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Friday, April 13, 2012

We Are Not So Smart

We Homo sapiens often like to champion ourselves as the most intelligent species. In fact by all known metrics of intelligence, we are. However as whole, our species doesn't act intelligent. Take Creationism for example. It is a sad indictment of the intelligence of our species when educated people who in other aspects of life are 'smart', yet still manage to accept something so vapid, so devoid of truth of which all evidence points to the contrary as true. This phenomena itself is clearly evidence of evolution. No intelligent creator would craft a brain that so easily deludes itself into believing things as stupid as creationism.

This doesn't mean I think all creationists are stupid though, they simply have a faulty brain. We all do. I once was a creationist because I was led to believe it as a child by adults who didn't know any better. When I learned more about it I rejected it, but for a number of years, I looked at the evidence and rejected it, opting instead for a position of faith. Some people may never end up giving up cretinous beliefs and it is sad to realise this. Humanity is not as smart as we delude ourselves to believe. Sometimes, some people are smart at some things, but in general, we are not so smart.

6 comments:

  1. To some degree you have to be smart to believe in crap. It takes mental gymnastics to rationalize around evidence. Humans are stubborn, that's for sure.

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  2. Here's me wee latest, "Jesus Christ AntiChrist."
    http://youtu.be/dLGJXo8gshg

    SOGS,
    Tor

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  3. Yeh mate, its pretty much direct evidence of evolution. Humanity developed religion to try and better understand the universe. It was the first attempt at science.

    Fortunately, we now have better methods of discerning truth, but religion is a well entrenched concept. And when people are challenged on a long held belief, they usually dig their heels in harder, even if they are presented with absolute evidence that their belief is wrong.

    These are all left over parts of our brain developing ways of figuring stuff out, and surviving in harsher periods. The person who says that he knows the real reason why something is the way it is, will have power over others, because he can claim that his knowledge is better. And you can't let the other person say you're wrong - even if you really know deep down you are wrong - because that would be admitting you are not more knowledgable, and would reduce your standing in the tribe etc. And you improved standing equates to being more likely to pass on genetic information, the big important part of your life, and by extension, evolution.

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    Replies
    1. There is a fantastic quote from Emile Durkheim along the lines of "If philosophy and the sciences were born of religion, it is because religion began by taking the place of the sciences and philosophy."

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. A young-earther because Scripture affirms it, so I believe it and that settles it - and I don't give a rat's what the skeptics think about it. This bayoch won't be moved - thank You Lord Jesus.

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