[extropy-chat] Edge: Thank Goodness! By Daniel C. Dennett

[Ensel Sharon]

(FYI, I am agnostic on the subject of God / religion)


On Fri, 3 Nov 2006, nvitamore at austin.rr.com wrote:

> But isn't this awfully harsh? Surely it does the world no harm if those who
> can honestly do so pray for me! No, I'm not at all sure about that. For one
> thing, if they REALLY wanted to do something useful, they could devote
> their prayer time and energy to some pressing project that they CAN do
> something about. For another, we now have quite solid grounds (e.g., the
> recently released Benson study at Harvard) for believing that intercessory
> prayer simply doesn't work. Anybody whose practice shrugs off that research
> is subtly undermining respect for the very goodness I am thanking. If you
> insist on keeping the myth of the effectiveness of prayer alive, you owe
> the rest of us a justification in the face of the evidence. Pending such a


Wrong.  They owe you NOTHING.  If they wish to think about hooters girls
and sports cars, so be it.  If they want to direct their time and thought
energy to their hamster, so be it.  If they want to pray for your
well-being[1] (or perhaps for you to mind your own business), so be it.


> justification, I will excuse you for indulging in your tradition; I know
> how comforting tradition can be. But I want you to recognize that what you
> are doing is morally problematic at best."


Wrong.  No thought whatever is morally problematic.  The time, energy and
will that I expend are my own and require no justification - from me or
anyone else.

If Dennett is such a fucking genius, why doesn't he recognize the problem
of labeling things "thoughtcrime" ?  Further, how dare he suggest that I
do anything with my time and kilowatts, or dispose of my own property in
any way, other than exactly as i see fit ?  The notion that he would
impose upon others some kind of minimum acceptable level of function and
efficiency in their thoughts and actions is absurd.  If certain time,
energy and kilowatts belong to me, I will dissipate them in any way I see
fit, and as efficiently as I see fit.




[1] Or encourage others, possibly with non-scientific, non refutable
evidence to do the same.