Absence of Mind: the Dispelling of Inwardn - Marilynne Robinson

8/9/2019 Absence of Mind: the Dispelling of Inwardn - Marilynne Robinson

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E E R R E U R ES

Absence of Mind

E SEG

O WRESS

RO M E MO E R M

O E S E


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Ohe Vlme in he Tey Lece Seie Available fm Yale

The Cage Be Pu Tich

Pychanalyi and Religin Ech Fomm

Becming Godo W. Apot

A Cmmn aih Joh Dewey

Edcain a he Cad Jcques Mit

Pychlgy and Religin Cl G Juged and Philphy Pul Ricoeu

ed and he Pblem f Gd Hs g

Mae Cnl Gene in Develpmen and Evlin

Wte J. Gehig

Belief in Gd in an Age f Science Joh Polkighoe

Iaeli and he Jewih Tadiin Did Htm

The Empiical Sance Bs C Fsse

One Wld: The Ehic f Glbalizain Pete Sge

Excim and Enlighenmen H C Eik Mdefot

Thinking in Cicle: An Eay n Ring Cmpiin

My Dougs

Rean aih and Revlin: Reecin n he Gd Debae

Tey getoThe Religin and Science Debae y De I Cnine

Hod W Attdge ed

Naal Reecin: Hman Cgniin a he Nex f

Science and Religin Bb Heste Smith

Ilam Science and he Challenge f Hiy Amd Dlll


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Absence of

MindTHE DISPELLINGOF NWARDNESS

FROM THE MODERN MYTH

OF THE SELF

Marilynne Robinson

Yae UIRSITY PRSS

NEW HAVN & LONDON


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Copyright 200 by Mailynne Robinson. A ights reseved This book

may not be reproduced, in whoe or in part incuding ustations,

in any form (beyond that copying permtted by Sectons 107 and

08 of the U.S. Copyight Law and except by eviewers for the

pubic pess) wihot wrien permssion from the pubishers

Designed by May Vaencia

Se n Minon type by Keysone Typeseting Inc.

Prined in the United Sates of Ameica.

Libray of Congress Cataoging-inPubication DaaRobinson Mariynne.

Absence o mind : the dspeling of inwadness from the modern myth of

the sef Maiynne Robinson.

p m

Essays from the lecures devered a Yae niversity, he

Dwight Harrngton Tery Foundation.

Incudes bibiographca references.

BN 9780300145182 (coth ak. paper

. Reigion and science 2. Phiosophy, Modern. 3 Thought and thinking.

. Dwight Haingon ey Foundation II. Tte.

24.58 200

201' 65dc22 200904020

A cataogue record for this ook is avaiabe fom the iis Library

This paper meets the equrements o AS/SO Z3948-992

(ermanence of Pape.

0 9 8 7 6 5 3 2 1


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WG R RGO R R O UO

C U R O RGO

G O CC OO

The deed o gi decre tht the object o th odtio

ot the promoto o cietc ietigtio d dicoery

bt rthe the mitio d tepettio o tht which

h bee o h be heree dicoeed d t pplcto

to hm wee epeciy by the bidg o the tth o

ciece d phioophy ito the tctre o brodeed

d pried regio The oder beee ht ch reli-

go wi grety tmte itelliget eot o the impoemet o hm codto d the dcemet o the ce

tregth d eceece o chcte To thi ed t i de

ied tht eie o lectre be ge by me emiet

the repectie deprtmet o ethic the hitory o ci-zto d eligo bbc eech cece d

brche o kowedge whch he mpott beg o

the ubject ll the get w o tre epecy o

eolto o ch teprettio o itetre d o-

cioogy e i ccod with the piit o th odtio to

the ed tht he Chit prit my be rtred i the

let light o the wod' kowledge d tht mkid my

be heped to tt t highet poible wee d hppe

po th erth The peet work cotitte the ltetome pblhed o th odto


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COS

ntodction

Chpter On Humn Ntre

Chpter The Stnge Hitory of Altrum 31

Chpter The Fedn Sef

Chpter Thnking Agin

Note

Bibogrphy

nde


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R O D U C O

T

hee ey eme oe de i the eeble co-

toey clled the colict betwee ciece d e-

igo i ode to qetio the legitmcy o the

clim it epoe mke to pek with the thoty o

cece d ode to ie qeto bot the qty o

thoght tht le behid t popoe tht the mode om

whch thee wite oceed i ciece the wod w detood by ceti ilet thike the ely mode

peiod, the lte eteeth cety d the t h o the

twetieth cety Whle t te tht t the me tme d

the me cte ew d tly mode phyc d

X


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x Inocon

cosmology wee emegng both e conspicos by the

bsence then s now fom the gments of these self-

deced chmpions of scence eson nd enlightenment

The ey imited tems tht e teted by them s ppopi-

te to the sbject ound whch the contoesy hs lwys

tuned the oigns nd ntue o ou species neitbly yield

concepton of humnity tht s itsef ey imited excd-ng s it must itly obsetion nd specultion on

this subject tht he been oeed thogh the ges by those

outsde he cosed cice tht s clled moden thoght.

t is ce tht thee is geneous eement of the bi-ty in the stnce ssmed by these selfdeced tion-

ists. one wee to sy Eithe God ceted the niese o

the niese is poduct nd consequence o the ws o

physics it might be objected tht these two sttements enot ncomptbe tht nethe pecdes the othe Bt the

second s conentiony tken to pecde the st So o

puposes of gment let s sy it does nd tht the ogins

of the niese cn be tken to be deoid of theologicl

impction. Likewise i eolton is not to be econcied

with fith s mny eigos people s we s mny scientsts

belee then et s sy gin fo puposes o gument tht

complex ie is simply nothe instnce of mtte wokng

thogh the pemttions ilble to it.

These two points being gnted s thee moe to sy


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cn

th tht estece stpped of myth uhowed d u-

huted s simply tsef? Ae thee othe implictos? Ths

stt wold is sti the wod pesumby d evey pt of

t cudg humkd is uchged i its tue stil

embodyig the hstoy tht s so ts otogey Suey o

tost woud dspute ths Some mght gue tht life

bset myh woud be feed of ceti mo eties dllusios d hostlties s well but such chges would ot

touch ou esset selves fomed s they hve bee though

boogc dptto

Thee is o eso to suppose tht ivg t tuthwoud impoveish epeiece howeve it might chge the

wys which ou gis d eeges e depoyed. So

othg bout ou shed cesty wth the pe c be

thought of s lteig the fct tht hum begs e thecetos of histoy d cultue f mid d soul" e ot

etties i the ow ight they e t lest tems tht hve

bee foud useful fo descibig spects of the epesso

d sefepeiece of ou vey comple evous systemThe gves of ou tue tht we e bllty cetive d

s biity destuctve fo empe woud pesist s fcts

to be det wth eve if the wod pimte wee tke to

descibe us ehustvely m we tht cet wtes hve

mde the gumet o t est the sseto tht coict

ses out of ego d moe especly out of eligous


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non

dierence They woud do we to consut Herodotus or to

red up on the creer of Npoeon. Extrpotions fom

contempory eents proceed fom f too nrrow bse to

suppot gobl sttement of this kind And this thesis bout

the oigins of conict is noe in the ong histoy of the

debte oe humn oigins which hs typiclly rgued tht

conict is ntu to us s it is to nims nd is if not goodin ny ordinry sense t lest necessy to our biologic

enhncement. Howeer if ttributing conict to religion

thereby emoing hostility n iolence fom Drwinist o

een Feudin fme of intepettion is depture fomtdition it is t est fmiir s sttegy tht preseres

fored conclusion by recuiting whteer tionliztion

might seem to support it. Religion hs lwys been the foi

for this tdition sometimes deploed s the sponso of dys-genic compssion sometimes s fomente of oppession nd

iolence.

