naturalism and our postmodern society
I wish I could write a few dozen pages just to eloquently express what exactly gets me so angry about the two above topics. I'll summarize or something.
Intro Philosophy class at the local community college is lead by a prof who has expressed that a major intention of the class is to convince people who believe in a soul or anything non-physically eternal about a human, that such is not the case. !! People have debated this for centuries, and current modern (intelligent) philosophers can be found in both camps and have arguements of substance for thinking the way they do. World renowned atheists are concededing the necessity of a great designer or "divine mind". My teacher has bypassed all of this with some simple logic and a comparison between two philosopher's writings, the non-physical philosopher being from when certain ideas were first being formulated (Descarte). Ah well. Just frustrating. Our next area of study is why humans enjoy the art of "tragedy" so much, and I am considering the fact of my teacher enjoying it so much to be attributed to his own hopeless condition. The despair he must feel inside can't really fully be expressed, yet when he sees a tragedy performed his heart can echo the supreme sadness being displayed.
My english appreciation teacher isn't much better and has basically fully endorsed cynicism. We've watched and read numerous heavy and dark stories and the last class session we had was spent on discussing the "ignorance is bliss" and those who know more are not the happier for it. Thus, the religious are swept into the ignorant side for being hopeful, and to "know better" is to accept things as being bad or worse than we think. My thought on this, a cynical person cannot believe anything. They choose not to believe. (particularly a pessimistic one like my teacher)
Frustrating. But I have more than hope, and I know with an assurance irrevocable the reality of this "divine being" and his touch in my life. It's what has made me real and alive, actually, and all those people who don't have it are dead inside with no reason to live. Given the opportunity for life, they wouldn't accept it. I'm up for answering questions and totally for people coming to life. My prof and teacher aren't lost yet, and I'm hoping for them.
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3 comments:
Very good summing up... and I so much appreciate your statement of hope in God!
"Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."
I can't prove it, but I am pretty sure that people gain a selective advantage from believing in things they can't prove. I am dead serious about this. People who are sometimes consumed by false beliefs do better than those who insist on evidence before they believe and act. People who are sometimes swept away by emotions do better in life than those who calculate every move. These advantages have, I believe, shaped mental capacities for intense emotion and passionate beliefs because they give a selective advantage in certain situations.
- Randolph Nesse
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