Re: [asa] Moral law - Francis Collins

Bob wrote:

> I'm not convinced that altruism is to be explained solely in evolutionary
> terms, but I should like to point out that Darwin recognized cooperation as
> well as competition in animals ("survival of the fittest" in the competitive
>
> sense was primarily Spencer's concept), and that this cooperation can even
> extend outside one's species. Around the turn of the last century Prince
> Kropotkin picked up on the "cooperation" side of evolution and developed it
> in his book, "Mutual Aid." Wildlife biologists can tell you stories of
> animals of one species coming to the rescue of those of another. I believe
> that in "The Descent of Man" (if memory serves me well), Darwin speculated
> that moral sensibility and sympathy was a product of evolution. While human
> beings may have freely developed moral codes (e.g., the Athenians) or worked
>
> them out under divine guidance or seen them as divinely bestowed (e.g., the
> Hebrews), I do not see that this militates against the contribution of
> evolution to ethics.
>

I can basically agree. The only thing I seem to struggle with
is that evolution can explain what "is" but _not necessarily_
what "ought to be".

In a way, unfortunately, I have to admit that YEC type
creationists do have a point about sin here. The creation
was called "good" even for a short time after man appeared
(in the creation story). Yet parasites were obviously around
long before man came into the world. I guess they were also
there by perhaps the third day in fact. But this is my human
understanding of "good" I suppose. I can see in the future,
by grace, we can eventually control these things and make
them "for good", but anyway.

by Grace we proceed,
Wayne

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Received on Tue Jan 2 19:12:50 2007