Modernist o rtionist rguments e not hrmonious

with one nother except in their concusion which clely

exists in nticiption of its rious justictions. This con-

cusion is ery briely tht positiism is correct in excluding

from the mode of relity whtee science is (or ws) not

competent to ei or fsi Whie this iew hs merits in

certin circumstnces it hs become encysted within n od

poemc nd though it is deepy inuenti in shping the


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Inocon

whoe peci chcte it i to mo the ivee. Thogh

t my vitio the ide of the mcocom eted

pofod kihp betwee hmkd d the whoe of

beg whch commo ee mt ecoge to beieve

doe fct et t wold be moe th miclo ideed

gmet fo omethg like pecl ceto if we wee

i y ee et pt fom beig whoe. O eegec oy deve fom d epe the lge pheomeo of

eegy. Ad thee tht htg comptibility of o

me of kowig with the ivee of thig to be kow.

Yet eve o cpcty to decibe the fbc of eity dthe dmeo of it h degoe toihig deepe

g d epo we hve ted wy fom the ciet

itto tht we e pt of it l. Wht ch ecogito

might mpy f t wee ttempted o the b of peetkowedge it dclt to y bt the tge wy of

qk d photo might elge o ee of the myte-

io te of o ow etece The pl of edctiom

mght be bced by cotevilg foce.

The vey tcted mode of hm beig oeed by

wite the tdto tht h domted the dcio

fom the begiig of the mode peod cle coe-

qece of the potvit ejectio of metphyc. t te

tht philoophc peclto w the oly me t hd

fo the old tditio tht podeed ch de hm


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zducon v

solsmicocosm Neetheess the sght tht we og

with the pes ptcpte eity sty ge th the

sby wod of htig d gtheig mtig, te

itoilism d so o s dsputble. Gtig eoto, its

mteis c oy he bee the st i which bit

compeity woud he iheed sice log befoe the st

geetio of sts to choose dte t dom. t is ot to beimgied tht the chcte of mtte wold ot pofoudy

ect the foms whch ou elity hs emeged

t is histoiclly ccidet tht the metphysics tht

delt with ou beg t this sce ws theoogy o ooked iket d tht eligo ws cosdeed the desy of te

udestdig. A ttempt to eitegte us ito o cos

mic settg mght ook like theology, o mystcism f this

shoud be the cse, t woud be i lge pt coseqece ofthe fct tht the subect hs bee lowed to tophy d

those who tke it p gi might we be de bck o

od ocbuy. This cold be midy embssg, e the

log cusde of demythcto But sch cosdetosoght ot to deteme the couse of sciece

Thee s othe sese which the mode coes-

tio s tcted f hm te s the subect tht ises

whe o oigis e t issue the whtee we c kow of

ou pst is sey geme, d ifoded geeiztios

e t best dstctio to be gded gst. Tht histoic


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xv odo

dt t cod w v md o o t o is plt,

sold b ot o ccot my ct t scism Wst

tlctl l tt s ltd scic d m

lig Bt t scism tsl s ogis t jctio by

postivism d by ti vocs i y mod scc

of t tms i wic so mc togt d collctiv mm

oy v b tptd d codd.A ssocitd pomo s t otio tt w ow

ll w d to ow w w v cqitd oslvs wt

w smpl om W v b optmizd by compti-

to d vomt w spd by coomc ocsd ms o podcto, w itos o pim git

w moldd by pics o sttio d ioc

mt Ts sstios tt v spd mod

togt. Bt ty ot to b cocd wi o otT Fdi stic s ot t Dw pimt,

wo s ot t Mist pot wo is ot t bvio

sts' ogism vilb to bg modd by gim o pos-

tv d gtv ssoy pc. To cowdg

lmt of tt i c of ts modls s to jct t

cims of dscptv sccy md by ll o tm. Wt

ty do v commo, bsd t clim to scicy is

clsio of t tstmos of ct d istoy. Ts

pimy sstios m ot iomtio it lvt

o sbodt to ds of plto tt sv t vod


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rdci xvii

theory. Wht i t t i me o ttctg mte eve

thogh rtit my hve fet tht it w elortio o

eeriece o the oiilite o commcto d o the

etordry colloto o eye d hd. he old co

qeor my hve met to g themelve git the -

icde o fte d mortlity t ct thogh l tht

miery d dirtio they wee rely t tyig to ttctmte he Fed elf i ecely ftted i t de-

ie d theeoe t geete t d clte ort of

ectom mtio of oidde mle So it wold

eem the rt thg to kow ot t whteve the ccotof t motve d origi tht t mke i edeceved

Leordo d emrdt my hve thoght they wee com-

etet qier the ow ght t we mode kow

etter.ecety red to cl of yog wter ge om

Emeo he Amec Scho which he y

lece tedie i evee trctio et hm hod y

hmelf dd oevto to oevto tet o eglect

tet o reoch d de h ow tmehy eogh

if he c ti himel oe ht th dy he h ee ome-

thig tly. . o the tct i e tht omt him to

tell hi other wht he thk e the le tht goig

dow ito the ecret o h ow mid he h deceded ito

the ecet o md. hee word ced ceti er


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xv Inocon

turbon. The elf no onger umed o be thing o be

pproched wih optimm or to be trued o ee nyhing

ruy. Emeon decrbing he gre pdo nd pilege

of humn elhood, priege forecloed when the mind i

tiized or hought to be dcredited. The cutch of ceti-

ude h togeher trilze nd dicedt re ery much in

need of beng ooked gin


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O

On Human Nature

T

he md whee ee t i ot o eey-

oe' eeiee d moe d othe wy h

we kow the eo o he eity th we ie with-

i tht we lie by d o d deie d th oe eogh

we die om Nohig moe eeil o th he

wih to dw eio o he he o the hkg h

bogh o be by oemoy wie o he bjet dlo to t emie o mode d oteoy thoght

he oo h we e he oed oe o ohe

hehod o kowedge o elio ht gie the thoght

h folow i eil lm o he t o h e


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01 Hm Nue

he choe to peet thi ce e eceiy few but

thi emkbly eitetie itetue they my fly be ced

typichee t peet ete popul itetue tht

decbe the mid if fom the potue of ciece. Fo the

pupoe of thee wte it i f chte d to ci

etic objectty ceted the ue of the method dthe tuth of thei cocuio. he fo fo thei gumet

ometime implcit uuly eplict tht old omtic

myth of the ef till ecouged by eigio o e i it wke

ot of cutul eidue eedg to be wept wy. heo opio bout the ikelihood tht cece t the top of it

bet w utimtey ie t ccout of cocioue

detty memoy d imgitio tht e uciet i the

tem of cietic quy No do obect i ou peetey limited tte of kowedge to hypothee beig oeed

i the wee tht i the hoobe tditio of ciece

they e lible to beg poed goy wog Wht wih to

quetio e ot the method of ciece but the method of

kid of gumet tht clim the uthoity of ciece o

highly peciized kowledge tht ume potectie co-

otio tht llow it to p fo cece yet doe ot pctice

the elfdiciplie o elfciticim fo which ciece i

dtiguihed.

hee ocologit d eolutioy pychologit d


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O Hw Nare

phlosophers o hoorble trdto thogh

d deled om. deed get prt o the ete

met o e the postlghtemet peod hs ome wththe thoght tht relt old be eoeed tht kow-

edge wold empte hmkd f o t od be mde

essble to them Sh gret sses hm orgs d

hm te he the pbl s ppropte thetese the hge the popose s ltr hs beg the se

howee t s sel mbet po wtes who detke

to shpe opo to esst the temptto to poplrze the

egte sese o tht word st d otetos ltetrese behd psholog thopolog d sooog Bt the

poplrzers these eds ow re hghl egded ges

whom ospelst mght esobl trst to del ompe

tetl wth the gret sbjets the books tke o whhde hm te d ososess d wth stkg

feqe rego. The degree of fdmet osess

mog these wters s mpott to the ee

A mode tht shpes otempo wrtg ross

mbe o elds s the ossg of the theshold t ssets tht

the world othoght eet o detble momet

the er pst hs dergoe epohl hge Some rez-

to hs teeed hsto wth mlos bptess

d e d eerthg s tsormed hs s ptter

tht es e wde the otempor wold o des.


