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An Expansionist View of Belief
The activities of engineers, doctors, scientific researchers and academics are motivated by an expansionist view of belief. They seek to explain the world more by making new observations, developing new technologies and elaborating new theories or explanations. Provided we can keep a social control on such activities they are to be welcomed. (for more discussion on this theme click here>)
There are however philosophies and practitioners of belief, particularly of a religious kind, that deliberately seek to impede the disciplined revision of ideas. These philosophies should either be avoided or be themselves revised for it is clear from history that even highly conservative belief systems evolve over time. Consider the views of someone who spans the scientific and religious domains, the Vatican astronomer Guy J. Consolmagno SJ. When speaking here in Glasgow he is reported to have said: "The belief that God created the universe in six days is an unfounded superstition that both discredits religious faith and demeans science " (click here for the source >).
The theologist Prof. David Fergusson, from the University of Edinburgh, has argued that religion like science evolves over time. Such views are to be welcomed in theologians. The conclusion that this makes them similar is however fallacious, for science is based on detailed observation and predictive tests and relies on economy of ideas and coherence of theories in a way that religion often seeks to evade. Nevertheless in the light of slow historical change even amongst reactionary organisations it is a pity that adherents to many religious and political systems dwell so much on the perceived 'truths' of the present.
On the Philosophy of Belief
www.onbelief.org
Scotland, 12th October 2007 and thereafter
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