Julian Cope presents Head Heritage | The Modern Antiquarian Forum

Jane

3024 posts

Re: Fed up with this lark...

Nov 02, 2005, 11:52

>'What they may have believed and what they 'knew' are two completely different things '

Me and Moth watched a programme on Monday night written and presented by the very brilliant Jonathan Miller. It was called 'A Brief History of Disbelief.'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/atheism.shtml
And it was absolutely fascinating. To a die-hard disbeliever like me it was truly refreshing to hear things said that I have always thought; about belief really being about power.

Miller spent some time explaining the difference between 'belief' and 'knowledge'...Moth thought too long! But I was fascinated by his thinking on it and in the light of this thread I'm glad he spent so long on it. Knowledge is proveable and based on the perceived authority of the person giving the knowledge. Belief requires a 'leap of faith', that is trust in the authority stating the claim.

Miller also went on to explain that the need to believe may be hard wired into humans, in much the same way that language development is.

Fascinating stuff. I recommend it heartily to both disbelievers like me and those who believe in whatever they might believe in.
See for yourself. Next Monday, BBC2 7pm.
J
xx

In reply to:
Fed up with this lark... (CianMcLiam)

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Re: Fed up with this lark... (StoneLifter)
Re: Fed up with this lark... (goffik)
Re: Fed up with this lark... (Rune)
Re: Fed up with this lark... (juamei)
Re: Fed up with this lark... (CianMcLiam)
Jonathan Miller's 'A brief history of disbeli... (Jane)

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