13th March 2012
“If I were granted omnipotence and millions of years to experiment in, I should not think Man much to boast of as the final result of all my efforts.”
Bertrand Russell1872 – 1970
“If I were granted omnipotence and millions of years to experiment in, I should not think Man much to boast of as the final result of all my efforts.”
Bertrand Russell1872 – 1970
March 13th, 2012 at 1:23
It is rather absurd to think that god’s creation is all that much given his much touted capacity. Given the eye, bladder, et cetera.
If you would say god wasn’t a biologist that he was an artist instead, you still haven’t explained the bad design. Too many people are just fugly.
If you say he wasn’t a biologist or an artist, or wasn’t good at either, then it begs the question: If all this works fine without a perfect god what would we need god for?
March 13th, 2012 at 3:37
sinjin……………….
i’ve read a lot of russell. one of my 2 degrees is in
philosophy……………… and i will tell you that as the
years have gone by , my opinions about , and
feelings toward the man have changed .
sure, the guy was a hotshot……..but i think that
in his OWN mind , he was a HUGE hotshot.
there’s lotsa stuff he wrote that was very snotty
and petty…….and , i might add, kinda over-rated.
that’s how this quote strikes me……….it comes off
as snotty.
now i agree with the general idea……..but i believe
that his REAL BITCH was with the centuries and centuries
of on-going human stupidity…………..generation after
generation of nitwits. but he used the observation
as kind of a limp zinger to take a poke at the
faithful.
to me , more than anythig else , the quote demonstrates
that at times , even a first rate thinker can be as shallow and
childish as those he feels he’s above .
March 13th, 2012 at 9:19
RJ,
I’m sure this quote might be seen that way to someone accustomed to discourses with proper philosophers. But in a common sense kind of way, for when dealing with theologians, isn’t the dismissive attitude in this quote just a bit justified?
March 13th, 2012 at 9:54
Ah but maybe we are in the celestial shed of half finished paint pots, broken bikes, garden tools and failed projects. Perhaps out there is the finished, perfect version.
March 13th, 2012 at 13:36
The artist speaks Scarlet? I suppose if the bar is set low enough anything is possible.
Dan I think I identify Russell as perhaps the shock jock of his day, or whatever that equivalent might be. R j I acknowledge the asnotty quality but I’m not sure how that is different than what Jon Stewart or Craig Colbert are doing today. Not suggesting Russell was a comedian, my reference is more to the “social commentator” that Stewart and Colbert are. Russell, and his many interviews, were provocative and as such probably needed some edginess to have much stick?
If I really step into apologizing for Russell m,aybe I might add that religionistas are forever making outlandish and arrogant comments. I don’t honestly believe Russell ever really came close to the stuff that passes for acceptable from too many religionistas to mention.
March 13th, 2012 at 13:39
I like it! Is it really that snotty? But then I’m only a humble earth scientist.
March 13th, 2012 at 14:34
scarlett……………. at 954
i like your post. here’s one of my own snotty
thoughts……………..
assuming the existence of an all-powerful god……
and assuming he creates humans……
perhaps he decides his creation (( read prototype ))
is actually flawed !!!!!
so…instead of quashing these creatures that, after all ,
he has blessed with LIFE , he decides to move them to a
far, far corner of the universe, and let them and their
little world flourish in infinite isolation. i think this sort of nicely
explains just why we are located such vast distances from
everything else !!!!
bu.t, then again, i’m just a snotty old cynic…….and
i might say ANYTHING !!!!!!
hing
else !!
.