Re: BHA: Book notice: Creaven, Marxism and Ralism

[Mervyn Hartwig <mh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Andy:

'Dogmatism', in the pejorative sense in which I used the word, is the
arrogant and chauvinistic assertion of a position, in particular where
(as in this case) it goes beyond its own criteria of warranted
assertability - 'firm scientific knowledge (albeit provisional and
incomplete)'. Modern 'scientific knowledge' especially in the quantum
physics area is highly ambivalent about the nature of 'rock bottom'
reality currently for it - and who knows what lies beyond that? The
doctrinaire tone simply does not seem warranted by the arguments Sean
put forward. The arguments forget about the 'provisional and incomplete'
and proceed as if everything were 'firm'.

Please keep the issue in perspective. As I explained, I wrote the piece
for the marxism list and dwelt on the issue of materalism and atheism at
greater length than I otherwise would have done because it was being
vigorously discussed on that list. I actually think very highly of
Sean's book in many other respects and said so.

Ultimately, my concern is a tactical and strategic one: why risk
offending and alienating progressive religious people given that we do
not and cannot know (so I argue) scientifically the ultimate nature of
reality? It is one thing to have an opinion on such issues, it is
another to assert it as a matter of fact in a scientific treatise.

It's high time in my view that militantly atheistic Marxist and Leninist
groups rethought their line on such matters.

Mervyn



Andrew Brown <Andrew@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes
>Hi Mervyn,
>
>Very briefly:
>Your accusation that Creaven is 'purely dogmatic' etc. re God
>seems unfortunate and ill considered to me. You in fact go on to
>contradict yourself by going on to consider the *arguments*
>Creaven makes for his position. Dogmatists don't make arguments
>they make dogmatic assertions. You disagree with the argument:
>fair enough. But obviously mere disagreement doesn't justify
>labelling those with whom you disagree 'dogmatists'. (A term I
>particularly dislike for some reason).
>
>Best wishes,
>Andy
>
>
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Mervyn Hartwig
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Email: mh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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