If the universe were just electrons and selfish genes, meaningless tragedies ... are exactly what we should expect, along with equally meaningless good fortune. Such a universe would be neither evil nor good in intention ... The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil and no good, nothing but blind pitiless indifference.
Interpretation
This quote suggests that the universe is indifferent, lacking inherent meaning, good, or evil.
In this quote, Richard Dawkins articulates a view of the universe that posits a fundamentally indifferent existence, arguing that if everything were merely a product of blind forces like electrons and genes, life’s tragedies and fortunes would be devoid of deeper significance. This perspective challenges traditional notions of morality and purpose, asserting that the universe operates without intention, resulting in an existence that is indifferent to human concerns.
In practice
In a philosophy class discussion about existentialism.
No educated person believes the Adam and Eve myth nowadays, but it's surprising how many parents think that it's somehow fun to pass on this falsehood to their children...I would want to argue that the truth of evolution is more interesting and more poetic
If the history-deniers who doubt the fact of evolution are ignorant of biology, those who think the world began less than ten thousand years ago are worst than ignorant, they are the deluded to the point of perversity.
The population of the U.S. is nearly 300 million, including many of the best educated, most talented, most resourceful, humane people on earth. By almost any measure of civilised attainment, from Nobel prize-counts on down, the U.S. leads the world by miles.
When you make machines that are capable of obeying instructions slavishly, and among those instructions are 'duplicate me' instructions, then of course the system is wide open to exploitation by parasites.
Even if not a single fossil has ever been found, the evidence from surviving animals would still overwhelmingly force the conclusion that Darwin was right.
The bitter hatreds that now poison Middle Eastern politics are rooted in the real or perceived wrong of the setting up of a Jewish State in an Islamic region. In view of all that the Jews had been through, it must have seemed a fair and humane solution. Probably deep familiarity with the Old Testament had given the European and American decision-makers some sort of idea that this really was the historic homeland of the Jews.
Bad men cannot make good citizens. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience are incompatible with freedom.
Fine words are traded. Noble deeds gain respect. But people who are not good, why abandon them?
He who desires to worship God must harbor no childish illusions about the matter but bravely renounce his liberty and humanity.
How do you know that you are not part of a book? That someone's not reading your story right now?
Let no Christian therefore, whether philosopher or theologian, embrace eagerly and lightly whatever novelty happens to be thought up from day to day, but rather let him weigh it with painstaking care and a balanced judgment, lest he lose or corrupt the truth he already has, with grave danger and damage to his faith.
An honorable man or woman is one who is truthful; free from deceit; above cheating, lying, stealing, or any form of deception. An honorable man or woman is one who learns early that one cannot do wrong and feel right. A man's character is judged on how he keeps his word and his agreements.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.