Re: [mukto-mona] Re: Scientists, Atheists, Fundamentalists

Thank you for your post. It comes down to the meaning of fundamentalist.  And interpretation is down to the individual. My interpretation of fundamentalist is: a point of view characterized by a by rigid adherence to beliefs. 

From where I sit, all people who pontificate fall into the same category. Dawkins has made his non belief into a religion. Were I to make any allowances for Dawkins' preaching simply because I agree with much of what he says, I would be doing non belief a disservice, in my view.

A.

On 15-Nov-08, at 1:23 AM, "M. Harun uz Zaman"  wrote:

I did not think or say that you labelled the rationalist philosophy as fundamentalist.  I said two things: that claiming or thinking one's views are right and competing views are wrong does not consitute fundamentalism, and that the alleged or actual obstinacy of some atheists is not completely symmetric to the dogmatism of religious fundamentalists, and therefore should not also labelled as fundamentalist.

 

With regard to the attitude of scorn and hubris that Dawkins, Harris and Hitchens harbor toward their philosophical adversaries, I am completely with you.  I myself find it highly disagreeable.  I would call it arrogant, over-zealous or even fanatic but not fundamentalist. 

 

BTW, I prefer not to use the terms rationalist, atheist and scientific interchangeably as have been used in this thread.  Finally, I am not sure Hitchens can be called rationalist in any sense of the term.  This former leftist parted ways with his comrades in the European Left because of what he felt was the "tepid reaction" of the Left to the "rising threat of Islamic extremism." Then, he joined the American neocons in cheering for the Iraq war.  The first part (parting with the European Left) can arguably be viewed as "rational" but it is unclear to me what kind of rational discursive process can lead one from that position to supporting the Iraq war. 

 

Best wishes.

 

M. Harun uz Zaman

 

 

Dr. Audrey Manning wrote:

 

"Please note that I did not label the rationalist philosophy as fundamentalist.

I said that people who hold out the rationalist philosophy (or any philosophy)

as absolute truth and ridicule other philosophies are fundamentalists.

Audrey

On 7-Nov-08, at 9:09 PM, M. Harun uz Zaman wrote:

 which clarified the fallacy of this
mislabelling of rationalist views as fundamentalist. "
 
 
 
 
 

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