tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16355954.post1866593002545813929..comments2024-03-28T08:57:53.180+00:00Comments on Darwinian Conservatism by Larry Arnhart: Remi Brague on Divine Law & Common MoralityLarry Arnharthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14619785331100785170noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16355954.post-68950452780840124272009-09-16T15:11:51.971+01:002009-09-16T15:11:51.971+01:00Tony,
Darwin did not himself extend his evolution...Tony,<br /><br />Darwin did not himself extend his evolutionary reasoning to the origins of the cosmos. But in principle this could be done. A natural evolution of the cosmos seems to be what the Athenian Stranger attributed to the natural philosophers in book 10 of the LAWS.<br /><br />What I have in mind here is something like a "multiple universes" approach, in which universes are randomly generated and then selected. The basic idea is sketched out in Dan Dennett's DARWIN'S DANGEROUS IDEA, especially chap. 7. This is also suggested by Hume's Philo in the DIALOGUES.<br /><br />The concrete universe would be a contingent outcome of evolutionary history. The universe would create itself, perhaps not out of nothing but out of a formless chaos very close to nothing. This chaos itself would have to contain some kind of "timeless Platonic possibility of order," perhaps some mathematical pattern that is intelligible but not intelligent (as Dennett says).Larry Arnharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14619785331100785170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16355954.post-87026395246141077062009-09-16T10:17:32.541+01:002009-09-16T10:17:32.541+01:00'Although Strauss does not draw this conclusio...'Although Strauss does not draw this conclusion, I would say that Darwinian science completes the Greek philosophic substitution of "natural order" or "natural morality" for "divine law" by providing a natural explanation for how the order of the cosmos could arise by natural evolution, within which human morality could arise as an expression of evolved human nature.'<br /><br />Did you really mean to say that the "order of the cosmos" could arise by "natural evolution"? I think it's the first time I've heard you make such a claim. I'm stumped as to how this could happen. Wouldn't there need to be some preexisting natural order within which evolution would work and some preexisting substance upon which it works?<br />Or are you suggesting that kosmos can simply arise from chaos?Tony Bartlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13470869510360459222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16355954.post-92011399626387929992009-09-15T22:32:16.038+01:002009-09-15T22:32:16.038+01:00I fail to see how an act done for the sake of the ...I fail to see how an act done for the sake of the beautiful is "fundamentally selfish"? Rand can keep her selfish orientation, but don't deny the role of the beautiful in Aristotle's ethics. And certainly don't confuse Rand with the Philosopher. All real men are not Randians.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16355954.post-65363331257114413622009-09-14T22:00:15.274+01:002009-09-14T22:00:15.274+01:00Morality derived from human nature (and thus from ...Morality derived from human nature (and thus from Darwin's sociobiology) differs from divine law as expressed in the New Testament in significant ways.<br /><br />Aristotlean and Randian morality are based on human nature, and are fundamentally selfish. We commit ourselves to conduct that will enable us to get along with others because humans are a social and political animal, we need to cooperate with others to achieve our goals. Thus one should return good for good and <i>evil for evil</i> One should do good for one's kin, and forgive them their sins, and good for one's friends, but not be nearly so forgiving of their sins. All men are <em>not</em> brothers. One should not harm other people without compelling and urgent reason, but the standard of what constitutes compelling and urgent reason is considerably greater for neighbors than it is for distant strangers. All men are <em>not</em> Hebrews.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com