From: RFaussette@aol.com
Date: Sat Mar 08 2003 - 17:10:07 EST
In a message dated 3/8/03 4:49:49 PM Eastern Standard Time, pie@bu.edu write=
s:
> Hi there,
>=20
> There's a very interesting article by Michael Ruse in the latest issue=20
> of Science entitled "Is Evolution a Secular Religion?"
>=20
> This is his last paragraph:
>=20
> "So, what does our history tell us? Three things. First, if the claim is=20
> that all contemporary evolutionism is merely an excuse to promote moral=20
> and societal norms, this is simply false. Today's professional=20
> evolutionism is no more a secular religion than is industrial chemistry.=20
> Second, there is indeed a thriving area of more popular evolutionism,=20
> where evolution is used to underpin claims about the nature of the=20
> universe, the meaning of it all for us humans, and the way we should=20
> behave. I am not saying that this area is all bad or that it should be=20
> stamped out. I am all in favor of saving the rainforests. I am saying=20
> that this popular evolutionism--often an alternative to=20
> religion--exists. Third, we who cherish science should be careful to=20
> distinguish when we are doing science and when we are extrapolating from=20
> it, particularly when we are teaching our students. If it is science=20
> that is to be taught, then teach science and nothing more. Leave the=20
> other discussions for a more appropriate time."
>=20
> Very interesting conclusions from someone who doesn't consider himself a=20
> Christian.
>=20
> -Marcio
>=20
>=20
Michael Ruse is often quoted on ldg-net on yahoo groups which is an open lis=
t=20
of IRAS (a lot of post modern sentiments expressed here) IRAS publishes Zygo=
n=20
Darwin's Cathedral by the evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson is the=20
current kid on the evolution/religion reconciliation bandwagon
IMHO: religion is adaptive and good for us which is Wilson's conclusion. =20
Evolution is not a religion - it's a perspective that enables us to see=20
the adaptability of religious beliefs - their practical value - Wilson does=20
an entire chapter, quite complimentary on Calvinism and its effect on Geneva=
.
The preview on the inside cover of Darwin=E2=80=99s Cathedral reads:=20
=20
=E2=80=9COne of the great intellectual battles of modern times is between ev=
olution=20
and religion. Until now, they=E2=80=99v ebeen considered completely irreconc=
ilable=20
theories of origin and existence. David Sloan Wilson=E2=80=99s Darwin=E2=80=
=99s Cathedral=20
takes the radical step of joining the two, in the process proposing an=20
evolutionary theory of religion that shakes both evolutionary biology and=20
social theory at their foundations.
The key, argues Wilson, is to think of society as an organism, an old idea=20
that has received new life based on recent developments in evolutionary=20
biology. If society is an organism can we then think of morality and religio=
n=20
as biologically and culturally evolved adaptations that enable human groups=20
to function as single units rather than mere collections of individuals?=E2=
=80=9D=20
An excerpt:
=E2=80=9CWe must think of religious thought as something that coexists with=20
scientific thought, not as an inferior version of it=E2=80=A6. even massivel=
y=20
fictitious beliefs can be adaptive, as long as they motivate behaviors that=20
are adaptive in the real world=E2=80=A6 once the reasoning associated with s=
cientific=20
thought loses its status as the only adaptive way to think, other forms of=20
thought associated with religion cease to be objects of scorn and=20
incomprehension and can be studied as potential adaptations in their own=20
right.=E2=80=9D
Link to a review:
<A HREF=3D"http://www.nous.org.uk/WilsonDS.html">http://www.nous.org.uk/Wils=
onDS.html</A>
Kevin MacDonald's (evolutionary psychologist) review of DSWs Darwin's=20
Cathedral is attached for your convenience.
[note from TMG: no attachments on the ASA list]
rich
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