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Sep 26, 2005 Dov, in biologicalEvolution forum.
Re "American Comparative Religion syllabus" case, http://randomfilm.com/comp_religion/index.html and the claim that a biology class session = a religous study session:
Again and again:
There is no more sense in "science=religion" than in "horse=chair both being four-legged".
Science is a three-legged discipline/regime/tool for discerning patterns/rules; some persons (including me) apply it, via scientism, to everything around them and to everything that come their way.
Religion may also be a three-legged dicipline/regime/tool for those who apply it for several purposes such as survival of some human phenotypes, but it certainly could neither bring us the practical fruits that science brings us via its progeny, technology, nor could it ever enrich our comprehension of the universe and of ourselves as science does.
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Feb 14 2007
Religion Is ISE, Inflated Self Esteem
(1) The totality of life in Earth's biosphere ((the outermost part of the planet's shell — including air, land, surface rocks and water — within which life occurs, and which biotic processes in turn alter or transform. Wikipedia.)) is a grand temporary store of energy, where all forms of Earth life are elaborate temporary energy storage capsules/containers and all base genetic materials as "Life quanta".
Earth's biomass is one example of a mode-constellation of temporary constraint of since-big-bang ongoing cosmic energy dilution. Other such mode-constellations are black holes of various sizes.
(2)
Culture is a biological entity. It is an entity displayed by ALL organisms, from mono-celled to most complex multi-celled.
It is an elaboration/extension of the cell's manipulation of beyond its outer membrane. It has been selected for survival of the genome by means of manipulating/adjusting the cell's outer circumstances, in addition and subsequent to the cell's outer membrane which was selected for survival much earlier for controlling the inner cell's circumstances.
(3)
Humans are a random/stochastic Earth Life evolution product. Our culture has been evolving at an accelerated rate since our forefathers adapted from life in semi-or tropical forest circumstances to life on plains. As changed living posture and circumstances led to modified perceptive/adaptive capabilities and eventually to language communication humans have gradually replaced adaptation to changed circumstances with self-evolving cultures/civilizations for control and modification of circumstances. This is essentially similar to Life's earlier "celling" evolution, but with culture functioning for humans for change/control of circumstances in lieu of RNA and protein toolings that function for in-cell genomes for adapting their cell's physiology to changing circumstances.
Cultural aspects, all cultural aspects, function for individual humans and for human communities of all sizes and phenotypes (distinct ethnic/national/cultural communities) in the same manner and for the same ends as biological systems function in cells. This is plainly in accord with the fractal nature of Earth Life.
(4)
Humans display a different approach to the scientific study of the nature of life than to the study of anything else. This is most probably due to an aversion to accept the dismaying realization that we are, after all, just one of the many life forms on Earth (or in our galaxy or in the universe?).
A most essential, and uniquely human, ingrained/inherent need, is an inflated degree of self-esteem. The survival and bearable existence of human individuals and communities of any size is anchored in and established on a foundation of Self-Esteem Culture which is neatly a complete creation of humans.
The ISE phenomenon, Religion, has been traced back circa 100,000 years ago, pronounced in the form of human graves.
Unbelievably even and still now, in spite of the scientific comprehension amassed todate, there are so many humans clinging to the basic human instinct that attributes to humans, religiously,
"higher universal value" than to other lives, to other forms of temporary energy bubbles/packages/constellations wherever they are…
(5)
Humanity is urgently becoming faced with the vital need to re-formulate its basis of culture, to anchor and build our life edifice on a science-informed rationale of convincing moral/ethical/social values.
end.
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