Keith Burgess-Jackson

Why have we not already destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities? What in the world is President Bush waiting for?

All of this probably matters little, because—again—the most crucial defect of Breaking the Spell is its ultimate pointlessness.  Let us assume there is far greater substance to Dennett’s argument than I grant.  Very well.  Dennett need not have made such an effort to argue his point in the first place. Of course religion is a natural phenomenon. Who would be so foolish as to deny that? Religion is ubiquitous in human culture and obviously constitutes an essential element in the evolution of society, and obviously has itself evolved. It is as natural to humanity as language or song or mating rituals. Dennett may imagine that such a suggestion is provocative and novel, and he may believe that there are legions of sincere souls out there desperately committed to the notion that religion itself is some sort of miraculous exception to the rule of nature, but, in either case, he is deceived.

For one thing, it does not logically follow that, simply because religion as such is a natural phenomenon, it cannot become the vehicle of divine truth, or that it is not in some sense oriented toward a transcendent reality. To imagine that it does so follow is to fall prey to a version of the genetic fallacy, the belief that one need only determine the causal sequence by which something comes into being in order to understand its nature, meaning, content, uses, or value.

(David B. Hart, “Daniel Dennett Hunts the Snark,” First Things [January 2007]: 30-8, at 36 [italics in original])

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that there are two kinds of injustice: treating likes differently and treating unlikes the same. Read this. Female tennis players are going to be paid as much as male tennis players at Wimbledon. This is unjust, for men play five sets and women three. If and when women start playing five sets, or men three, I’ll stop complaining.

Mark Spahn sent a link to this essay by John Derbyshire.

No way.

The editorial board of The New York Times continues to put individual liberty ahead of national security. See here.

Ever heard of a gyroball? See here. By the way, spring training has begun. I’m excited about the upcoming season. In case you’re wondering, I still wish my Detroit Tigers had finished last in their division instead of losing the World Series.

Here is the New York Times story about Stage 3 of the Tour of California.

To the Editor:

Re “Clinton Gives War Critics New Answer on ’02 Vote” (news article, Feb. 18):

I think it’s immaterial to debate whether Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton should apologize or not for her vote in 2002 authorizing the Iraq war. The issue of real importance is that she failed to see what almost one-third of all Americans were able to see in spite of the Bush administration’s relentless citing of “evidence”: that there were no legal and legitimate reasons to invade Iraq and that the war was being launched to serve the administration’s ideological ends.

America needs a leader who has the foresight to see beyond the obvious. If the war in Iraq is any indication, Senator Clinton failed to display that foresight at a critical juncture of this nation’s history. An apology is not going to make any difference.

Shankar Chaudhuri
Glen Ridge , N.J., Feb. 18, 2007

Note from KBJ: Moonbattery like this almost makes me want to support Hillary.

Here is an interesting essay about religion—broadly construed to include Marxism. I’m puzzled by something. Progressives have nothing but disdain for Christianity, but they bend over backward to accommodate Islam. Do they think this will immunize them from harm should Islam conquer the West? Ha! The things progressives advocate, such as abortion, contraception, homosexual rights, abolition of capital punishment, no-fault divorce, women’s rights, euthanasia, secular education, atheism, and tolerance of diversity are anathema to Muslims. If and when Muslims conquer the West, progressives will be the first to be persecuted. And you know what? It will be fitting, for they did the least to keep it from happening.

Here.

Will Nehs sent a link to this.

Here.