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O Hmn N

pick p sede ome of phiosophy d ed s foows

I this postmode codto fth o oge modeed o

the Ptoic imge of the motioess God bsobs these

disms [theism d theism withot ecogizig i them

y esos fo coict." Hee we he ews of the eposio

of ssmptioWeste eigio ws modeed o pg

coceptio of God s motoess' t postmode hemeetics teeed.

The wht is Weste eigo? Appety othig I

he come coss i my ospecst pess of the theo

ogy of the pst e hded yes. If the Umoed Moewhom I tke to be the sbject hee impted moto to the

ceted ode is it meigf to c him motioess,

which sods ey ke sttic" o iet," d is ot cosis-

tet wth the get d ciet ititio biity destood s the imptig of moto? ey Chsti wite

Gegoy of Nyss sid of God Tht which is withot

ty cot be mesed the iisibe cot be emied

the icopoe cot be weighed the imitess cot be

comped the icompehesibe does ot dmit of moe o

ess."2 Fom tiity isstece o the otoogc ke-

ess of God to the ctegoies to which the hm mid hs

ecose is t the cete of theoogc eectio. Wt c-

ot be mesed o comped cey cot be moed i


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O Hma Nate

y odiy sese of tht wod This is ecty the kid of

gge positiism ds meigess, thogh i its ech

ig beyod ccstomed ctegoies embedded i lgge it

esembles othig so mch s cotempoy physics y

cse, did this ide of motioless God whethe the de-

stdig of it ws compe o simpe, cotie to iece

fith til the ey ecet i of the postmode codi-tio? Wht e beieed by some to he bee ssmptios

powef eogh to shpe the clte of ciiiztio d to

eshpe it by thei demise, he bee fo my othes o

ssmptios t l.The pdigm fo tie of this kid is bsed o the

ide of the histoic theshodbefoe we thoght ths d

ow i this ew ge of compehesio, we, o the elight

eed mog s, hik othewise Thee e y mbe oftheshods which iitite y mbe of ew coceptl

es Ad i eey cse thee is sttemet bot the pst, s

see fom the tge of fdmetlly lteed peset

the phiosophy books d seteces ike this oe This

hemeeticiztio of philosophy feed eligio fom met-

physics t the momet whe it hd idetied the deth of

God oced by Nietzsche with the deth of Chist o

the coss ted by the Gospels Nietzsche, d some

phses tht e idetied with him otby this oe d


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6 H Ne

Th o t oly tpto o gu

thhold t i th mi hy pp o

do i h woud hpul o h gl d uh ook

w o pod diio o mo m To d W

Chitty i o y hig gd oidg h y

poogd hioy o oi d hm withi Chity. h quod om th p o The uue f Reigin y

Rihd Roty d imo goodhtd

h oyu ook h ou h pg o W

Chitity om w o pow hough Nizhmom to m o h w o lo m g o

wom h t ig o h ly o hi tomtio.

Sill up o ttmp t dio o Wt Ch

ty woud pl wh glzio woud poil d up tho ht do my

oidd h wh i od o pm gizto

The uue f Reigin dptu om oh ook

wl mio i ht i k ligo o h uu o

kid d h wod o o h . Th om-

o o od om gu o w d o o o lo

imm i humkid g hm g lizd though

ou o i Thi ook o m lik h o o thig

Wiim Jm mgh ll moim Hgim. How -

y i uh ou hd? u y ho hg


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O H Nar 7

do o ly popld pp mop w

p o Nz m w donion of

mpy onn. ow lid n

dd of mllio o mnd o m z o-

n T on no m o ok ny o of

popli ndd f w o y T mn on

my b woly w mpyi bn don-d d mi o ppo po f w w

of i No i oppo. Ty mn o l o mid

o of lmi o o ny n po in

o ony on d of od wo do o own n of oly nd l o wo

mod by oi d o of m

Ti o o y n of liio Jm dnd

o fl nd p of ndiidlmn n i oid o f y ppnd ml o

nd i o o w y my od di.

T wod old d indiidl n

nyi ondio of mid no m

wb of l d l by w bld

ind nd limd T n lo n kd of ikn

kid popo momn n w lio i fd

by miizo l oly pi

nd pn lo of nyin b lld p

. my bn p of dy o y pp


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On Humn Nu

tion coss bilions of subectivities but the fct is centl to

humn life nd lnguge nd cuture nd no phiosophy or

cognitive science shoud be lowed to evde itWhere denition of reigion is ttempted in this liter

ture it tends to be of the kind tenttivey proposed by Dnie

Dennett who descibes reigions s soci systems whose

prticipnts vow belief in supernturl gent or gentswhose pprovl is to be sought The book hve in hnd is

Dennetts Beaking he Spell Religin a a Naal Phenme

nn Dennett sys his denition of eligion is profoundy t

odds with tht of Wiim Jmes" the one hve quoted Heeects the denition on the gounds tht it describes indi

vidus who very sinceey nd devouty tke themseves to

be the one communicnts of wht we might c privte

eigions nd on these gounds sh cll them spiritupeople but not religious. Note tht religion is singulr in

Jmess denition nd pur in Dennetts. Jmes is describ

ing n eperience tht he tkes to be universl mong rei-

gions of l descriptions while Dennett sees religions s dis

tinct soci systems" The insistence in Denett's writing on

the demogphics of reigion on wht by his ights is ob

sevbe nd theefore ccessibe to science s he under-

stnds i ecls Bertnd Russes remrk tht it is the

privcy of introspective dt which cuses much of the be-

hviourists objectio to them" Bertd Russell ws writing


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O Hm Nure

citic of behioim in bu behioim i bch

of pychology h eem o he ped out of tyle without

kig i mo mpio ong wih it o hi commen

i i o he poi.

Denet hee othe coempltie ide of fih i ub-

eciity if he collecie expeio of eligion nd the i

wd epeiece of i wee ooelppig mgitei ifeigio wee oly wht cold be obeed ig he method

of thopology o of ocioogy without efeence to he

deeply penie oliude h big idiid io cogeg

io nd commuiie to be ed by the hought dclue they d thee. Thu i he feed o byp Joh Done

d he Su poet d to moe o o decipio of he pc-

tice ofcgo cti whom i i founely fi o ume

thopology doe o peen in the ichet ligh eihe. Fothe momen it i uciet to poi ou ht he eligio

expeience me decibe i hi Vaieie f Religi Expei

ence e tteted o he becie epeiece of indiidu

who e in fc ocied wih denominio. Thei epei

ece e of knd epoted epecilly in Ameic hough

both Get Awkeig d og e them. Thee idiidul

e hdly loe commicn of pie eigio.

