From: Jef Allbright (jef@jefallbright.net)
Date: Sun Jun 01 2003 - 18:22:21 MDT
Olga wrote:
>Jef wrote:
>>>> Some people who know better refer to "God" because they understand
>>>> the political importance of this in gaining wide support for their
>>>> plans and goals. The use of metaphor can be an effective tool for
>>>> connecting with people who don't yet have the background knowledge
>>>> to appreciate the bigger picture, and can be used with integrity in
such cases.
>
> While some people who refer to "god" may use it as a metaphor, it is
> taken by the religiously-inclined as yet more proof that another -
> VIP, scientist, or who-have-you - is in *their* camp. (Abacadabra!
> Yet another god-of-the-gaps turns into god-by-default!) Perception
> may not be everything, but it goes a long, long way.
>
> If I understand you correctly, you're saying that sometimes to be
> intellectually dishonest for the greater good is in itself a good.
I'm pretty sure he wasn't making an intellectual statement. I think he was
using a common idiom that expresses gratitude and humility at finding
himself in such a special situation and helps establish rapport with his
audience. In the US, exceptionally bright children are generally referred
to as "gifted" (implying a giver?), so perhaps we are accustomed to hearing
it that way and it doesn't carry the same connotations as it does to you.
When I was about seven or eight, I began to think about the many logical
inconsistencies in popular religious thinking and spent the next several
years trying to enlighten others by showing them where they were Wrong. To
my frequent surprise and consternation, there was no apparent benefit from
these efforts. I didn't change anyone's mind, and oddly, they seemed less
interested in discussing *anything* with me after I tried to help them see
the light. Over the years I went through various phases of
(mis)understanding the situation, all having to do with the way I thought
things should be, and how if only other people would see it correctly, we
could make wonderful progress scientifically improving the human situation.
Somewhere between then and now, my viewpoint has broadened. I still
devoutly believe in the power of scientific thought and methods and I'm
highly motivated to spread the word of the power of Rational Thinking as
widely as possible. However, my experience has been that for most effective
transfer of ideas, we must first establish some ideas in common and then
work together on refining differences in terms of common goals. Also, I
became aware that some intelligent and rational people occasionally use the
term "god" as a metaphor for some undefined higher power or the laws of
physics (known and not yet known) with respect to which they genuinely feel
humble.
I agree with you about the metaphorical term being an enabler of false or
fuzzy thinking, and I would seldom, if ever, use the term this way,
especially among extropians, unless for poetic, or other evocotive or
connotative purpose. Regarding your point that metaphorical use can be seen
as a "vote" for the other side of this war of beliefs, I suppose you're
right, but when I weigh this against all the other areas that could be
addressed to help educate people to rational thinking, this just doesn't
seem worth fighting over.
To me, "seeing the bigger picture" means recognizing that, especially when
dealing with people, the problem is often multidimensional, and the path to
a long term solution is rarely a linear extrapolation of what appears to be
the immediate solution.
- Jef
> At best, this is disingenuous. At worst, the metaphorer becomes an
> "enabler" (to use the parlance of the new psychobabble). Maybe
> that's one of the reasons United States denizens are far behind in
> intellectual maturity when it comes to confronting the material world
> - they're intellectually lazy due to the mollycoddling that's been
> done by those-who-know-better but insist on acting paternalistically.
> We have groups like the Boy Scouts who outrightly discriminate
> against gays and nontheists. We have a Christian fundamentalist
> president. We have an attorney general who practices speaking in
> tongues. Is this not - at the very least - like, embarrasing?
>
> Okay, whoever is responsible for bringing the "bigger picture" into
> focus ... step on it! (please)
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