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Original poster

Dawkins - God Delusion....

228 replies

squidette · 30/10/2006 17:30

Hi

I am half way through reading Richard Dawkins new book, The God Delusion, and loving it. I am finding myself laughing and smiling in that 'phew! someone else thinks the same thing!' kind of way that i had when reading Russell's Why i am not a Christian lectures.

I was wondering if anyone else has read it and what their thoughts were.

OP posts:
bossykate · 30/10/2006 18:22

he's more qualified than dawkins because he's a philosopher.

sorrell · 30/10/2006 18:23

Blimey, you talk about 'tone' and then start a lot of rather aggressive personal attacks (mean-spirited, wilfully obtuse etc). Yes, actually, Dawkins was invited to reply to one of his critics, so he did so, with considerable aplomb IMO.
However, in the light of the nasty tone of this thread, I really think I have better things to do.

bossykate · 30/10/2006 18:25

it was all perfectly pleasant until you raised the temperature, as anyone can see from reading the thread.

ks · 30/10/2006 18:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

beckybraAAARGHstraps · 30/10/2006 18:25

Is there much science in the book?

KathyDCLXVI · 30/10/2006 18:26

Eagleton is a cultural theorist - only a philosopher in the broadest sense. A.C.Grayling (who is a philosopher) doesn't think he is one.

(just as a matter of pedantry..... I don't really think you have to be 'qualified' to write a review )aa

bossykate · 30/10/2006 18:27

ah, you will find there is a debate in the academic world between the various branches of philosophy with one lot saying the others aren't...

bossykate · 30/10/2006 18:28

one lot are continental philosophers and the others are... i forget.

beckybraAAARGHstraps · 30/10/2006 18:29

I met someone when I was 18, who on finding that I was off to study biochemistry, paid for a subsciption to the "Creation Science Movement" for THREE YEARS in my name. It was quite bizarre.

bossykate · 30/10/2006 18:30

do i think you have to be "qualified" to write a review - well no of course not. you don't have to be "qualified" to write the original book either. but i think if you're not - then your views don't have much credibility. i think dawkins has been very, very arrogant with this book.

texasrose · 30/10/2006 18:32

I have not read the book, just various reviews and quotes, so I'm very unqualified to comment!

But of course I will anyway...

It doesn't sound as if Dawkins is saying anything particularly new or ground-breaking. If you don't believe in God there are usually reasons why and those reasons are nearly aways very subjective. This book may well strengthen the faith of atheists! But it's unlikely to destroy the faith of christians (unless it was wobbly and not thought through in the first place).

I quite enjoy reading stuff by avowed atheists because whether you like it or not, faith (in God's non-existence) informs every point made. So it comes pretty much full circle back to God himself. Who was it that said that the opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference?

I don't want to wind anyone up...

Blandmum · 30/10/2006 18:37

ks, it is put out by a group call IIR Thruth in Science. It was very glossy and slick, and there was little on the packaging to show that it was 95% supporting ID and nothing else!

Shocking and rather sneaky IMHO

TwigTwoolett · 30/10/2006 18:38

I think I agree with Sorrel actually .. and am laughing at fairyologists

Blandmum · 30/10/2006 18:39

this is the news report of the ID 'push' onto the GCSE science courses

LittleScarer · 30/10/2006 19:17

I completely agree with Sorrell. Great quote from Dawkins I think, but then I would of course because I agree with him entirely.

I have ordered that book for my dad for Christmas and I am sure I will enjoy reading it after him!

LittleScarer · 30/10/2006 19:20

I also don't think atheists have a 'faith' in not believing in god, but a very simple disbelief in him/her or any other higher power.

I certainly don't.

Tinker · 30/10/2006 19:30

Have to say, agree with Dawkins response there. How can you (and why should you) take theology seriously if you're not a theist?

As an aside, how does one become "A Philosopher"? Just by having a PhD?

Blandmum · 30/10/2006 19:33

You can get a PhD is all manner of things and not have studied philosphy to post graduate levels.

He is quite a 'philosophical' scientist though.

Should I admit, at this stage, that I have met him, and used to work in the same building?

Tinker · 30/10/2006 19:35

Hmmm, I know. So when does a philosopher become A Philosopher?

Tinker · 30/10/2006 19:36

I would blush if I met him

texasrose · 30/10/2006 19:43

But isn't that just semantics LittleScarer?

You could say:

"I don't believe in God's existence."

or

"I believe that God doesn't exist."

Both mean the same thing in practice but one is a statement of non-belief (a negative statement)whereas the other is a statement of belief (a positive statement).

So does that bit of logic tell us that in order to not believe in something,it requires belief (or faith)?

IMO Dawkins has more faith than most church-goers.

texasrose · 30/10/2006 19:45

THe word philosopher inb Greek means 'a lover of wisdom'. So IMO anyone who loves wisdom is a philosopher, regardless of education.

Tinker · 30/10/2006 19:46

OK, "god doesn't exist".

Pruni · 30/10/2006 19:48

Message withdrawn

texasrose · 30/10/2006 19:48

now there's absolute faith!

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