Outside Reading #5

For research used in the writing of my paper, I read Daniel Dennett’s Darwin’s Dangerous Idea. Within the book, the philosopher argues that myth clouds the truth of things as they ultimately are; specifically, the myths of religion. By attempting to explain everything with science or otherwise empirical means, Dennett attempts to persuade the reader to cast aside myth and accept science as the true explainer of things. However, when Dennett argues this, he disagrees with the truth claims presented by myth yet provides no reason for doing so except for logic proofs against miracles and “proof” that a creator didn’t create the universe due to the cycle of genetics. Dennett doesn’t realize this, but he seems to misunderstand the nature of truth claims as presented by myth. The claims that myths assert, are not those of scientific authenticity or natural accuracy, but those which are true of an unmeasurable quality. Dennett’s assertion that empiricism trumps myth is wrong, ironically this is due to a misunderstanding of myth

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