This was not a “scientific” rebuttal to Rick Warren, though it was definitely secular. It was rather the attempt at a rebuttal by someone who would call himself a scientist. There was nothing scientific about the rebuttal; only an offended philosopher trying to say his worldview was legitimate while religious worldviews, Christianity specifically, were not. A major critique that Dan Dennett has with Christianity is their religious charge to teach their message to everyone. He cited that as highly problematic and troublesome. My question to Dan is that if he is so troubled about Christians being motivated to teach their worldview to others, why is he OK with the fact that he is preaching his worldview at TED to, potentially, a worldwide audience? I deeply dislike hypocrisy. I want to hear his opinions, but when they include the grand-scale exclusion of other worldviews from the stage of sharing, I think that he automatically disqualifies himself from having the opportunity to share his worldview. In other words, he should live by the same rules he requires of everyone else. Last time I checked, the Christians that I know, and those that I know that hold other religious worldviews/philosophies, do not “preach” that those who hold worldviews different from their own should not be allowed to share their worldview. Why is a philosophy or a worldview, such as that espoused by Dan Dennett, taking seriously in any regard when his worldview includes silencing those that he does not agree with? I believe in the open arena of ideas. I’ll accept truth where ever I can find it.
About Taylor Halverson
Taylor Halverson is an aspiring master learner who loves people, laughter, telling stories, and learning.