Ready for a philosophical conversation

[Gooding]

Here's a philosophical question: I've seen some things here on this site that tells me that religion and nationality are often closely intertwined. How about this thought: one's family determines one's beliefs and that religions can be birthrights to an enormous degree?

[Gooding]

Bumpity, bump, bump.. like a lot of Scots being Presbyterian, or Irish being Catholics, or Estonians being Lutheran.. that sort of thing.

[Wadaad]

I recall hearing Sam Harris' name being touted everywhere, "oooh what an intellectual, what a mind! oooooo! read what he says about religion and faith, wow such insight!" etc

Then I heard him on a podcast 'debate' with some internet amateur historian nobody (Dan Carlin) and this guy and his ideas were NOTHING SPECIAL. I dont have to agree with something to acknowledge its brilliance, or veracity...but I was so underwhelmed by him it was actually weird. I suggest you guys look up the podcast Im referring to, it was done sometime in June last month.

[Gooding]

I recall hearing Sam Harris' name being touted everywhere, "oooh what an intellectual, what a mind! oooooo! read what he says about religion and faith, wow such insight!" etc

Then I heard him on a podcast 'debate' with some internet amateur historian nobody (Dan Carlin) and this guy and his ideas were NOTHING SPECIAL. I dont have to agree with something to acknowledge its brilliance, or veracity...but I was so underwhelmed by him it was actually weird. I suggest you guys look up the podcast Im referring to, it was done sometime in June last month.

I'll have to look this up. Thank you for referring this, Wadaad!

[Gooding]

I'm getting to the point where I think learning may have three levels to it: #1: The base foundation for learning is science. You learn about widely accepted theories such as biological evolution and cosmology. You learn that life springs from non- living sources and it doesn't come about all at once, but here and there, give and take, weaker specimens dying out and stronger ones surviving, adaptation to one's environment and all the ingredients mixed together just right for a viable biosphere, you learn of Creation and its essential physical unity. Science has some affirmation, but a lot more negation, as hypotheses are disproved.
#2: The second level is philosophy. This is how people seek to live in harmony with their environment and other people, while seeking peace in their own hearts and minds. This is the stage where we begin to consider ourselves part of a community. This is also where we begin to tie it all together in our own worldview. Learning is paramount and applying this knowledge takes a large priority.
#3: The third level ties it all together and puts it in a personally comprehensible context. Perhaps this is where one's religious expression, or faith, begins to kick in. Such faith as that of which I speak neither fears learning new things nor is bound by childhood theories. Knowledge is paramount and possibilities are considered ( as in science, but where science negates much and affirms little, faith affirms much and negates little). As the Universe is a composite whole, so we see the intricate functions of life and complex organisms being made from simpler ones and we start to reach for explanations which are offered by scientists and theologians throughout the world. That's when we begin to determine those things we will hold true and those things we will hold false. The poet and playwright William Shakespeare, well-renowned for making statements deep in theology and philosophy, once had a character say, " there are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt of in your philosophies." Who attains to all three levels of knowledge? I don't know. I just had the idea occur to me when I was on my walk today.