you believe that "weak atheists" exist? I think anyone that starts to question even to the slightest the non-existence of God or the standard atheist rationale is an agnostic, even if they may label themselves atheist.
I find that atheists are no different than fundamentalist Christian types or muslims that try and "convert" anyone who does not follow their line of thinking. Atheists are more obnoxious however as they look down upon anyone who might have a shred of belief in the supernatural as being intellectually challenged and needing "enlightenment". Dawkins is basically the Bin Laden of the atheists, utilising any means possible in extolling the virtues of his belief system on the uncoverted and "dumb" masses and sneering at their set of collective beliefs. I have no doubt that if he were given the means to eliminate every person of faith from the face of the earth, he would not hesitate in doing so.
White Israelite:
--- Quote from: AussieJTFer on October 28, 2007, 06:07:51 AM ---
--- Quote from: Rubystars on October 16, 2007, 01:56:43 PM ---There are a few things I like about Dawkins.
His ideas about memes are interesting, and I think that memetics is one way to describe what can be termed "Cultural evolution".
Another thing I like about Dawkins is his description of a cell as a 'survival machine' for a bit of genetic material. This concept probably helps a lot in abiogenesis research.
Genetics preceded cells.
However I agree with most of what has been said about his being an arrogant and hateful person. I don't believe all atheists are this way, but a sizable number of them that I've met have been that way. He's not content to have his philosophy and leave others be, he feels that he must ridicule believers.
Neither theism nor atheism are based in science, as science only studies the natural world. Theism is a belief and atheism is generally a lack of belief in the supernatural. Dawkins crosses the line from a simple lack of belief, to that of a positive belief that there is no supernatural world. That's the distinction between weak and strong atheism. Strong atheists, in my experience, tend to be the more obnoxious types, while weak atheists tend toward agnosticism.
One of the most ridiculous things that Dawkins has been involved in was the "Brights", a group of atheists who apparently think they're brighter than the theists, even though they claim that's not what it means.
--- End quote ---
Do you believe that "weak atheists" exist? I think anyone that starts to question even to the slightest the non-existence of G-d or the standard atheist rationale is an agnostic, even if they may label themselves atheist.
I find that atheists are no different than fundamentalist Christian types or muslims that try and "convert" anyone who does not follow their line of thinking. Atheists are more obnoxious however as they look down upon anyone who might have a shred of belief in the supernatural as being intellectually challenged and needing "enlightenment". Dawkins is basically the Bin Laden of the atheists, utilising any means possible in extolling the virtues of his belief system on the uncoverted and "dumb" masses and sneering at their set of collective beliefs. I have no doubt that if he were given the means to eliminate every person of faith from the face of the earth, he would not hesitate in doing so.
--- End quote ---
An atheist can't convert anyone because atheism is not a religion.
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