Philosophy Now Forum

So apparently protestors were out in the streets of Paris today setting fire to things because they feel slighted that wealthy donors were able to fork over billions to repair the Notre Dame Cathedral but couldn't do the same to help the nation's poor. It sort of brings up an interesting dilemma. I...

(I say 'save the world' because it is a common tun of phrase and I needed something definite for the title! But I mean also *what will help our societies to progress and be better*). Gábor Vona (founder of the Jobbik party of Hungary), from a forward to the book Handbook for Right-Wing Youth by Juli...

. . . must have been something I said.

Where we differ is that you recommend clinging to the Rock of Ages, while I rely upon the sheer faith, the urge to live, common to all living things for venturing out on the uncharted ocean. Faith is sometimes rewarded by the discovery of a way ahead: sometimes not unfortunately. Actually, I have v...

Well, in the Reformation, one of the key issues was the medieval Catholic practice of selling "indulgences," or tickets-to-heaven, in exchange for money. Would you say that practice was in need of reform, or was a good one? The RC church has since discontinued it, so I'm guessing that eve...

All ideas are human creations and are "arbitrary" in the sense of having been chosen. Simply for the sake of interesting conversation . . . I think this statement can easily be challenged. But I want you to know that I do understand what you are saying, and I also believe I understand why...

Aliza, what I mean by "One alternative to revealed morality is utter lack of any morality; that's not viable so let's not even discuss it" is not a deviation from which leaves open the possibility that the people or the individual are deviating towards an alternative. Utter lack of morali...

"Northern European Protestantism" has traditionally been (until recently, with the compromises made with Western liberalism) quite clear on two things: firstly that Jesus Christ is immutable ("the same, yesterday, today and forever," to quote the Biblical text), and that human u...

But the religious viewpoint has changed. Relativity has come out of the Western culture and globalisation has established relativity everywhere. After the advent of modernity the religious viewpoint is that good and justice relate to situations and not to any rock of ages. You oppose relativity bec...

The "transcendental aspect" of my views is that absolute good/God cannot be attained although fleeting glimpses of it can be experienced alas soon to be drowned in the ambience of relativity. I would comment that the most important issue and question here is if, and how, 'the transcendent...

When you say materialism I think you mean devotion to material possessions and temporal power. You are mistaken. Atheists and other non-theists not self seeking and they do in fact appreciation the arts and other attainments of humanity. Many atheists and other non-theists look to the examples of p...

I respect everybody including children but I don't believe or trust some people's beliefs. A modern faith is one where each adult is responsible for his own independent beliefs. Naturally, I understand what you are saying. I think I also understand why you say it and how your view -- an assertion i...

I had not understood the supposed need of salvation was connected to the belief that one is born wicked. Thanks! It is somewhat interesting to understand uwot's total opposition to all of the essential concerns of Christian worldview, and his aggressive posture in regard to this sort of thinking &a...

What Dubious is saying, in that last sentence, is that theists are stupid and only believe in a God (the bloke that can condemn you to eternal damnation) because they find it comforting, soothing to ones psyche. I differ from you. I get the sense that his thinking is wider -- and different -- from ...

Well, having recently written ten thousand words on medieval cosmology, I got a pretty good insight to what the various strands of christianity meant then and still do. I have slightly more respect for the dupes who follow the 'traditions' than for the narcissists who make their god themselves. I r...