Wht ieetig poblem i being eded hee The

ge qel i mode Wee ife i id to be bewee

eigio nd ciece. They end o be teted if hee wee


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0 Hm Ne

kind symmery beween hem pesmbly becse

hei sppsed Mnichen ppsn. B science s cm

pivey ecen phenmenn sever cenres srngyidened wih he clre he Wes whch hs pr-

ndly inenced nd by which i hs been rmed nd

chnneled Becse is ecen nd cry lclized i is

dic dsngish m is seing Cenly mdenwre h nd cld hs hd prnd impc n he

develpmen science in he sme perid h science hs

hd s ms pnd impc n hmn le. Ncler enegy

nd he nerne e w cses n pnReigin n he cny s ncien nd gb nd

snce i hs n cle gegrphic empr ms persisng

s cr hb even whee i seems hve been sppressed

ennced s very dcl dene deniin being wrd whch mens eymlgicy nd n c seing

ims Chisniy s sbse eigin is sscied in s

gns nd s spred wh hsricl perid nd wh pr-

icr egins nd pplns And ye clike i

seems repice he cmpeiies he rge phenme

nn Bernd Rssell dsingshed mhemicin phls

phe nd despser eign nd Chsiniy sid A ll

mes rm he ge Cnsnine he end he seven-

eenh ceny Chsns wee r mre ercey perseced

by her Chrsns hn hey ever wee by he mn em


33/180

O Hm Nr 11

pes7 N Chisin wih even secin sense hisy

wud dispute this since evey sec hs is wn le pe-

secutin. And ms cknwledge ht theythe diin

with which they identihve t sme ime engged in it

But i he Rmn empes mtyed ewe Chisins hn

the Chistins thei eive numbes in he pplin e

cetiny elevnt heethe empes pesided ve emkby bl sciety biin s it ws As is usl Rs-

se blmes Chisin vience n he ditins Jewish

mnheism n n he nms he pgn civiiztin in

which the ith tk .Sil i is e h eigins die less m the wld

lge hn ne might hpe And ye he c h cnict

ccus ng ntin nd demgphic ines ht e sme

times ls eigis lines cnn be ssmed men ht heissue mivin he cnic is eligin. N lng be

e Rssel spke Chistin Eupe hd been engled in

eibe w whse cses seem hve been secu nes

he es nd mbitns iv stes nd empies is

seldm i eve he cse th eigius cnsidetins e de-

eminns in sch mes. his dds nthe dimensin

the diculy dening eigin

Russel mens t eute the gment h eligin ises he

m leve civiliztn deense he eigis d e


34/180

Ou Hw Nau

The heis regmes he Frenh Revin nd he

wenieh eny my me s ne prviding pn f

mpsn s hee hs eve been nd hey hdy rge nv his vew. B hee s n pin qibbling. f he

Chsiniy Rssel hes s he Chrisiniy he enn

eed hen h is frm n whih he relgn hs ived in

he wld Ohers hve ennered he ChrisniiesThs is ne mre insne he nvese f des h

srnds deniin f ne eign n menin rei-

gn s whle. Neverheless s dd see nversy

ge he ene f he vilzn ve s mny generns les hf f i he mpssined wrk seldeled

inss nd nd s lle emp denin f

m ems beynd he plemil knd deniin h

grnees ne psiin he ssfins f ndng se end righ.

linger ver his bese elign s indspbly en-

rl n ny n f he hre nd wkings

he hmn mnd Des elgn mnies py f deep

nsig n edny pneness delsn Bh

pehps ike he mnd sef n in he se f efng

he lssil gmens fr he eisene Gd Rsse de

wh he bele n Ce in hese erms There is n

resn sppse h he wrd hd beginnng . he

ide h hings ms hve beginning s elly de he


35/180

On Hm N

povey of ou imginion. Theefoe pehps need no

wse ny moe ie upon he gumen bo he Fis

Cuse Fom scienic sndpoin his ws pefecy

epbe semen he ime he mde i. Then wo yes

e Edwin Hubbe mde obsevions h wee unde-

sood o impy he nivese is epnding nd he moden

nive of beginnings emeged h moehneplosiveimping of moion No one need be pesuded o beief by

he fc h hings did indeed come ino being o h hei

genesis so o spek seems o hve been s bup s Genesis

sys i ws. Sill Rssell's science ws in eo n he geme of beginnings so gemne o he nue of being

mny pimiive o clssicl eligions hve hd sonde

iniion f his fc hs no foce s evidence of humn

insigh i is si impessive in is own ninepeble ighTh ncien minds pondeed cosmic oigins shod inspie

ie we fo wh humn beings e wh he mind is.

did no pn o give pic enion o eigion

hee inended o cie Bend Russe nd John See

boh noneligios in sppo of my gmen h he mind

s fe epeience hd been ecluded fom impon eds of

moden hogh. men o esic mysef moe o ess o

looking he chceisic mophology of he ohewise

vey divese schools of moden hough fo which he mind/

bin is subjec B nd h hese schoos e hemseves


36/180

Ha N

ensse wh ens pbem s nmy s -

vesry eee h mkes he sbec nvble.

When h s escbe s n eemen n cue n hsrys nre ens be ssly smple espe he vs n

uncnsue lere elus hh n esmny.

w srely be c cnescen reln when s

rcule n ems h e ccessbe Wesen nersnn An hnes nqure n s nure mh spen n e

nn lsenn Bch r esn en Sphcles r

he Bk b.

nse reln s pn eny cern nhrp-c mehs n ssumpns whse enences e s

ncy nvs. s ree s pr perssn pm

vy mn hmn bens h lemzes he sscn

ll reln wh he wes esme pens hve me bnl pcces n emzes s he ssmpn

h hmnkn s se er rnl elue n sel-

eceve ecepn curse hese mssnes enh-

enmen here s n en behn he mpc n eplc

pemc ns eln whch s nw ee s bve nd

new nw se by Whhbsm n ccsnl erpns

crens ze bu s ully pesen n he nlsm

he eheenh cenuy my well be h cees rher

c ccsns ssen n nhrpy mern hu-

mny hemenecs cnescensn


37/180

Hma au 15

T cndescend eecvely s cely necessy dhee

nw deniin f elevn d. The exsence f Gd

nd e wys n whch hs exsence mgh be ppehendedhve fmed n d nd vey ich cnvesin mng secs

nd nins T Gd e gds mig be hidden b

sen is ecing pe in eigis liees The pis

hve seen he wld s f empy f divne pesence ndpndeed e expeence engh Sns ve d hei

dk ngs nd esed hem. ws Lhe wh we

b e Des Abscnds nd he deh f Gd s we

nd Bnhee wh gve Gs's ei De non dae new egc pplicin. The cceizin f eli-

gin by se wh dismiss i ends edce me f

bnes nd fehes nd wshfl inkng me f s

nd scl bnding nd flse eges nd he fe f dehnd his mkes is pessence vey nnyng hem Ten

hee s he fc h i des pess nd ee n Ameic

cny s mden s ny excep in hs cci egd

he gnds f nnynce.

Bend Rsse sys ngge smemes cncels he

cmpexiy f belief. We sy h pesn believes n Gd

nd i migh seem s f Gd fmed he whe cnen f e

beief B wh s ey beeved s h Gd exss wc is

f fm being simpe n like mnne ll cses whee he

cnen f belief seems simpe s sgh will be fnd n


38/180

On Humn Nu

exminin cnrm e iew e cnen is wys

cmpex. 1 Tis g eis espie is cnemp fr re

gin prcees by inrspecn by bsern f e prcesses f is wn min s mens f ndersning e

mn min n wi elg in e wrkings f ngge

e ssmes s ence s brg eng sre. Hs rejec

n freigin is re nd eep b e es n jsi ecs f fiing cknwege e inrinsc cmplexiy f

mn sbjecy weer s specic cnen T c-

knwege is is pen e rcies f mnkn

s g n ne see w e mind escribes iself weig e kn f eence sppse science cy islws.

Te eniis se f e e f e prmiie seems

wys ine e qesinbe se f qesnbe nfr-mn n The Blank Slae: The Mden Denial f Hman

Nae Seen nker ebnks belief n e sl is e

Gs n e Mcine s we s e Nbe Sge nd in is

iew e ms persisen f errnes cncepins f e sef

e Bnk Se He kes ese erms be simpe nd

nie in egree is rly cnsisen wi e sers

ness f e pilspic rns frm wic ey emerge.

