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Quote by William Barrett

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The illusion of technique: a search for meaning in a technological civilization

This book delves into the complex relationship between technology and human existence, examining how technological progress shapes our lives and the quest for purpose in a world increasingly defined by technology. more

Author

William Barrett
William Barrett

William Barrett was an American poet, born on December 30, 1913, and died on September 8, 1992. Barrett is known for his unique poetic style and profound insights into modern life. more

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“ការបាត់បង់ទំនុកចិត្តពីអ្នកដទៃ វាពុំមែនជារឿងសំខាន់ពេកទេ ប៉ុន្តែការបាត់បង់ទំនុចចិត្តលើខ្លួនឯង វាគឺជារឿងសំខាន់ខ្លាំងណាស់ ប៉ុន្តែទំនុចចិត្តមួយវាមិនដែលកើតប្រាស់ចាកការពិចារណាប្រកបដោយហេតុផលនោះទេ”

ReasonConfidence
Author:Khem Veasna
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“Reluctance Out through the fields and the woods And over the walls I have wended; I have climbed the hills of view And looked at the world, and descended; I have come by the highway home, And lo, it is ended. The leaves are all dead on the ground, Save those that the oak is keeping To ravel them one by one And let them go scraping and creeping Out over the crusted snow, When others are sleeping. And the dead leaves lie huddled and still, No longer blown hither and thither; The last lone aster is gone; The flowers of the witch-hazel wither; The heart is still aching to seek, But the feet question 'Whither?' Ah, when to the heart of man Was it ever less than a treason To go with the drift of things, To yield with a grace to reason, And bow and accept the end Of a love or a season?”

LoveReasonPoetryNatureAutumn
Book:The poetry of Robert Frost
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“There is nothing in which mankind have been more unanimous [founding nations upon superstition]; yet nothing can be inferred from it more than this, that the multitude have always been credulous, and the few artful. The United States of America have exhibited, perhaps, the first example of governments erected on the simple principles of nature: and if men are now sufficiently enlightened to disabuse themselves of artifice, imposture, hypocrisy, and superstition, they will consider this event as an era in their history... [T]he detail of the formation of the American governments... may hereafter become an object of curiosity. It will never be pretended that any persons employed in that service had any interviews with the gods, or were in any degree under the inspiration of heaven... it will for ever be acknowledged that these governments were contrived merely by the use of reason and the senses... Thirteen governments thus founded on the natural authority of the people alone, without a pretence of miracle or mystery, which are destined to spread over the northern part of that whole quarter of the globe, are a great point gained in favour of the rights of mankind. [A Defence of the Constitutions of the United States of America, 1787]”

ReasonGovernmentAmericaNatureHistoryRightsMysteryMankindAuthorityEnlightenmentConstitutionFoundationSensesGodsSuperstitionRights Of ManFounding Father
Book:The Political Writings of John Adams
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“Reasonableness is a matter of degree. Beliefs can be very reasonable (Japan exists), fairly reasonable (quarks exist), not unreasonable (there's intelligent life on other planets) or downright unreasonable (fairies exist). There's a scale of reasonableness, if you like, with very reasonable beliefs near the top and deeply unreasonable ones towards the bottom. Notice a belief can be very high up the scale, yet still be open to some doubt. And even when a belief is low down, we can still acknowledge the remote possibility it might be true. How reasonable is the belief that God exists? Atheists typically think it very unreasonable. Very low on the scale. But most religious people say it is at least not unreasonable (have you ever met a Christian who said 'Hey, belief in God is no more reasonable than belief in fairies, but I believe it anyway!'?) They think their belief is at least halfway up the scale of reasonableness. Now, that their belief is downright unreasonable might, in fact, be established empirically. If it turned out that not only is there no good evidence of an all-powerful, all-good God, there's also overwhelming evidence against (from millions of years of unimaginable and pointless animal suffering, including several mass extinctions - to thousands of children being crushed to death or buried alive in Pakistan earthquake, etc. etc. etc.) then it could be empirically confirmed that there's no God. Would this constitute a 'proof' that there's no God? Depends what you mean by 'proof'. Personally I think these sorts of consideration do establish beyond any reasonable doubt that there is no all-powerful all-good God. So we can, in this sense, prove there's no God. Yet all the people quoted in my last blog say you cannot 'scientifically' prove or disprove God's existence. If they mean prove beyond any doubt they are right. But then hardly anything is provable in that sense, not even the non-existence of fairies.”

ReasonScienceSufferingExistenceDoubtAtheismEvidenceAtheistProofJapanBeliefsRationalityUnreasonableFairiesOmnipotenceEmpiricismProblem Of EvilAtheist ArgumentQuarksEmpiricalOmnibenevolence
Author:Stephen Law
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“Let's Look at Subjective Religious Experiences This Way: What if ten thousand people went up to a mountain top, saw something, and then they all disagreed with what they saw, even people who largely agreed with each other? Even with this best possible analogy to subjective religious experiences we would still have a reason to think the lack of oxygen caused them all to hallucinate.”

ReasonAtheismReligious ExperienceHallucinationOccam S RazorSubjective ExperienceAnecdotal EvidenceSubjective Religious Experience
Author:John W. Loftus
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