Herman E. Daly
Religion
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The trend, up until recently I think, has been against religion. The science has undercut, particularly Darwinism has very much undercut traditional religion. I think that's likely to change, I think the whole Darwinian view, although there are many things about it of course that are quite legitimate. Well, put it this way, in the 19th century you had Marx, Freud and Darwin as the three big deterministic thinkers. I think Marx is pretty well dead, Freud is considered pseudo-science now, Darwin is still riding high. Everyone thinks Darwin is, but I think Darwin is the third determinist, which will eventually come under criticism. Not for the idea that human beings are kin to other species. No. I mean, we're all creatures, that's even consistent with Orthodox Christianity, if well understood. But, the idea among the Neo-Darwinists is that everything is the result of chance: random mutation, natural selection according to random changes in the environment. If everything is reducible to chance, then you've undercut the reason to do most anything. And I think some scientists have been very, very slow to understand the nihilistic implications of their theory at a broader social level. So I think that's going to come under attack and people are going to start thinking more clearly and critically about some of the scientific dogma that they've accepted too easily.
08.05.2007,
Neo-Darwinism neither implies nihilism nor contradicts religion. On the other hand, to the dismay of some who are religious, it also neither contradicts nihilism nor implies religion. Instead, it helps people to understand human and other animal behavior better, and even to justify living a moral life, without assuming the existence of any supernatural entities.
Roy Porter, 22.10.2008 02:51:05
I generally agree, except with Daly's opinion that Marx is out. I think that not too far down the road, we will realize that "communism" is probably the answer to an uncontrollable earth destructing capitalism. This "communism" will not be Marx's, but it will be difficult not to call it by the same name. Although as North Americans we could be inspired by our history and call this redeeming economical philosophy by the name "communitarism", which our North Americans Indians and other "primitive" peoples practiced.
Yves Petit, 09.02.2008 14:56:48
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Speaker
Herman E. Daly is an ecological economist and professor at the Maryland School of Public Affairs. Prior to his work at the Maryland School of Public Affairs, he worked at the World Bank, where he was Senior Economist in the Environment Department, helping to develop policy guidelines related to sustainable development. While there, he was engaged in environmental operations work in Latin America. He is co-founder and associate editor of the journal, Ecological Economics. His interest in economic development, population, resources, and environment has resulted in over a hundred articles as well as numerous books. His awards include the Grawemeyer Award for ideas for improving World Order, of the Honorary Right Livelihood Award, the Heineken Prize for Environmental Science from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Sophie Prize awarded by Norway.