By mn nre inker mens e geneclly eermine

fcrs in ber wic e kes be igy sgnicn

n bry nrecie. n is iscssin f e nin


39/180

O mn Nr 17

he Nble Svge he es gph cmping me

dehs csed by wfe in he wenieh ceny. The gph

is pesened s evidence h his e mliy mngEpens nd Ameicns s pecenge dehs is min-

sce beside hse eped mng vis cnempy

pese scieies wh wld hve been he pimiives

elie sdies On he fcing pge Pine hs ned he es f Mge Med in Sm nd he sged discvey

he gene Tsdy This is wh ning becse w bs

n his gph epesen w sbgps f he Ynmm

sciey whse vilen endencies wee he discvey nnhpgicl vene whse eps hve ls been cn

sideed sspec. Since his gmen is eecin he

imge f pecebe egiin nd eclgylving nives

n gmen h wld ceinly incline him wecmeinfmin he eec h hese pesens e indeed

vilen i wd be essing see sighy me even-

hnded se evidence. wld be essing s see

sme ne en f he sscepibiiy sch bsevins

hing nd mniplin h hs been mde s cle in he

me he Tsdy he Smns nd qie pssibly he

Ynmm gehe wih n cnwedgmen h hse

wh se sch bsevins e sscepible in n ve

vling d h end cnm hem in hei views 1

Ohe qesins ise Wh is men by we Wd


40/180


41/180

O Hm Nr

wrl wu men h he mehs requie engge in

vilence n such sce wu hve hve been in reness

s we knw hey re Des his elec n u peispsiins Me he pn ehs in bn y cu

never l belw w pecen whe he Une Ses cul

se w n hl mn peple n n ecee ne percen

whch by hs syle eckning wul mke us he essvlen scey. An why re we cmpring me w pry

he ene ppun he Unie Ses in ny cse

Fnly s i resnbe ebunk he myh he Nbe

Svge by pnering ny wenehcenury scey hwevereme n eic We cn hve n knwlege her his-

y s we cnn knw i wh ppes us s pmiviy

s n spssessn n mrgnizn nke hmse

nes h sme kn culur impverishmen hppenemng he Tsmnns er hey mige m Aus 3

h n pcur be he nn pml inncence

ye neiher m cnen see s eecive cse me

gins . Bu he pin he gph inke uses iluse

his rgumen is mke semen bu essenil humn

nue e us wh we e ppse n nswer s

grve quey s we cn mke uselves n nswe ever

ge gins highly quesnbe pesene s h

he uhy scenc becivy behin i

There is slckness h is pervsvey chrcerisc


42/180

OtJ Han Nar

s impn cnvsn ncn ib i

my f sd mnnd l nin

Dwn Nzsc Fd sclismnd pssclism Cick nd Wsn nd

d f Gd sm ssmpns w b gdd s xd

nd invbl nd s s xpsd f m nd f

ppss s nv nd nnb sppnd by b n-dsndng. G is invkd n n dnmining ny

mmn in isy w l imgind s s-

d mmn w sc s ssng pgv

ig ccz ps nd sbls ms inwic dscs w b cndcd fm is pin fwd.

Sm nsfmiv cncp s bgd s ink

wld n is nw ig ssming pvsiv in pvis

g nd s svvs T d f ngisms in c-n dscplns sms mn signl dc dp.

Sinc Dwinism s n mpn mdl f mny wis in

is syl n mig xpc vn f cl v

pc in i wdviw B is nsfmn y d

scb is lik slin s cmpl s v lp f f

gnc ininc. n cl s n n is n lvng

ps bind b v dn s v sppd v

sd sps ld fm nw insg is

gvn fm wc s scs f g pcd s ps-

nd s md Tmplsm ws nv find f


43/180

O Hma Nau 21

en An he ne f mny f hee bk i prn

izing Sil hweer hee wer reg hei eer

bringer f ruh he wh n kne hey hul cn heir e en inellecul gr

I w euce belee h heh h inee

been cre in he cece ineecul expeence h we

h enee em ce mern hugh n we munuze urele We h pe hrugh r h

cul wing ny ne wy Mr illun h been ipelle

f g n l we h ene fm Drwn Mx

Feu n her were ingh n eliy eep behircl c w ngi n kepic men

he uber min w cle n fefu T n ge f

ub h ugh he eee nie repne ny

by f hugh Bu hee ie preene heee he wr n ub he ne pu u f ineecu kep

icim An hey he been rege f genern

chieng remkble peincy hrugh hei ciin

wh epch n y immube chnge Thee he

wy been new ineprein buing frm hee emi

n wrk hemele buing gin n gn ren

f ru r ypiclly nnuncing wih he pex ne"

her clim n he w enin n he e me

heir uniminihe fely he chl fr whch hey

igh hewe be een epr The prex p ig


44/180

On Hman Natre

n o cou a y av cod om or o r

old and can ror mak om nw cam on world'

anion.T cool o oug a uo modrn con

nu a rooundly incomabl wi on ano o

incomab a y canno cocvy b akn o u-

o on gand concuon Ta y a undood o avdon o mg aonaby b akn o ugg a irr

ibl concuon cam bo ra inird agu

mn a av bn and ar mad o uor i.

roo a cor aumion a main uncalngdand unquond oug all variaon wn di-

vr radiion o modrn oug i a xnc

and imony o ndvidual mind o b xlaind

away xcludd rom conidaon wn any aiona ac-coun i mad o naur o uman bing and o bing

alogr n lac w av gand rojc o gnra

zaion omn or o ou ci wa w ar and

wa w ar no a w ay ain o modn oug.

Sociology and anoology a wo xam

T ga nw u no wic modny a dlivd

u i gnay aumd o b a gvn word i

crau o accdn a a clmbd Moun Imrobab

ncmnaly and ovr im oug a ogc o dvomn

rnmn and laboaion inna o il and ucn


45/180


46/180

O Huma Natu

ha aociated ite wth cience ha had coneqence or

branche o earning that mght eem to have been immne

to their nence A cence o reigion" which ha beenroondy aected by the moition o anthrooogica

mode o rimitivity on thi mot emina text ha had

enormo coneqence or Od Tetament cholarhi

am reading a rather trange book tited Hw ead heible A Guide Scipue Then and Nw by Jame Kge

Kgel thei that the Bble wa not in it origin a re

igio iteratre and came to be regarded a one only ate in

the eriod beore the Common Era. Be that a t may. He hathi to ay abot the imilaritie between the ood narrative

in the Ec o Gigameh and Genei Someone who read

the Babyonian ood tory w ikey nd it intereting or

erha troblng becae o it cear connection to theGenei accont) Bt any qeton like How are we to ay

it eon to or own live' wold be greeted by ch a

reader with ncomrehenion or deron. eon? Why it

wa written by a bnch o Meootamian or thoand

year ago' that ame eron then read what i eentally

the ame tory in the book o Genei bt nd it ll o a

ort o iing doctrinewel ch a eron i either

being dihonet or ha mly aied to recognze a nda-

menta act."

