I wonder if Dawkins has never written a word on God, if most people throughout history have also not believed in God. Can Dawkins can be faulted for anthropomorphism to this degree, to the point where he's not even referring to God? He's not obviously more guilty of this than your average poster or person in the pew, so targeting him is inappropriate.
Not to mention if the real God is more like what Dawkins imagines rather than what Hart believes in, then Hart might be the one not writing about God.
During prehistory and early history, the original purpose of storytelling was to 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 (the 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒏 of stories) about the world, but shortly thereafter, philosophy and literature separated, culminating in Iris Murdock’s astute observation that whereas literature mystifies, philosophy clarifies.
My own grad-school research confirmed that whereas academic philosophers struggle toward scientific rigor, literati mistake obscurity for profundity, embrace melancholia, and are mere Romantic posers. While in grad-school, I ran into Derrida’s challenge to philosophers to articulate “the pedestal of signification,” the foundation of meaning.
Hi Alex, I recently heard you speak about the missing shade of blue thing and it reminded me of a few studies I think you'd find fascinating. These studies essentially suggest that differences in mental representation (specifically language in these cases) can literally alter subjective phenomenological experience.
I havent read any specific papers but the Guugu Yimithirr tribe 'cardinal directions' is also fascinating. It's as though they have unlocked powers that we cant comprehend (I dont even know left from right) just by a difference in their development of language.
I'm a neuroscientist so of course philosophy of the mind is my mortal friend, but I remember initially being struck by these specifically because of the phenomenological differences observed between societies.
Philosophy is cool and all but real life is kind of a thing. I wonder how many have read: "The Secret World Government Or The Hidden Hand" by Cherep-Spiridovich, Count...
David Bentley Hart on within reason when?? In all seriousness great list Alex 🫡
David Bentley Hart on Within Reason would be incredible.
Great list, mate. I recommend Mortal Questions to a lot of people.
It would be cool if you could get David Bentley Hart on a video!
Master and his emissary is a must read! Great list
enjoyed this one is well. Include that work in a reference in my own writing!
it should be referenced in everything, man!
The people I severely wish Alex would interview on his podcast: David Bentley Hart, Tim Mackie of the Bible Project, Gary Habermas, and N. T. Wright
Master and His Emissary has changed my life. Absolutely vital information and brilliantly described by McGilchrist.
Enjoyed it as well!
I wonder if Dawkins has never written a word on God, if most people throughout history have also not believed in God. Can Dawkins can be faulted for anthropomorphism to this degree, to the point where he's not even referring to God? He's not obviously more guilty of this than your average poster or person in the pew, so targeting him is inappropriate.
Not to mention if the real God is more like what Dawkins imagines rather than what Hart believes in, then Hart might be the one not writing about God.
Have you actually read either book, especially Hart’s. I say his especially because you seem rather negative about it
I read one of his books and it was good, yea
Loved Dale Allison’s book. Absolutely incredible.
Read about education on my page - https://open.substack.com/pub/callumcunliffe/p/education?r=6ngefk&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Ever read any Alan Watts?
Bangers as always.
𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲: 𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦-𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞
Fellow Lifelong Wisdom-Seekers,
During prehistory and early history, the original purpose of storytelling was to 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 (the 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒏 of stories) about the world, but shortly thereafter, philosophy and literature separated, culminating in Iris Murdock’s astute observation that whereas literature mystifies, philosophy clarifies.
My own grad-school research confirmed that whereas academic philosophers struggle toward scientific rigor, literati mistake obscurity for profundity, embrace melancholia, and are mere Romantic posers. While in grad-school, I ran into Derrida’s challenge to philosophers to articulate “the pedestal of signification,” the foundation of meaning.
Hence, my post-existentialist, post-deconstruction hybrid books combining original essays, philosophical stories, and their adaptations in order to advance humanity’s thinking discourse, strengthen humanity’s progressive impulses, and help our species mature into a spacefaring one (𝐻𝑜𝑚𝑜 𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑠, 𝑐𝑦𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠, or whatever term prevails): https://www.amazon.com/Trimurtis-Dance-Novel-Essay-Teleplay-John-Likides/dp/B0G2MZYSKK/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3lNyMETq1oa-gpHJY4CzEe0a2TkiWtyVkjDOrscRyBzKi4gw6if9X-ZyfhMiG9yLdKVWE4toD42jrE7Ci_SAse8fI89csF2UoVIn0KM5GaeS0Uv9Ug0PvUqJV-E5jZfz.Y4w0aao3OmuK4Pp9KZoHaJNAss1MBabDQdMpKvDVdEk&qid=1763483584&sr=8-1
JL
Brooklyn, NY
The Experience of God by David Bentley Hart changed how I interpret the word “God.”
I found it helpful as a guide to move away from the anthropomorphic old man in the sky concept to something more profound and mysterious.
I believe that book would help a lot of church goers who silently leave Sunday sermons with nothing to take away.
Hi Alex, I recently heard you speak about the missing shade of blue thing and it reminded me of a few studies I think you'd find fascinating. These studies essentially suggest that differences in mental representation (specifically language in these cases) can literally alter subjective phenomenological experience.
Here's some links on colour perception:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15893525/
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0701644104
I havent read any specific papers but the Guugu Yimithirr tribe 'cardinal directions' is also fascinating. It's as though they have unlocked powers that we cant comprehend (I dont even know left from right) just by a difference in their development of language.
I'm a neuroscientist so of course philosophy of the mind is my mortal friend, but I remember initially being struck by these specifically because of the phenomenological differences observed between societies.
Philosophy is cool and all but real life is kind of a thing. I wonder how many have read: "The Secret World Government Or The Hidden Hand" by Cherep-Spiridovich, Count...