“It is natural
to give a clear view of the world
after accepting the idea
that it must be clear.”
-Albert Camus
“The great enemy of the truth
is very often not the lie –
deliberate, contrived & dishonest,
but the myth,
persistent, persuasive, & unrealistic.
Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion
without the discomfort of thought.”
-John F. Kennedy
“If a man is offered a fact
which goes against his instincts,
he will scrutinize it closely,
and unless the evidence is overwhelming,
he will refuse to believe it.
If, on the other hand,
he is offered something
which affords a reason
for acting in accordance
to his instincts,
he will accept it
even on the slightest evidence.
The origin of myths
is explained in this way.”
- Bertrand Russell
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“At the core of all well-founded belief, lies belief that is unfounded” -- Ludwig Wittgenstein
ReplyDeleteI can't get enough Bertrard Russel,
ReplyDelete"What the world needs is not dogma
but an attitude of scientific inquiry
combined with a belief
that the torture of millions is not desirable, whether inflicted by Stalin
or by a Deity
imagined in the likeness of the believer."
He cuts to the core of our debate. Though his reasoning is very different. When we discuss Immortality, we discuss our relationship with the universe, and in many cases our Gods.
It is a strange thing that we should believe
malice is so much a part of the agenda
of that which we deem the ruling force
of our own being.