Tuesday, March 2, 2010

A very reasonable post from Pharyngula

Woo peddlers drive me crazy, and Deepak Chopra is a repeat offender. PZ Myers wrote a funny post, and this user comment balanced his humor with a sensible response.


A quick question for Deepak Chopra

Posted by: Antiochus Epiphanes Author Profile Page | March 2, 2010 12:22 PM

but I'd like to know what evidence can be shown against the position that if EVERYONE was honest and helpful that the world's problems wouldn't be solved!?

The world's problems don't all arise from dishonesty and selfishness. If everyone were honest and helpful, diseases would still exist, there would still be conflict between the needs humans have for food and water and our need to preserve biodiversity, we would still need to find ways to obtain energy more efficiently, we would still need to solve conflicts concerning humane animal use, blah, blah, blah.

Also, the argument that "spirituality" promotes honesty and kindness is taken as a given. I would challenge that notion. Further, "spirituality" provides no cure for ignorance, a serious problem.

Promoting knowledge and rationality would be much more effective at solving the problems of the world than honesty and kindness.