(September 18, 2016 at 7:07 pm)Arkilogue Wrote:

(September 18, 2016 at 1:36 am)The Gentleman Bastard Wrote: If someone says science can't explain everything what's the best way to respond?

Remind them that science has provided more answers in the last 100 years than religion ever has, or ever will.

According to the Latin root word for religion "re ligare" (to bring together, to bind, to unify), science is the most successful religion since the dawn of history. What else has actually connected humankind together more?

A shared language helps unite people more than any religion, plenty of people can share the same faith like Mexican Vs American Catholics and still see the others as aliens. Its has worked as far back as the scattered Greek Polis uniting up against the Persian Monarchy.

According to the Latin root word for religion, apple sauce is the most successful religion. So what stops people from regarding it as one?

Oh that's right; there are other defining characteristics:

Quote:2. Characteristics of Religion

These are the common characteristics or family traits of those members of the category or “family” of religion. Just as with family members not every member must have every trait but most have most of the traits. The more any human phenomena demonstrates these traits the more likely it is that it will be included into this category of social institutions known as religion.

Common Characteristics: (family traits)

• notion of a deity or absolute, that which is of ultimate concern and importance
  
  
• ideas on the nature of human beings
  
  
• the idea of divine providence, destiny, fate
  
  
• the idea and meaning of human history
  
  
• problem of evil explained
  
  
• description of the central problem of human life and suffering idea of an afterlife-life after death
  
  
• a concept of the world
  
  
• ideas of human community and ethics-a moral code
  

The more any phenomena displays the characteristics above, it is likely to be accepted as a religion. The fewer the features demonstrated, the less likely it will be termed a religion. It might be termed magic, or sorcery, cult or some other description but not as a full fledged religion.

Tie at least some of those into the religion of science - or apple sauce - and then we can talk.

Tell them religion can't explain anything.

"Well it certainly can't if it doesn't try."

The best way to respond would be to do the actions to I'm a little teapot.

I'd give the most honest and direct response:
"You're right, it can't. And....?"

(September 20, 2016 at 1:25 pm)LostLocke Wrote: I'd give the most honest and direct response:
"You're right, it can't. And....?"

And . . . stand by and watch them go into the Sophist Shuffle.

(September 20, 2016 at 2:17 pm)Crossless1 Wrote:

(September 20, 2016 at 1:25 pm)LostLocke Wrote: I'd give the most honest and direct response:
"You're right, it can't. And....?"

And . . . stand by and watch them go into the Sophist Shuffle.

I lived through the Bears' "Superbowl Shuffle" of 86. I can handle these other guys.

(September 19, 2016 at 7:41 am)SenpaiNoticeMeYouBlindShmuck Wrote:

(September 18, 2016 at 7:07 pm)Arkilogue Wrote: According to the Latin root word for religion "re ligare" (to bring together, to bind, to unify), science is the most successful religion since the dawn of history. What else has actually connected humankind together more?

A shared language helps unite people more than any religion, plenty of people can share the same faith like Mexican Vs American Catholics and still see the others as aliens. Its has worked as far back as the scattered Greek Polis uniting up against the Persian Monarchy.

Shared language is very important and the math of science goes a very long way to bridge across languages but what I'm talking about is shared vision, shared paradigm and shared works, the shared creation of man's world/civilization.

(September 20, 2016 at 3:56 pm)Arkilogue Wrote:

(September 19, 2016 at 7:41 am)SenpaiNoticeMeYouBlindShmuck Wrote: A shared language helps unite people more than any religion, plenty of people can share the same faith like Mexican Vs American Catholics and still see the others as aliens. Its has worked as far back as the scattered Greek Polis uniting up against the Persian Monarchy.

Shared language is very important and the math of science goes a very long way to bridge across languages but what I'm talking about is shared vision, shared paradigm and shared works, the shared creation of man's world/civilization.

I think language has a part in creating a shared paradigm. Focault described in Crime and Punish the idea that the language of a society itself both reflects and influences the beliefs of the culture that uses it. For example, in Gailege (Irish) a standard greeting is Dia duit, Dia Muire duit. "God to you, God and Mary to you". It's literally impossible without resorting to slang or informality to hold a conversation in Irish without referencing Catholicism. This both reflects the historical faith and beliefs of the Irish people as well as enforces religious idea since in the Gaeltach people are literally wishing God and Mary to you in every other exchange.

Language in a way actually restricts peoples thought, if you've read George Orwell's 1984 the reason "DoubleSpeak" was being introduced was the idea that if there were no words to describe rebellion, dissent or disagreement with the ruling party it would be difficult, if not impossible for people to communicate or even develop this ideas themselves if they had no words to describe them.

One of the reasons support for intersex and transgendered people might be more forthcoming in Scandanavia than elsewhere in Europe is because in Danish, Swedish etc there are plenty of gender neutral words one can use to refer to and describe a person; so the idea of neither a masculine or femenine word being suitable for some isn't alien and is more readily accepted. In other languages this isn't the case, people and things are male or female; there's no words to describe or support this notion of not being one or the other.

I think language is a lot more powerful in shaping thought than we realise, and why bilingualism is such an asset for academia. There's some ideas that are very hard to express in some languages, and as such a vocabulary can restrain and unconciously hold people to a certain pattern of thought.