Re: Richard Dawkins Question

Tim Tyler wrote:
> Kevin Aylward <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote or quoted:
>> John Edser wrote:
>
>>> Amazingly, Dawkins cannot see that
>>> religion is THE critical group binding
>>> and group identifying human belief
>>> system, that was selected for at
>>> the organism (and not the group) level.
>>
>> The fact that religion evolved due to Darwinian axioms, does not
>> make it a true belief.
>> http://www.anasoft.co.uk/replicators/religion.html [...]
>
> Whather religion is a critical group binding mechanism for humans has
> little to do with whether the views it can sometimes lead to are
> accurate.
>
>>> It is of immense importance to evolutionary theory.
>>
>> Not really. The 10 commandants are derivable. There is no reason to
>> attribute "morals" to any religion.
>> http://www.anasoft.co.uk/replicators/religion.html
>
> Religion does seem to have a substantial impact on human behaviour -
> and thus seems likely to leave a mark on our evolution.

Of course, there is a meme gene loop, so any meme has the potential for
effecting gene evolution.

It is what is meant by "important" that I am quibbling about. If by
"important", there is a claim that Religion has been *necessary* to
achieve some sort of "human morality", than I disagree. My view is that
religion has achieved absolutely nothing of relevance that would not
have been achieved without it. As noted, the basic codes of conduct of
many Religions are simple, *after* the fact, *observations* of what
maximized numbers. Although I ma not suggesting that there is a direct
relation to maximisation and human
morality.

>
> When Mark Ridley sought a metaphor for our descendants - in
> "Mendel's Demons" - he called them "angels" - humans with wings.
>
> It may seem like a strange image - but it is perhaps an appropriate
> one.
>
> If mankind is dreaming of angels, then maybe those dreams will come
> true.

No chance.

Best Regards,

Kevin Aylward
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.

http://www.anasoft.co.uk/replicators/index.html

"Understanding" itself requires consciousness,
therefore consciousness cannot be "understood"
without referring to itself for the explanation,
therefore the "hard problem" of consciousness,
is intrinsically unsolvable as it is self referral.