Comments on: Take My October Class: Moral Reasoning from Theory to Practice (Applying Science and Philosophy in Everyday Life) https://www.richardcarrier.info/archives/6540 Announcing appearances, publications, and analysis of questions historical, philosophical, and political by author, philosopher, and historian Richard Carrier. Wed, 31 Jul 2019 17:35:15 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Tony! The Queer Shoop https://www.richardcarrier.info/archives/6540#comment-16656 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 06:53:30 +0000 http://freethoughtblogs.com/carrier/?p=6540#comment-16656 Richard:

Unlike religious moral systems, atheist moral systems are evidence- and science-based, incorporate logic and reason in an informed way, and attend to the factual realities of human life and emotion.

Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say that “atheist moral systems ought to be evidence-and science-based…” ?
I look over at the other side of the Great Rifts, and it seems like some of them have beliefs that don’t appear to be part of a moral system that is evidence-and science-based.

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By: Slimy Man https://www.richardcarrier.info/archives/6540#comment-16655 Thu, 02 Oct 2014 11:26:21 +0000 http://freethoughtblogs.com/carrier/?p=6540#comment-16655 In reply to Kublai Khan.

Not sure what your obsession with Sam Harris has to do with anything. Indeed, Harris’s views on the science of morality are relevant, and well researched. However, that does not mean that no one else is in a position to teach people about the topic. If you had even bothered to read Sense and Goodness Without God, you would see a few parallels between Carrier’s ideas and Harris’s ideas (it must be a miracle). I myself have argued with people with PhDs in nutritional science (a qualification I lack in that field) and refuted their claims, and such occurrences are not even remotely uncommon. A PhD is not an immunisation for error-making or bias. A PhD is also not a divine permission slip that allows people to comment on certain subjects. A PhD tells you that the person knows his stuff, and has experience in the field, but a lack of a PhD tells you nothing. Making such judgements is testimony to how willingly you will accept arguments from authority, and how unwilling you are to accept arguments that do not come from an authority. Test arguments for their merit. Come back when you have something more substantive.

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By: Richard Carrier https://www.richardcarrier.info/archives/6540#comment-16654 Thu, 18 Sep 2014 18:00:06 +0000 http://freethoughtblogs.com/carrier/?p=6540#comment-16654 In reply to Kublai Khan.

Because I have a Ph.D. in the history of science and philosophy. And I am a philosopher with peer reviewed articles in the field–and philosophers must study and discuss science all the time. It is a requirement of the job.

I don’t challenge anything Harris says about neuroscience, unless it is with the published work of other neuroscientists. That’s how philosophy of mind works.

That you don’t know that is what you should be ashamed of.

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By: Kublai Khan https://www.richardcarrier.info/archives/6540#comment-16653 Wed, 17 Sep 2014 21:49:34 +0000 http://freethoughtblogs.com/carrier/?p=6540#comment-16653 Let me stop you there mate; why are you, a verifiable scientific illiterate, teaching anything related to science? If anyone should be teaching about neuroscience and morality, it was Sam Harris PhD (neuroscience). You know fuck all about science, let alone neuroscience.

I still remember that post of yours trying to unite quantum mechanics and general relativity; the physics department on my end launched their sides into orbit when I shared it. On a scale of 1 to rage, how ashamed of that are you? I mean, if you were going to embarrass yourself like that, why not at least start strong with trying to unify special relativity and quantum mechanics? You’re a joke mate. I might sign up to grab whatever you have to say about the brain and morality and forward it to Sam Harris for kicks.

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