Eegant Babylonia Greece to Ayria' Romeancent


47/180

O Hma are

ye and far from rimtive. ere are no grond for -

oing at a bnc of Meooamian" cod ave ad

noing o tell or cod ave ad nong to intere tebibca wrter for ta mater. We are enrey n e abi

of nding meaning in e writng of ancien Inda or Cna

or Greece. We are ao famlar wt te enomenon of

iterary alon. e Smerian Babyonan and Ayranlood tore are teodicie certanly among te earliet ex-

ame of ti interetng genre. Wy doe caaroe oc-

cr? Wat doe t mean? e nare of te god and eir

exectaon of and feelng oward man beng are ex-lored in tee narratve

Te bblica lood el te tory agan wi cange ta

make i monoetc, tat make te great detrcton God

reone to man violence and not a in te Babylonianverion to te intolerable noe we make. nd o on. God i

loyal o b no becae e deenden on a te

oer god are deenden on man being o feed tem. n

oer word reframng te tory i granng i gven tat

mankind can exerience devaaton and ten interret

ng i in a way at radcaly retate e concetion of God

and manknd med n i Babylonian cre wa ow-

erl and inenta. e Ggame eic wa fond n var-

o form trogo te ancien Near at. t abrd to

imagine at e mot dramatc art of it cold my be


48/180


49/180

O Hma Nte

condond o acc sch cas as lasbl B on

achvs s cs by ssnng an al sa o

knowldg o sly alng o nq no . In HgoGos, h rnownd ay gal hos and scholar wo

a as d On he Th f he Chiian Religin I was

ransad no Engsh any s, bgnnng n h svn-

nh cny. In scons XVI and XVII Gos ags oh rh o Gnss on csy h gronds ha oh

ancn cls had hr own vsons o h sa sos.

Ths sons o ognrs" show ha h os an-

cn ro was so hd aong al naons as h wrngso Moss roca o h wrngs on h Ogn o h

world' whch h hah l bhnd, wr o h os a h

sa aso n h os ancn hsos o h Phoncans . .

arly aso ond aong h Indans and Egyans . . . andh oaon o anals and, lasy o an and ha oo

accordng o h Dvn Iag s nond: and h do-

non gvn o an ov h oh lvng cars whch

yo ay vryh nd n vry any wrs.

I canno cla o hav ond so ch slary as h

dos bwn Gnss and ancn ars n gnral. My

on hr s sy ha wh slas occr hy nd

no b akn o coos h ahoy o h bbcal x,

vn on canno agr wh Gos ha hy can b akn

o ar To addss gl's on o sccay Gro


50/180

O Human Nau

tiu i cay awa o otr ancint Na Ean vion o

t ory o Dug. H ay To tng wc w

rad o wad u by o in icnc o ab ot ancn w ad divrd accordng to rut tat

i agaby o Mo vizBrou n iory o

Cadan; Abydnu n i o t Ayan wo vn

non dov nt ort a do ao Puarc on o Grk." Bou wa a Babyonan orian wo ou

d in fourt and d cnui bo t Coon

Ea Abydnu wa a Gk oan o Ayia wo wo n

t id cnury C Fagn o tir work uviv ino ary .

So tr w ancint ourc avaiab o Grotiu in

ary vnn cnuy wic ad ca Babyonan

and Ayian ad ood naraiv at aad Dugin Gni in o dtai Again tat ti a roo o t

trut o Mo' accoun a Gotu argu i i ta i can n

act b cid in dn o Mo i cay on o qution.

Bu noon vy coon n bbica coai inc t

nnnt cnury iad by a ug at i-

nc o ancnt Mootaian naativ wa a ta-

ting odn dicovy wc u invaby ai doubt

abou t anngun o t critua Dug and abou

ingiy o Scur in gna i cay a T d

cin o caca anng and t caactzaon o


51/180

On Human Natu 9

natu of taditional blif ar bot fator in ontxt k

ti on. Anot fator tat m to m to b qua m

ortant t gat mt and ratona of t modrn tatt a dnamit at t foot of od ro and lv t

n and monumnt Contmt fo t at ul a

ount fo a ontnt failu to onult t

T knd of awd larndn rquid to daw attntion to t biba adatation of t ood naratv n t

E of Gigam a a ntan of wat Wiam Jam

ald t ow of t intt to allow. Agan I mntion

Kugl bau I av i book at and Ti nd of ola- tndng alwa to t am onluon a dominatd

Od Ttamnt tud from t middl of t nntnt

ntur. Kugl' vr at tatmnt tat omon wo tak a

dint vw i itr bng dont o a im faidto ogniz a fundamntal fat t kind of lam to t

nttua ig gound tat a t mot ontnt

fatur of t knd of tougt tat t itlf modn.

T dgr to w dbunking uud a if it w

an urgnt uad at watvr ot to t wat of ingt

into uman natu tat migt om from attndng to t

rod umankind a l and wtout gad fo t ro-

batv tandard olai a w a n ould anw

to, ma wll b t mot rmakab fatur of t modrn

od in intlltual itor.


52/180


53/180

WO

Te Strange HistoryofAltruism

T

gra bra at arat t modn Wtrn

wold rom t domnant adton o lgon and

may t g o onon a row

nto quton t al o aly n w t mnd ar

tat. Do on on ltma tut a lat ontally

o n momnary glm o an xravagan o natu,

bllantly omlx yt ratd and radally ontand byt bology and by l ual nln Po to any amnt

abou t mnd an amon abo nar o

ralty o w t a and w n om dg a

bl o a xn o a knowldg

J


54/180

3 Th Sg Hiy fAuim

Woever conros e denon of mind conros e

deniion of umankind iself and cuure and isory

Tere is someing uniquely uman n e fac a we can

ose quesions o ourselves abou ourseves and quesions

a acuay maer a acuay cange reaiy. Wa we

are wa uman beings are as individuals and in e caego-

res we assign o emour assumions and concusions onese subjecs ave ad enormous consequences wic were

by no means reiaby good

I soud decare a e ouse my own bias I beieve i is

only ruden o make a very ig esmae of uman naurers of al n order o conain e wors muses of uman

naure and en o iberae is bes muses I do no wis o

imy maice or caculaion on e ar of ose wo inss

on a deniion of e mnd erefore e uman ersonwic ends o ower us all in our own esimaion. I mus be

obvious owever a I consider is endency in modern

and conemorary inkng sgnican and also regreabe.

Tere is a caracerisc cerainy a is resen sruc

uray in e kind of oug and wriing o wic I wis o

draw aenion a bodness a diminises is subec. I wi

refer o is as arascienic ieraure. By is rase I mean

a robus and surrisingy conveniona genre of social or

oliica eory or anrooogy a makes is case by ro-

ceeding usng e science of is momen from a genesis of


55/180


56/180

Te tne Hisor oAis

to at a cod ontology to ay w know all w nd to

know n od to a and dn man nat and c-

cmtanc T voc tat av ad T omtng

mo knowldg to b ad byond and ot tan t

knowldg av away bn gt. t on gat

tt contand n t Ggam c and vy ot c

vnt of man togt cntc o loocal olgo t tat t man mnd t yd t ony

vdnc w can av of t ca of man aty. W av

ad a ac n t nv nc t occd to t t of o

c to ak wat o lac mgt b f t anw tatw a an ntng accdnta otcom o t wokng of

yca aw wc a tmlv accdnta t a mc

a tatmnt abot ltmat alty a w w to nd tat

w a ndd a ltt ow tan t ang To ay t noact of bng tat mtayc can manngflly add

a mtayca tatmnt To ay tat mtayc a cl

ta a o manon tat can b t ad ao a

mtaycal tatmnt T noton o accdnt do notng to d myty notng to dmn cal

cond t common accont of t n o mt-

n n t modn wold to b a alty dagno f

n act an mtn cla to o ag t not bca o

t dat o God n t nontan n n wc tat

a ally ndtood. t not bca an bbng


57/180

Tlw 1g Hiory oj" 3

away of fa bfor advanc of cnc a movd

modn xrnc Aumng a ndd a modn

mala on conbng faco mg b xcon of

f l f of mnd fom accon of aly ood

by oddy auorav and dly nnal aacn

c rau a a ong aocad f w nlcual

ogr, and xclon of fl f from var ofoug and a a lc nlunc of accoun

To om xn vn ology a mbacd mov

mn, on nd nam of culam, n odr o blnd

mo oogly no a dand cla landca To gra dg a ology a accommodad aa-

cnc wod vw oo a ndd o fog bay

and rangn of ndvdal ou a , of world a

cvd n cou of a man lf of mnd a x n m Bu bay and angn u

am. And ology r vn wn a abobd a

o and nraon a could aonably b

xcd o kll o T ugg a al f -

w n a lac no acd by doub and aal

Subjcvy ancn an of y and vnc and

long ong oug And lrau a wold d

uc ng f o acnowldg ubcvy ra b-

cau nably a volvd no ncl and mod

T advanc of cnc a c nd no and old no


58/180

36 h S Hoy ofAl

reclude acknowledgment of o indubitabe a feature of rea

iy a human ubjecivity Quanum hyic ha raied very

radica quetion about the egitimacy of the ditincton between ubjectivity and objectiviy. Indeed here i now a

uggeion of the ervaive imortance to the dee ruc-

ture of reaity of omething of a kind with concioune.

