I have for long given credit for my continued existence, as one of the 'Xian
Faithful', to the Jesuit philosopher/scientist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin,
whom I discovered in 1962, about five years after his works began to be
published.
When a friend now lends me his copy of Dawkins' THE GOD DELUSION, (as is my
habitual impulse)I check its Index---for 'Teilhard' ;
'Dear Dawkins the KillJoy' is predictably there---with his quote from Peter
Medawar's vicious review of THE PHENOMENON OF MAN: "Its author can be
excused of dishonesty only on the grounds that before deceiving others he
has taken great pains to deceive himself".
Well, Dawkins would have to go further afield than that to convince me that
Tielhard was taking pains to 'deceive himself'---or anyone else, including
me.
For the nonce will seek relief in a cute story told to me a long time ago
about 'philosophical skepticism'. Two eminent scholars are going through the
Oxford English countryside on the train. One points to a large flock of
newly shorn sheep, grazing contentedly in their pasture. One gestures
towards the window: "Isn't it beautiful; just shorn, and no doubt so
serenely happy there"!
"Y-e-e-s", replies his Skeptic Colleague; "Just shorn---ON ONE SIDE AT
LEAST".
