Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id OAA17084 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 30 Apr 2002 14:17:24 +0100 Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 09:11:08 -0400 Subject: Re: future language Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed From: Wade Smith <wade_smith@harvard.edu> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In-Reply-To: <570E2BEE7BC5A34684EE5914FCFC368C10FC89@fillan.stir.ac.uk> Message-Id: <BC7CC742-5C3B-11D6-9DF0-003065A0F24C@harvard.edu> X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.481) Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
On Tuesday, April 30, 2002, at 08:38 , Vincent Campbell wrote:
> So they have unique
> languages, customs, beliefs blah, blah, blah, what utility is
> gained across
> that societal gap?
The unique thing about science, and facts, is that it is backed
up by the entire universe. Cultural myths and beliefs are not,
and therefore, as we become more a part of the universe and not
just our conceptions of it, these beliefs will fall like chaff,
suitable for volumes of fairy tale collections, which is, IMHO,
where they should always have been, not that I don't like fairy
tales, they just shouldn't be applied to a universe they are not
explaining to any real extent.
But the romance of cultural universes is real, as I love fairy
tales. The romance is what I would miss, if it were to go, and,
perhaps, that is what people are seeing as fading from the
landscape.
And yes, re: Santayana, the Taliban need their place in the
fairy gallery just as much as leprechauns and silkies do.
- Wade
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