The euivene of the mind i a conequence of it cenraywhich i both it oency and i limitaion. The dcuty

wih which objectivity can be achieved to the exen hat it

ever i achieved ony demonrae the ervave mor

tance of ubjectivity. I would argue that he abence of mindand ubjecivity from aracientic ierature i in ome art

a conequence of the fact that he iterature aroe and ook

form in art a a olemic againt reigion And ha er-

ited conciouy or not in a trategy for excuding thoughtof the knd hoiabe o religion from he oibliy of

eaking in i own term mang t own cae Meahyic

in general ha been excuded a he ame ime, even from

hioohy which ince Comte ha been aociaed wh thi

ame roject of excuon The ar have been radicay mar

ginalized. In i treament of human naure he diverity of

cuure i e ou of account erha o faciliate he mak-

ing of anaogie beween our iving eve and our hyohet

ca rimitive ancetor o cenral to their argument who

can ony have been culturay very remote from u indeed


59/180

h ag Hiso oAluism 3

Wn itory i mntiond it i uually to oint to it oli

and rror wic rit to t dgr tat t igt o ci-

nc a not yt an ovr t wo o uman aair

Tr i an odd undniab owr in ti dning o

umanknd by t xcuion o t ting tat in act di

tingui u a a ci or ti xcluion Comt i not to

bam H amouy rood an aborat rituaizd rigiono Humanity t Grand Bing in i aranc Hi tory o

man and ocity a no ir and wa in act uld out o

oitivit tougt o romty and torougly tat no trac

o it can b n. Comt aid tat n i nw ocial ordrcooration among o mut b ougt in tir own

inrnt tndncy to univra lov No caculation o -

intrt can rival ti ocial intinct wtr in romtitud

and bradt o intuition or in bodn and tnacity o ur-o Tru it i tat t bnvont motion av in mot

ca intrinic nrgy tan t But ty av

ti bautiu qualiy, tat ocia i not ony rmit tir

growt, but timulat it to an amot unlimitd xtnt wilit od tir antagonit in contant cck To build a grand

umanim on t oundation o t cinc wa t dram

and obct o i ilooy

No tory contmorary wit u or inuntia among

u woud uggt tat umanknd i caractrizd by an

inrnt tndncy to univral ov." Comt wrot in t


60/180


61/180

he rae Hs Alrism

lpaedia Biannia oaw t volon o man con-

con byond t toogical and mayical tag

and no oivim. T atic ay Wn tat tag a

bn acd not mly ga at bt wo o

o knowldg wi b md wi on caact

caac, namy, o oitvty o cntcan, and a o

concion n vy a o knowdg wll b oogyomogno." T m to m al togt wt on

caact migty n t a o aacnc a

bca t ad t cadl wt looic monim ik

oivm Ti i t di ac ta t tadion omodn tog, owv gooy lconint a no

connt wt on anoxc n t ad im

to nli ndvidal xnc, wic i a a mc a

moiv a a conqnc of t go Wlam Jam, in anay on Hgl, ay a lt at oo monim,

k all ligon o t on tng ndl, nd by lizing

and occding mind o i blv. Pa t

omting abo a tiizd and occldd mind a i

tongly aociad wt mionay zal, an imatn nd

o nt biv, to bng ot nto t old T zal i

ano caactiic o tat av calld aaci-

nic a ond n t obc and gloy o Com y-

tm, altm, an ovabl anomaly and an itan

w a acttion o mntic o cion


62/180

h ang H f Ausm

woud no hr ha dsi hir dagogica on hs

rachns ar on inndd for hos who ar in h fod

arady an o rassur h as o h wisdo and acua

viru of hir bing hr Mahus's Theory of Population

ook is auhoriy fro a forua xrssing a suosd raio

of h growh of ouaion o h incras of arab and His

conoraris saw cary nough wha h iicaionsus b for socia oicy ha h ius o inrvn in h

suring of h oor, an ius ha was undr foridab

conro aong h in any cas coud if acd uon yid

ony grar suring aong h oor givn h inviabiis o ouaion siz Mahus had sd o xrss so

objcivy. Darwin faousy inuncd by Mahus ad

h coiion for iid rsourcs an na univrsa

rinci of if and in The Descent of Man, fodd ribawarfar ino h rocsss of vouion a noion which

shd nicy wih cooniais and wih h high s in

which Euroans of h riod hd hsvs To rocd

fro Pr ownsnds obsrvaions of ovrouaion and

sarvaion aong dogs srandd on an isand sockd wih

sh o h obsrvd fac of sarvaion aong h owr

casss in Briain o a forua ha aks sarvaion s

inviab as Mahus didsing asid vry racica qus

ions abou h disribuion of rsourcs raisd by Ada

Sih and ohrsis an insanc of arascinic rasoning.


63/180


64/180

Hsy tris

ntially lnrd n a naow n o ta rm. By

word aim," atisme n nc, Com inndd a

dvoon o wlar o ot wic wa o ll

lac o bi n God t mty by m o cinic

oivm. In aracinc lra word alway a-

a n a conxt tat qion w altrim i oib

o dabl, o wt aarn ntanc ar ra or wavival bnt migt b conrd by i ta wod accont

o t ndniabl ritnc among cain inc coloni

Hbt Snc an imoan arir contbor o

aacintic lat, in om dg an xction In Data o Ethi bid in ak

amd by Comt dnding gom in on cat and

am n nxt H argmnt o gom Darwnian:

T law a ac crat all tak bn and vil oi own na b ty o drivd rom ancty or o

d to rodcd modcaon a bn aw nd

wic l a vovd ar and i m conin to b t

law owv mc ar i may vov. Watv qali-

caton naal cor o action may now o a

ndgo a qaicaton tat cannot, wiot ata ,

ntially cang . Any arangmn wic in a conidr

ab dgr vn ioy om roting by

wad o roiy or ld inroy om v t

ntailay arrangmnt wic nd o mak it a w to


65/180

1c e Hoy of/

b nor a to por; r arangmnt damtrcaly

oppod to t pogr o oganaton and t cng o

a g l" H go on to m a ca or lm bad

on ndrtandng o rprodcton among t mplt

bng," wc, ay, abtlly mltpy by pontno

on." H not tat tog t ndvdalty o t par

nt nom or otr protooon ot n cng to bngl yt t old ndvdl contn to xt n c o t

nw ndvda Wn owv ppn gnally wt

t malt anma an ntval o qcnc nd n t

bang p o t wol body nto mnt pat, ac owc t grm o a yong on, w t pant ntry

acrcd n ormng pogny."

Spnc ng two mod o cntc togt avalabl

to m n t lat nntnt cnty Dawnan voton andt obvd dvon o nglcl nma to xpan t

ogn o two appanty conctng cal mp o val.

