(January 3, 2013 at 2:29 pm)cato123 Wrote:(January 3, 2013 at 2:16 pm)Brian37 Wrote: Having a verbal debate even heated, that's fine. We all tell each other we are full of shit and call it a day. But when you start destroying property or getting physically violent, that is where I draw the line.
I couldn't agree more, but surely you realize that this is a philosophic position, not a scientific claim.
Sorry Brian, I couldn't resist.
No, actually that is a very real scientific aspect of evolution. Cooperation vs violence are both part of evolution. So it is not "philosophy" it is an aspect of evolution which we can and do empirically observe. Violence is an observable act and so is cooperation, those are observable realities not mere claims. We see both all the time throughout the world on a daily basis.
Empirically we observe both violence and cooperation and we tend to value cooperation when we are protecting our own(that which we are familiar with, vs the tendency to react to the "out group" which leads to the destructive behavior these idiots did, which we also observe.
That is evolutionary fact, and evolution is a science, not a "philosophy".
Again, if you have not read, read "The God Delusion", and "The New Atheism" to understand that reality is better measured through scientific method and cannot be replaced nor should be replaced with mere "philosophy".
It is an evolutionary tendency that we do better when group together and avoid harm, our problem is that globally most humans do not have a good grasp on the fact that our behaviors as a species are part of the same range, both constructive and destructive, and slapping labels on what is clearly universal(evolution) with lables like "philosophy" and religion and politics is a archaic behavior because of our evolutionary tribalism.
Now, having said that, knowing that evolution is a range of both constructive and destructive behaviors it would also be delusional for any atheist to presume or assume that 7 billion people will eventually all be on the same page on all issues all the time.
But, knowing what evolution is can allow us a more positive priority shift away from labels towards the understanding that we are all part of the same evolution. Labels and clubs wont go away. But better understanding of human biology and human behavior as part of evolution, can help us bridge those differences.
