> only now we have Paul Davies suggesting that the universe is predisposed to > the evolution of 'mind' - and Game Theory suggesting that co-operation and > community are the strongest survival strategies. Isn't that a further > development from Hume and Darwin?
The old adage is that "those who don't study history are bound to repeat it". I think this offers a note of caution regards arguments about "intelligent design". The theology of the 17th century found all sorts of indications of "purpose" in the material world. Usually this involved projecting human aspirations and rationalisations onto the material universe. The discovery of the microscope led to all sorts of meditations upon the purpose of the smaller things in life. Robert Hooke, encouraging greater use of the microscope, wrote that the more we use it, "the more we discover the imperfections of our senses, and the Omnipotency and Infinite perfections of the great Creatour" [sic]. His views were typical of many presented at the Boyle Lectures. However, the lengths to which people took such arguments revealed their shortcomings. For example, Pluche argued that the woodworm that ate holes in ships was intended to cement international relations through trade in ship's pitch. John Hutchinson declared that vermin were designed to prevent hoarding, and that body parasites were designed to induce cleanliness in humans. John Edwards argued that fleas were designed to bleed the poor and save them medical costs. Whereas Bernardin de Saint-Pierre argued that fleas were designed to provide a cause for employment for the poor who would clean for the rich. Thank God for the discovery of the telescope, in which the enormity of the universe was used to suggest that perhaps the "end" of the universe did not centre on humankind after all! Sorry, I can't quote from Paul Davies,' The Fifth Miracle, because I lent my copy to a parishioner! - Greg ------------------------------------------------------ - You are subscribed to the mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe, email [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put in the message body 'unsubscribe insights-l' (ell, not one (1)) See: http://nsw.uca.org.au/insights-l-information.htm ------------------------------------------------------
