“A lot of religious belief - even the majority - involves making factual claims about the world which do come into conflict with science and history. For Christians, a test of this is the Empty Tomb. I ask Christians: 'are you saying that it does not matter - as a matter of fact - whether or not Christ's tomb was empty and that he was resurrected?' At that point, I find that, to a lot of them, it really does matter, despite all the fine talk about not wanting to confuse science and history with religion.” WorldChristianBeliefReligiousConflictEmptyMatter Of FactReligious BeliefFactual Author:Julian Baggini
“In the case of Donald Trump I think you've got to accept that a lot of what's going on in political discourse is based upon judgement. How the economy works - how people work - what will come to pass - what will not come to pass - what is possible - what is not possible. There is this whole modal dimension. There's a lot in politics that is making a judgement about what might be and can be and would be. Trump frightens a lot of people but there is a bizarre possible world in which it turns out as he's vindicated, though most of us think the evidence is against it.” PeopleThinkingWorldPoliticalAcceptingEconomyEvidenceJudgementBizarre Author:Julian Baggini
“I think that internet technologies are making everything so transparent. The arms race of deception and spin against the public trying to keep up with it - I think the forces of spin have to lose. In the corporate world people are finding this. Corporate social responsibility has been on the agenda for a very long time - and a lot of people say it's a kind of green-wash or white-wash - but because there's nowhere to hide anymore, people are coming around to the realization that the only way to be seen to be good is to be good. You can't fake it.” PeopleThinkingWorldTryingKindLongResponsibilityTechnologyInternetBe GoodRealizationDeceptionFakeSocial Responsibility Author:Julian Baggini
“Accepting that the world is full of uncertainty and ambiguity does not and should not stop people from being pretty sure about a lot of things.” PeopleWorldShouldDoeAcceptingUncertaintyAmbiguityBeing Pretty Author:Julian Baggini
“Since Plato, we have been considering the nature of knowledge, the meaning of meaning and the status of the physical world.” WorldHas BeensConsideringPlato Author:Julian Baggini
“If I hammer my own thumb while doing some DIY, it's not nice, but it's not the end of the world. To care obsessively about similar levels of discomfort in animals seems to be a case of mistaken moral priorities.” IfsWorldEndsSeemsCareMy OwnAnimalLevelsMoralCasesNicePrioritiesMistakenEnd Of The WorldHammersDiscomfortThumbsDiy Author:Julian Baggini
“The idea that there is a sharp boundary between our true, inner selves and the outside world is pervasive, but highly questionable. The boundaries of the self might well be more porous than we ordinarily think.” ThinkingWorldWellsIdeasSelfMightBoundariesInner SelfOutside WorldQuestionable Author:Julian Baggini
“The only good reason to embrace a philosophical position is that you are convinced it is true or at least makes sense of the world better than the alternatives.” WorldReasonPositionPhilosophicalEmbraceConvincedAlternativesMake Sense Author:Julian Baggini
“To become a stoic is to endorse the truthfulness of its world view and accept its prescription for how you ought to live, not just to like how it makes you feel.” WorldFeelsViewsAcceptingOughtPrescriptionsTruthfulnessWorld ViewStoic Author:Julian Baggini
“Whatever your religious persuasion, if you believe that the universe is governed by benign forces, at some point you have to explain why there is so much suffering, misfortune and misery in the world.” IfsWorldBelieveSufferingUniverseForceReligiousMiseryMisfortunesPersuasionIf You BelieveBenign Author:Julian Baggini
