Theism or Atheism: The Great Alternative — John Shaqi
Theism or Atheism: The Great AlternativeCohen, Chapman
Religion
Theism or Atheism: The Great Alternative
Cohen, Chapman
Atheism; Theism
But this does not deny the existence of differences between these groups
of phenomena; neither does it assert that we can describe the
characteristic features of one group in terms that belong to another
group. Once a group of phenomena, biological, or chemical is there, we
must have special formulae to describe them, otherwise there would be no
need for these divisions. It is admitted that the earth was at one time
destitute of life; it is also admitted that there are forms of life
destitute of those features which we call mind. And, whatever be their
mode of origin, once introduced they must be dealt with in special
terms. Psychological facts must be expressed in terms of psychology,
biological facts in terms of biology, and chemical facts in terms of
chemistry. You may give the chemical and physical equivalent of a
sunset. That is one aspect. You may also give the psychological
explanation of the emotion of man on beholding it. That is another
aspect. But you cannot express the psychological fact in terms of
chemistry because it belongs to quite another category. A psychological
fact, as such, is ultimate. So is a chemical or a biological fact. If by
analysis you reduce the psychological fact to its chemical and
biological equivalents, its character as a psychological fact is
destroyed. That is the product of the synthesis, and to seek in analysis
for what only exists in synthesis, is surely to altogether misunderstand
the spirit of scientific method. The curious thing is that a mere layman
should have to correct men of science on this matter.
We can now return to Prof. Thomson's attempt to claim for religion a
special place in the sphere of emotion. He claims, in the passage
already cited, that "as the great mathematicians and metaphysicians
represent the aristocracy of human intellect so the great religious
geniuses represent the aristocracy of human emotion." There is nothing
new in this claim, neither is there any evidence of its truth.
Coleridge's dictum that the proper antithesis to religion is poetry is
open to serious objection, but there is more to be said for it than may
be said for the antithesis set up by Prof. Thomson. As a matter of fact,
religious geniuses have often pursued their work with as much attention
to scientific precision as was possible, and have prided themselves that
they made no appeal to mere emotion. Justification by emotion has only
been attempted when other means of securing conviction has failed. And
the appeal to emotion has become popular for very obvious reasons. It
enables the ordinary theologian to feel a comfortable superiority over a
Spencer or a Darwin. It enables mediocrities to enjoy the feeling of
being wise without the trouble of acquiring wisdom. It enables inherited
prejudices to rank as reasoned convictions. And, in addition, there is
nothing that cannot be conveniently proved or disproved by such a
method.
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