--In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <rick@...> wrote :
Thanks. How would you (and Curtis & others) describe Harris in a word or a phrase? I see him referred to as an “atheist”, but from what I’ve read so far, that characterization is very inadequate. My impression of him so far is that everything should stand the test of actual experience, but he’s open to the possibility that experience is not limited to the obvious and mundane. So maybe he’s an agnostic, open to the possibility that God can be experienced. C: Great question. As Richard mentioned, Sam doesn't like to be associated with all the baggage of assumptions the term atheist brings. He feels it is not a good description. But not because he is what you would call an agnostic. One huge misconceptions about atheist thought is that it includes the assertion that "I know there is no god." I have had discussions here trying to establish this only to have it pop up again that I am making an assumption that there could not be any type of god. How could anyone know such an absolute thing? Certainly not someone trying to take a position of epistemological humility concerning the assumptions contained in theism. The difference between the atheist and the agnostic is that the atheist has looked at enough of the proofs of god's existence, or examined the reasons people have concluding this and found them unconvincing for a variety of reasons from philosophical to cultural. He has seen the various categories of how people construct their god beliefs and these are inclusive enough that it seems like an unlikely probability that man will come up with some new unknown way to make this claim that would be convincing. Agnostics are more ambivalent, but neither can rule the possibility of there being a god out. Atheism is not a positive belief, it is a lack of a belief which leads to Sam's perspective: “In fact, "atheism" is a term that should not even exist. No one ever needs to identify himself as a "non-astrologer" or a "non-alchemist." We do not have words for people who doubt that Elvis is still alive or that aliens have traversed the galaxy only to molest ranchers and their cattle. Atheism is nothing more than the noises reasonable people make in the presence of unjustified religious beliefs.” ― Sam Harris http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16593.Sam_Harris, Letter to a Christian Nation http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/563115 I'll bet his description in his books is how he likes to think of himself. He is a philosopher and neuroscientist (his BA and PHD and the Co-counder and CEO of Project Reason, a nonprofit foundation devoted to spreading scientific knowledge and secular values in society. It will be interesting to see if he includes his long time meditating in his description of his upcoming book as one of his credentials. From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of TurquoiseBee Sent: Wednesday, May 7, 2014 12:57 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Note to Rick Conderning his interview with Sam Harris From: Rick Archer <rick@... mailto:rick@...> From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of steve.sundur@... mailto:steve.sundur@... Rick, I am glad the interviews are gaining a wider audience. I think they deserve that. I chuckled to myself though as I read your preparations for the interview. The thought that popped into my head was, "Does he think he is interviewing God?" I'm just a crazy SOB. Me too. I don’t prepare for all interviews so thoroughly. Don’t have the time. But Harris would be a challenge, and a real opportunity if properly prepared for. I, for one, will be looking forward to your interview. I agree with the delurking poster who described Harris as one of the most interesting minds on the planet at this point. It will be really, really interesting to see the two of you interact, and exchange views. I can only imagine that the experience will be a wonderful one for both of you, and for us, getting to share it via video. Thanks. How would you (and Curtis & others) describe Harris in a word or a phrase? I see him referred to as an “atheist”, but from what I’ve read so far, that characterization is very inadequate. My impression of him so far is that everything should stand the test of actual experience, but he’s open to the possibility that experience is not limited to the obvious and mundane. So maybe he’s an agnostic, open to the possibility that God can be experienced.
