One needs to stand behind one's morals, not have them imposed
externally. Then one can truly lead a principled life.
***********
This was in response to Tad writing-
**********
Genes evolve to match the reality of the physical world.
**********
Which was a refinement of his statement in a previous post that there is
an absolute truth and we are all evolving towards it- gradually
embodying more and more of that absolute truth.
(Please forgive me if I have misinterpreted or misused any of the
quotes. This has been my interpretation of the discussion so far. I've
snipped out a lot of detail.)
I have to agree with Richard on this one, Tad.
Absolute truth and the idea of linear advancement casts dark, deep
shadows in my thinking.
Anyone can believe in absolute truth if they want. Just like, as Richard
points out, anyone can believe in any god they want. I think Richard is
saying that the absolute truth meme is *used* in the same way as god
memes- as rhetoric to justify behavior. (Sometimes ghastly behavior) I
am thinking of all the times Darwinism has been used to justify slavery
and genocide.
If Richard sits and thinks about whether "he's right" before invading
Teta, he is not engaging himself in any kind of scientific process, or
divination of truth. He's pumping himself up for a good fight. If he
wins- then he was right. And the history book he writes after his
victory will tell everyone this.
This idea of evolvong towards an absolute truth involves some pretty
scary future-thought. Not that we all don't do it. We do it every time
we plan what we're going to say in an arguement. But it's important to
realize we *are* doing it. "Absolute Truth" obfuscates our own
involvement in that process. I can see it as the equivalent of "God sent
me a vision telling me to do this!".
-- --------------------------------------------------------------------- Ken Pantheists http://www.lucifer.com/~kenpan Virus Theatre http://www.lucifer.com/virus/theatre ---------------------------------------------------------------------