A TED talk here by Alain de Botton who has been not so bad a face of Philosophy in recent times.
http://www.ted.com/talks/alain_de_botton_atheism_2_0.html
This speech promotes 'Atheism 2.0'
What I like about the speech is his delivery. A bit of aw shucks personality and comfortable in his skin. The content of the talk is good as far as it goes - which is what we can 'borrow' from religion - baby and bathwater type of approach
As we have discussed before, being agnostic suits my temperament better.
However, as I reflected on this presentation, I could not help but think, that he missed the main point after all. The theme focuses on the trappings of religion and borrowing from them - and presumes there is no core.
One wonders that it may be the fact that it is because of a core, that the trappings of religion developed. What might be wiser is to ask is what moves humans in the first place.
I can't imagine anyone serious in modern times would say there is a father like figure sitting up in the clouds. It is also new age-y to think that there is a infinite expanse of gelatinous mass from which things emerge.
What is better then, it seems to me to borrow from religion, or better put, learn from it, is to recognize the human capacity to relate to the universe and accept we are a temporary dot in a set of inter-connected ones.
I can imagine that neither theists nor atheists would disagree with the above.
1 comment:
Since you have analysed the lecture fairly well, let me play the devil's advocate.
Religion is also about power ! It is intended to control people. By giving both kudos as well as punishments, religions try to control to the extent people are willing to kill each other for it.Secondly, religions do not allow people to think in a rational fashion. There is no half way. They want total surrender. Try for example with any religious leader that you would take part of your thinking from one religion and part from another. It does not work! As he puts at the end, one can politely disagree with each other. After all, we are all discussing about a thing about which we know nothing !
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