Posted: Sep 10, 2010 8:28 pm
Calilasseia wrote:One subject that I would consider to be of fundamental importance in any such book, is a thorough exposition of the worthlessness of doctrine centred world views full stop, and why doctrine centred world views are not only ultimately useless, but pernicious. I've written enough on this subject to form an entire chapter. Which I can reprise here if needed.
I was gonna say something like that. If you're going to deal with religion in your project, it's worth considering heading off the "evil atheist regimes" argument at the pass, by talking from the outset about ideology. Adherence to a doctrine in defiance of evidence is as unsound for the leaders and supporters of a corrupt state (eg. Nazis, communism-as-practiced-by-Stalin) as it is for the followers of a religion. Equally, it's wrong for global-warming 'evangelists' and global-warming (hardline) 'skeptics' to defend their positions beyond the merits of the research. Religion, authoritarianism, and other -isms can be introduced as manifestations of the same disease: cleaving to propositions not supported by evidence.