Sunday, October 4, 2009

Quote of the Week, &c.

It seems to me that the idea of a personal God is an anthropological concept which I cannot take seriously. I feel also not able to imagine some will or goal outside the human sphere.
Albert Einstein

This is a really interesting quote, IMO. It highlights one of the typical flaws of religious argumentation ... even though Einstein is arguing against religion, I know. I mean, I agree with him. Obviously. :-) But it's interesting that even such a great thinker at least this once fell into this very typical trap - he can't imagine it, so it can't be real. That's something creotards will often claim as an argument against evolution - they don't understand it, they don't see how it's possible, so then it can't be real and/or valid. But of course a failure of human understanding proves nothing except that human understanding sometimes fails. Even if you're Albert Einstein. :-)

A rhetorical question: Why do some people feel the need to jump down the throat of anyone who disagrees with them, even if they disagree politely and without offensive language? And can doing so be blamed on supposedly having ADD?

But more importantly, it's Herman's birthday today! (Or hatching day, whatever. :-) Yay! My little critter is six years old today. Aw. My special little guy. :-) As a birthday treat, he's going to get his usual dinner. Hey, he only has the hindbrain, he doesn't understand about birthdays. He's also getting to star in a Youtube video on how to differentiate between the sexes in the Chinemys species. I'm uploading it now, it's just taking forever.

Here he is a couple of days ago getting out of the small travel cage after one of these incredibly boring treatments he's been having - the last one was yesterday, so fingers crossed. :-)

3 comments:

Paz said...

ITA, one of my pet hates the vocal minority, they always seem to get in the news and get on the papers.

Anonymous said...

Happy hatching day to Herman! And less importantly, you pose interesting questions :)

Leisha Camden said...

Well, I think so. :-) I don't mind the vocal minority in and of itself though, what I don't get is how many people react so aggressively and with such hostility right off the bat. I mean, if you say that you think A, and I reply that actually, IMO B, or maybe A+B, then for some people that in itself is enough to make them attack and be really aggressive and so on ... and of course ruining a potentially interesting and useful discussion. Providing of course that I was polite in my initial response to you. I don't understand why some people switch into aggressive mode at the drop of a hat like that. It would seem to work against their own interests so often. Weirdness. o_O