Ethically wrong to recommend Dawkins to someone with a naive/idealist worldview?

[Darius871]

Originally posted by Elok
Never read Dawkins so I can't comment, but I agree you're being obnoxious.

[Straybow]

Originally posted by DaShi
They are hardly neutral. They suck away critical thinking from people who embrace them too easily.

YAEB: Yet Another Evolutionist Blowhard
There is no objective measure, but I think Dawkins has ecclipsed Goulde.

[Bkeela]

I would rather awaken before dawn and appreciate that I still have a few hours yet to rest, than be woken by my alarm clock and have no time to think.

The truth will set you free.

[chequita guevara]

I'd be willing to let the religionistas be happy in their own little delusions if they would stop flying planes into buildings and otherwise murdering people.

[Elok]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
I'd be willing to let the religionistas be happy in their own little delusions if they would stop flying planes into buildings and otherwise murdering people.

And I'd be happy to let you commies blither on about your crackpot social theories if you didn't keep running over pro-democracy protesters with tanks. I guess we both lose.

[Kuciwalker]

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by Elok

Hmm, how did I know this thread would mention the Obvious Superiority of Hindu Culture over "The West?" Maybe I'm psychic...or have the ability to infer from past events.

I was trying to illustrate a general point with a specific example.

Anybody who has a solid amount of time and energy and thought invested in all this won't really be affected. This is true irrespective of whether you're Indic or not. But I used an example I was familiar with.

Originally posted by Elok

Never read Dawkins so I can't comment, but I agree you're being obnoxious. Still. And I wouldn't worry about the ethics; your arguments have never yet thrown me into an existential or spiritual crisis. Or anything like one.

I know it sounds obnoxious, but that doesn't change the fact that it's still a risk.

[DaShi]

I think that whoever let Aneeshm read those books is unethical.

[Blake]

Is their delusion causing harm or standing in the way of enlightenment?

I can't see the harm, if you're also willing to point them in the direction of "enlightenment".

Like... don't shatter their worldview and just leave them to sweat it out.

I would guess they'd be seeking lots of new answers, and that'd be the time to point them in the direction of a philosophy which actually has answers rather than just dogma. It could be a good oppurtunity for personal growth.

I can see nothing inherently ethically wrong with the proposal, but there are right ways and wrong ways and right motivations and wrong motivations...

[Jon Miller]

Aneesh, is it ethically wrong for you to post here? Since you could shatter our view of the world with the enlightenment of indic thought.

JM

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
Aneesh, is it ethically wrong for you to post here? Since you could shatter our view of the world with the enlightenment of indic thought.

JM

I don't understand this, whatever it is.

[BeBMan]

Re: Ethically wrong to recommend Dawkins to someone with a naive/idealist worldview?

Originally posted by aneeshm

I am no idealist, and I have no overarching ideology, as such. However, I've noticed that many people of my age (19 or 20) are idealists, and they actually believe in things like the triumph of good over evil, and in noble causes, and stuff like that.

You seem to believe a lot of similar things about India (that's just an observation, not to qualify such beliefs)

[Meticulous Man]

Imagine that you are in a position where you don't know whether you are an informed person whose worldview won't be shattered by acquaintance with Dawkins' works or a "naïve idealist believing in the victory of good over evil". A randomization follows. You have a 50 percent chance of finding yourself as being the informed person and a 50 percent chance of being the naïve idealist. Do you choose to acquaint the naïve idealist with Dawkins?

[aneeshm]

A brilliant way of clarifying it.

Yes, I would.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by aneeshm


I don't understand this, whatever it is.

It's sarcasm.