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My son the radical atheist

This chap at Atheist Tuesday says some flattering things about me...

No I am not working on a book explain why Pokemon is rubbish, I'm afraid.

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The Philosophy Files is going to cause a furor at my house. My (soon to be) 8 year old daughter just reviewed the portion of the chapter entitled "Should I Eat Meat" on amazon and insisted that I order the book. The only problem is that she was an avowed vegetarian from the age of 3 until we finally got her to start eating a bit of meat about 3 years later. Also, her dad's name is Erroll! Oh well, I think we are just about getting to the point where we feel that eating meat is morally indefensible.
Debunkey Monkey said…
Stephen wrote...
"No I am not working on a book explain why Pokemon is rubbish. I'm afraid. "

I hope that's because you think Pokemon is awesome (which it is).

What better idea for a game is there than doing biological field work on magical creatures who can eviscerate their opponents by sleeping on them.

Oh, how nothing is more satisfying than watching Jigglypuff sleep attack Falco.

Stupid Falco... always with the hot-shot attitude...

Wait, I take that back. Watching the Universe implode on itself from the sheer awesomeness of two Captain Falcons doing a "Falcon Punch" on each other at the same time might be more satisfying than watching a pokemon sleep on someone.

Hmm... I need to write a book about this.
Paul P. Mealing said…
You have every right to be chuffed Stephen. It furthers the argument that philosophy should be part of the academic curricular from Primay school onwards.

From this response, one could suggest that The Philosophy Files should be a school text, unless it is already (I don't live in the UK).

Regards, Paul.
Paul P. Mealing said…
Should be 'curriculum' or 'curricula'.

Regards, Paul.
Joe Otten said…
The kids and I like the Philosophy Files vol 1, but I think the chapter on vegetarianism could have addressed the predator problem.
Unknown said…
Philosophy is a must in any school, I am constantly suprised by my friends who don't understand the value of philosophy in the modern world. I think I should lend them some of Stephen Laws works.

The Philosophy Files allows me to show my children there is more than one way to look at the world. That you can examine ideas from different angles and you don't have to take eveything on face value.

It also teaches them how to present an idea, how to argue it through logically. Something which I could have done with at school, if I had maybe I would be less grumpy and ranty about stuff...
Paul P. Mealing said…
Hello Mr. Armageddon whose blog is closed.

I actually don’t mind too much if you believe all this. What I mind is your completely unconcealed smug belief that you are superior to everyone who doesn’t share your point of view. Doesn’t this constitute pride?

And I’m always amused by people who think they know the next life better than we know this one. Oh, and biblical prophecy. Yes, I read a book on that recently delineating all the prophecies of Jesus Christ. But prophecy of mythology is not prophecy I’m afraid. Events like the virgin birth, the ascension of Christ, which are crucial to your belief system are mythical events, along with the creation of Adam and Eve and the so-called fall of man, which is the critical mythical event that allows Jesus to become our unique saviour - without original sin, Christ would have no role. It’s hard to take seriously someone who makes no distinction between myth and reality.

So you maintain your pride and I’ll maintain mine. As for the afterlife, I quote Socrates: ‘Whether it be an endless sleep or the door to another world we don’t know.’ And I would add: we are not meant to know. How we live our life morally – that is in respect to how we treat others we meet - is far more important than how we live our life in regard to an imagined reward or punishment, because we fail to believe in a singular book, be it fiction or non-fiction, though, clearly, much of it is fiction. Mythology is fiction, at least in my world view. Mythology can contain profound truths, as any story can, but it doesn’t make the story itself true.

So you maintain your belief in God as the ultimate nemesis of all non-believers, who will punish them eternally in hell whether they’ve lived a good life or not. It is this specific view of God that makes me ask the question: what is the difference between God and Satan, if they’re both responsible for the ultimate act of torture?

Regards, Paul.
Unknown said…
Armageddon Thru To You - If you are a Christian and the Muslims are right, they will get eternal paradise and you will get eternal damnation. Does that make you want to convert to Islam? Do you believe in other things that probably are not true because you are afraid of the consequences? Your argument oozes cowardice.
anticant said…
ATTU's load of pompous patronising drivel makes me almost wish that the Believers are right about an after-life organised along Biblical lines, because people like this are in for a very nasty shock when they arrive there and find themselves consigned to eternal roasting in the nether regions instead of the golden crowns and harpfest they anticipate for themselves.

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