an irrational world, part 2
"There is really no reason to suppose that animals have a clue about why they do what they instinctually do, and human beings are no exception; the deeper purposes of our "instincts" are seldom transparent to us. The difference between us and other species is that we are the only species that cares about this ignorance!"
"Breaking the spell, Religion as a natural phenomenon", Daniel Dennett
I'm enjoying this book. Its eye-opening, in spite of some annoyance over patronising and over-stated "reasonableness" in the opening chapters. Dennett is a wordy fucker, and rather over-full with his own self-importance, but hes razor-sharp, too. His analysis of the origins of folk-religion as a potential evolutionary precursor for our main religious faiths is superb. I've been gripped by this.
And, again, I'm simultaneously fascinated and horrified by the irrationality of humankind. self included....
"Breaking the spell, Religion as a natural phenomenon", Daniel Dennett
I'm enjoying this book. Its eye-opening, in spite of some annoyance over patronising and over-stated "reasonableness" in the opening chapters. Dennett is a wordy fucker, and rather over-full with his own self-importance, but hes razor-sharp, too. His analysis of the origins of folk-religion as a potential evolutionary precursor for our main religious faiths is superb. I've been gripped by this.
And, again, I'm simultaneously fascinated and horrified by the irrationality of humankind. self included....