Re: An insult


"Lance" <LanceGary@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1188290375.744597.44680@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Aug 28, 12:27 am, "Philip" <pp...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Lance" <LanceG...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:1188200920.640074.104820@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx





On Aug 27, 9:33 am, "Peter H.M.Brooks" <pe...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Lance wrote:
On Aug 26, 10:18 pm, Dave Smith <da...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
On 26 Aug, 07:40, Richard Corfield <Richard.Corfi...@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

I wonder if it's a human nature to look for god like things at
times.
E. O. Wilson has certainly claimed so. In his book 'On Human
Nature'
he commented:

"The predisposition to religious belief is the most complex and
powerful force in the human mind and in all probability an
ineradicable part of human nature. Emile Durkheim, an agnostic,
characterized religious practice as the consecration of the group
and
the core of society. It is one of the universals of social
behavior,
taking recognizable form in every society from hunter-gatherer
bands
to socilaist republics....."

Surely atheists contradict this claim? And note that atheism is not
a
modern phenomenon - there were plenty in roman and Greek times.

Atheists are a counter example, yes, but that doesn't mean that it
isn't
a fundamental part of human nature. Sex, after all, is an even more
fundamentally powerful part of animal nature, and we have monks, nuns,
hermits and others who all provide possible counter examples.- Hide
quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Hmm. The quote says relious practice is the "core of society" and a
"universal of social behaviour." Are tehse things the same as human
nature? It seems to me entirely possible to have societies,
organisations, and social behaviour without religious practice.

It may seem possible but are there any actual examples that have lasted
for
more than a generation or two?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Many scientific societies don't mention religion anywhere in their
constitutions or their practices. How long have they been around? Many
businesses have been around a long time, and don't mention religion or
practice religion. How long has the British Humanist Society been
around?

Here you seem to be using "society" to mean "association" or "club". Do you
think that is the sense in which Durkheim and Wilson were using it?


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: An insult
    ... ineradicable part of human nature. ... taking recognizable form in every society from hunter-gatherer ... Many scientific societies don't mention religion anywhere in their ... think that is the sense in which Durkheim and Wilson were using it? ...
    (uk.philosophy.humanism)
  • Re: An insult
    ... ineradicable part of human nature. ... taking recognizable form in every society from hunter-gatherer ... Many scientific societies don't mention religion anywhere in their ... think that is the sense in which Durkheim and Wilson were using it? ...
    (uk.philosophy.humanism)
  • Re: How do they define the Religious Act
    ... Laws od Nature is entirely in favour of Natural Selection. ... religion is not part of nature. ... > create chaos to society. ... > wrong' and with those 'sucide bombings'that killed alot of innocent ...
    (soc.culture.singapore)
  • Re: An insult
    ... In his book 'On Human Nature' ... taking recognizable form in every society from hunter-gatherer bands ... and social behaviour without religious practice. ... Many scientific societies don't mention religion anywhere in their ...
    (uk.philosophy.humanism)
  • Re: Mookie agrees with Guthie to this extent
    ... reality in ways that separate you from your nature. ... What results is a society were you can trust no one and there is no ... the expense of others, then compassion for others and respect ...
    (sci.space.policy)