> STephen Black: > This thread has probably stretched far enough, but it's hard to > resist getting in a final shot
I know how you feel ;) > I just want to remind people that my original post actually referred > to a remarkable new paper on the famous novelist Iris Murdoch, and > never mentioned Flew directly. But the implication was clear. > Garrard et al (2004) showed that > despite the great skill Murdoch displayed in writing her last novel, > _Jackson's Dilemma_, a computer analysis of the text showed that > hidden within it were subtle signs of the onset of the disease with > which she was diagnosed a year later. By mentioning this case in the > context of a discussion on Flew, I was, of course, hinting that the > same might apply to him. What makes the paper remarkable is that it > shows that even while one is still functioning at a very high level > (who among us could write a novel even half as good as this mediocre > one from Murdoch), the disease was nevertheless beginning to exert > its relentless effects. So I think it's reasonable to speculate that > something similar is taking place with Prof. Flew. And so Flew may be suffering as Murdoch did but nonetheless opining on science and God with great skill? > I never said that belief in God is a form of dementia, which is what > Jim seems to think I said. No, I did not seem to think any such thing, and I apologize if in any way I misrepresented you. I felt you were referring to Flew, not to theists in general. Thanks, Jim G --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
