(November 6, 2012 at 11:40 am)John V Wrote:Quote:9. Believe that primitive savages have more knowledge about the world then we do now.More knowledge? No. I don’t look down on them the way many atheists do, though. We’re standing on their shoulders. I believe they were probably smarter on average than we are.
I don't care about what you believe about the other points, but this reply of yours...
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/knowledge?s=t Wrote:knowl·edge [nol-ij]
noun
1. acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition: knowledge of many things.
2. familiarity or conversance, as with a particular subject or branch of learning: A knowledge of accounting was necessary for the job.
3. acquaintance or familiarity gained by sight, experience, or report: a knowledge of human nature.
4. the fact or state of knowing; the perception of fact or truth; clear and certain mental apprehension.
5. awareness, as of a fact or circumstance: He had knowledge of her good fortune.
This is how normal people define knowledge.
If you tell me that an individual in the "information age" such as you or me know less than someone from 3 thousand years ago, living in the desert, then something is wrong with your concept of knowledge.
Of course, they would know how to survive there, with the tools available... We have no such experience, so we'd require some time to learn it. But that's it.
About anything else, we know much more than they knew.