Conversations: Eradicating Religion

Helena
I would argue that one of the greatest challenges facing civilization in the twenty first century is for human beings to learn to speak about their deepest personal concerns—about ethics, spiritual experience, and the inevitability of human suffering—in ways that are not flagrantly irrational.

Sappho
Absolutely. We desperately need a public discourse that encourages critical thinking and intellectual honesty! Unfortunately, it is probably true to say that nothing stands in the way of this project more than the respect we accord religious faith.

Zoe
Surely, you would be the first to admit that the prospects for eradicating religion in our time do not seem good?

On Dismissing Gods

“When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.”

– Steven H. Roberts

On the Closed Universe

“The universe is like a safe to which there is a combination, but the combination is locked in the safe.”

– Peter de Vries

On Talking About Nothing

“I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about.”

– Oscar Wilde

On Fear and Understanding

“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.”

– Marie Curie

On Disinclination to Learn

“Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.”

– Douglas Adams

Autism Epidemic Myth?

“There’s such a thing as an Autism Epidemic.”

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Ruling:
False. Misinterpretation of figures.

Analysis:
In recent years, there has only been an increase in diagnoses of autism among certain groups of people living in certain regions; this is caused by heightened awareness of the condition, not the incidence. In this particular context, the word ‘epidemic’ is a media hype misnomer.

See other: Mythconceptions?

On Teaching Twelve-year-olds

“If one cannot state a matter clearly enough so that even an intelligent twelve-year-old can understand it, one should remain within the cloistered walls of the university and laboratory until one gets a better grasp of one’s subject matter.”

– Margaret Mead