Akula,Evolution/God/Love/Morality/Altruism/& Kansas Board:
I believe that the heart of the problem between
Evolution v. Judeo-Christianity
( for practical purposes I will call that the religion of America since >90%
profess to be connected to it in some way ).
lies in the exact understanding of
what is evolution ?
and ,
what do we share with animals
besides 4 limbs, a head with eyes
and a brain?
What about thoughts and in particular such
fundamental, to evolutionary survival,concepts as
- altruism?
- morality?
- love ( as commonly used )
- Judeo-Christian love( as defined in the Bible )
This is at the heart of The Kansas School Board argument I believe:
The Kansas School Board wants to be able to
-teach all the above :
as they apply to humans and animals
and
to be able to point out the differences.
Are there any differences between humans and animals?
There are profound differences:
What profoundly disgusted the Kansas Board and
over 75% of Americans who think that in someway we
were created by God,is Dawkin's cavalier way of
completely trashing 2000 years history
of EXTREMELY COMPLEX human thought and behaviour
and simply say " it's been selected for ".
and saying so without a single thread of HARD evidence
This my friend is absurdity upon absurdity
I wish you well,
TA
=========================================
A ] C H R I S T I A N L O V E ( as defined by The Bible )
-------------------------------------
Jesus' definition:
bible.gospelcom.net
John 15:12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ( He died to save us from our sins )
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
St.Paul's definition ( Catholic Church teaches that this is God speaking; StPaul only holds the pen).
ie: This is God's definition of love )
bible.gospelcom.net
1If I speak in the tongues [1] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, [2] but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
9For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
=========================================
B ] L O V E ( as commonly understood )
------------------
Main Entry: love m-w.com
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English lufu; akin to Old High German luba love, Old English lEof dear, Latin lubEre, libEre to please
Date: before 12th century
1 a (1) : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties <maternal love for a child>
(2) : attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3) :
affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests <love for his old schoolmates> b : an assurance of love <give her my love>
2 : warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion <love of the sea>
3 a : the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration <baseball was his first love> b (1) : a beloved person : DARLING -- often used as a term of endearment (2) British -- used as an
informal term of address
4 a : unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1) : the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2) : brotherly concern for others b : a person's adoration of God
5 : a god or personification of love
6 : an amorous episode : LOVE AFFAIR
7 : the sexual embrace : COPULATION
8 : a score of zero (as in tennis)
9 capitalized, Christian Science : GOD
- at love : holding one's opponent scoreless in tennis
- in love : inspired by affection
=========================================
C ] M O R A L I T Y
-----------------
Main Entry: moral m-w.com
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin moralis, from mor-, mos custom
Date: 14th century
1 a : of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior : ETHICAL <moral judgments>
b : expressing or teaching a conception of right behavior <a moral poem>
c : conforming to a standard of right behavior d : sanctioned by or operative on one's
conscience or ethical judgment <a moral obligation>
e : capable of right and wrong action <a moral agent>
2 : probable though not proved : VIRTUAL <a moral certainty>
3 : having the effects of such on the mind, confidence, or will <a moral victory> <moral support>
synonyms MORAL, ETHICAL, VIRTUOUS, RIGHTEOUS, NOBLE mean conforming to a standard of what is right and good.
MORAL implies conformity to established sanctioned codes or
accepted notions of right and wrong <the basic moral values of a community>.
ETHICAL may suggest the involvement of more difficult or subtle questions of rightness, fairness, or equity
<committed to the highest ethical principles>.
VIRTUOUS implies the possession or manifestation of moral excellence in character <not a religious person, but virtuous nevertheless>.
RIGHTEOUS stresses guiltlessness or blamelessness and often suggests the sanctimonious <wished to be righteous before God and the world>. NOBLE implies
moral eminence and
freedom from anything petty, mean, or dubious in conduct and character <had the noblest of reasons for seeking office>.
==========================================
D ] A L T R U I S M
---------------------
main entry : altruism m-w.com
Etymology: French altruisme, from autrui other people, from Old French, oblique case form of autre other, from Latin alter
Date: 1853
1 : unselfish regard for
or
devotion to the welfare of others
2 : behavior by an animal that is not beneficial to or may be harmful to itself but that benefits others of its species
----------
THESAURUS:
main entry : altruistic m-w.com
Function: adjective
Text: Synonyms CHARITABLE 1, benevolent, eleemosynary, good, humane, humanitarian, philanthropic
Related Word considerate, kind, unselfish; bounteous, bountiful, generous, liberal, openhanded; bighearted, magnanimous, noble-minded
Contrasted Words egotistic, self-centered, selfish, self-seeking; illiberal, mean, niggardly, stingy, ungenerous
Antonyms egoistic
===============================================
You said:
Message #1032 from Akula at Sep 28 1999 9:17PM
My definition of morality (more properly altruism) is selected for in some situations. That was Dawkins point. Perhaps instead of finding a definition of morality (yours worked, but
it doesn't help too much in this little debate), let us find some actions that are considered moral. My point is that altruistic acts (on the individual level) are selected for and we
humans call this morality. Much of what the vast unwashed masses would call moral has its roots in biology. Why can't evolutionarily selected behaviors have been rationalized
as morality? Is there some independent standard for a moral action or is it subjective?
------------------
Message #1032 from Akula at Sep 28 1999 9:17PM
My definition of morality (more properly altruism) is selected for in some situations. That was Dawkins point. Perhaps instead of finding a definition of morality (yours worked, but
it doesn't help too much in this little debate), let us find some actions that are considered moral. My point is that altruistic acts (on the individual level) are selected for and we
humans call this morality. Much of what the vast unwashed masses would call moral has its roots in biology. Why can't evolutionarily selected behaviors have been rationalized
as morality? Is there some independent standard for a moral action or is it subjective? |