Havng n a n gtmd tm bot by man o t

toog xpond on t cal, ocal, and ntllctalbnt and dclt aoctd wt ac on pocdng n

t way pacntc gmn typcaly pocd Som all-

on to t cnc o t momnt d a t ondaton o

xtapoaton and conclon tat al a otd t boad

t dnton o cnc. t to Spncr' crdt nvrtl

tat acknowdg complxty n t ntanc. Atrm a


66/180


67/180

The trae stry Altusm 45

and it co im and ngy It m to b altuiic What

n bn can b ataind by giving anohr individua

good infomaion? Rviwing th original argumn of Rich

ard Dawkin and John Kb Mi ta Evoution canno

favo aruiic informaionharing any mor han i can

favo aruiic foodhaing Thrfor mo anima ig

na mu hav volvd to maniula th bhavio of anohanimal for h ignar own bnt.' And ohr anima hav

vovd to ignor thm bcau it didn' ay to i o

maniulaor" Ego i m w aon among h animal

hav anguag Why h comlxiy of anguag and ouradtn in h u of it? Gazzaniga ay Coniding hi

conundrum Mi oo tha languag comxi

volvd for vrbal courhi Thi ov th aruim roblm

by roviding a xua ayo for oqun aking by hmal and th fma" So infomaiv ch i at il of

rnting h hori wih an inanc in which a akr

confr bnt to anothr a cot o himf Bu wait! Th i

maniuaion! Th i xua ayo! Do thi anwr h

quion about h cot of haring information? No Nvr

thl ou natu i dnd a if dtrmind by h natu of

hyohica imitiv, humanik in hi abiity o hav

and giv informaion bu nding nih u nor aur in

doing o5

Thi i on inanc of h fac that oib aruim can


68/180

46 Th tn sty f Atuim

b dtctd in many kind o uman bavior and tat

wr it i vn aarntly dtctd it i obviatd by labora

tion o tory tat woud av conqunc or t undr-

tandng o imortant voutonary uar bonding

or aml or t arly itory o t animal braninc

anima uody ad a caacity or manulaton unti it

wa ctd agant. Carming a t noton i tat ourrotovrbal anctor ound mat troug oqunt roto-

co to av bn a y on t wa!it a vry rary

bn t ca tat ol av ad a ool o lgb otr to

ct among on t bai o om lang trait. Endogamyor rtrctd ogamy among mal grou t bartring o

daugtr and tatu condration a com nto ay. t

on m tat Amrican antroologit orgt ow uid

our cultur and ow ctona our marriag cutomar globay and itoricay. Pyramu and Tb Eo

and Abard, Romo and Jult, vn i ty ad livd and

wr abl to rroduc woud av bn ar too ctional

to av inuncd t gn ool. And condr to ani-mal wo wr caab o maniulation and tn caab o

ndrnc to t o tat t caacity for t add away. How

did ti inital comty ari? Do anmal now av any

comarabl ngt nto t motiv o otr? T nuro

cintit tnd to ay no, toug uc ingt woud m to

conr a markd urvva advantag Tr mor tan a


69/180


70/180

The Sange it fAltuim

aw wa attd and ad lot an y, and a t wa

f wa ndd an f t oud uly ugg damag

o t ban. Bu ogt wt atona and con

c mnut a t accdnt akn o ugg n

tad a omow ban cad njuy xc to o

at of t cbal cox ta ad, tl n, k m fom

bng tful vnt and goly ofan. " H watwnyv at t tm of accdnt Dd av dn-

dn? Dd av o? T quton m o m of

mo tan novltc nt n undtandng t ag and

conon at mgd n m a covd.6How oddly otyd ancdo oug any

numb of tllng It a f t w a M. Hyd n u all

tat would mg utng xtv f ou fonal ob

wnt t to tan m If any knd of languag uman and cuual t uy go ofanty and a ta

vnc wc mu av vnc a a fo o man

anytng a a If to Vctoan bavo md lk t

mgnc of nn avag undtandab noug

But fom ou vantag, t fac at Gag wa uddny d

gud and alf blnd tat ud a oongd nfcon

of t ban and at t took muc ong o cov

amna" accodng o Gazzanga mgt account fo om of

ofanty wc a all cutu and anguag av

ad fo uc occaon But t at of Gag ban


71/180

Te trne ty f Altrum 9

w damag aumd by modrn wit to av bn

locazd blivd to b t at o t motion. To

t ogic r unclar to mi waing and rvling

t avn coud not man wat t man wn t t o u

do t Damaio gv xtnv attnton to Gag oring t

tandard intrtaton o t ortd cang in i carac

t. H ct at om ngt t ca o a modn PinaGag a atnt wo w ntctually undamagd ot

i abity to coo t mot advantagou cou o ac

tion Gag iml bavd dimally n i comromid

ablity to lan o t utu to conduct im according tot ocal u vouly ad land, and to dcd on

t cou o action tat utmaty would b mot advan-

tagou to urvival T am coud ctainly b aid a

w o Catan Aab. So a Mlvll mant to rootat ogan o vnaton wa locatd in t g. My oint

bing tat anot ror contxt o t ntrrtation o

na Gag migt b ot wo av ud go inult

to t body caly to wo av bn digud by tAnd in jutic to Gag t toucng act i tat wa m-

oyd continually unti nal iln No on cond

wat mgt av bn t action o otr o to im

wn i moving rom job to jobi ony n bd cu-

ing and rtabtyattact and diarobation.

troub t dut o oo na Gag only to mak t


72/180

The Strane ty fAltum

oint tat n ronting of i aiion r i no

n a a a wa a man bng wo tog and f

a man wi a inga and rib fat n t abn of an

aknowdgmnt of i bivity i raion o di

at i atd a ndang damag o rbal man

y not to i rot o fa or lfov. t a f

n lling t a t wrtr aiat in t abn ofomaiona imagination of bnvoln tat y oit

for ir kind. And t i anot on a w Ti an

dot far oo imotant o t tatmnt abot mnd

and abot man na. t ogt no o b t nt of anyargmnt abo o imoran a qion a ba of

man nar too mo n m too rnologal in it

inia drion, oo lkly o b ontaminatd by na

tionalim o av any wigt a vdn A w ally tobv a Gag wa not n ain ding o tirn yar

ni i da? How did at trrib xi wond n i k

rolv? No onlion an b drawn x at n a

man rad to v yal tama mor o a a man

living in mg b xd to do T totyd

aaran of ti ando t atilar nd and

o wo abn t a ov and onon a i

drawn fom it a a ft dmontaon of drn

btwn araini tinkng and aa in.

So oml a tim of on mod of og a t


73/180

he tge Hitor otim

noDarwnsts nvision as t look o dsoaton to som

wtrs n t d t sam dsoation tat Comt osaw

H ard tat a wolly ational and scintcal ndrstand

ng wod xcd rom t wold mc tat is bst n it and

mc tat s ssntial to a man ndrstanding o t. As

Comt did bo m E 0. Wilson a wllsctd xm

la o tis gnr as oosd a nw consiinc tat winic bot scinc and arts and manits by ntgat-

ing tm a taty rooss in t cors o asstng a

tory o t man mind tat is notably nndly to is

rojct. H says A tat as bn larnd mically abotvotion in gnral and mntal rocss in atica sg

gsts tat t bran s a macn ssmbld not to nd

stand ts bt to sviv Bcas ts two nds a bas

cally dint t mnd nadd by actal knowldg omscnc ss t word ony in lttl ics t trows a sot

ligt on tos ortons o t wold t mst know n odr to

v to t nxt day and srnds t st to darknss Fo

tosands o gnatons o vd and rrodcd wit

no nd to know ow t macny o t brain woks

Myt and sdcton tbal idntity and ta mo

tan obctv trt gav tm t adativ dg

Wn xacty did t mind bgin to b aidd by actal

knowdg om scinc? W s t vidnc tat rsc

ntic o s t word only in ittl cs? s


74/180

The Srane tr f Atum

aking o Hodou Dan Miclanglo Sakar

Do knowng ow maciny o brain wok"

and, in ac w i do no know ow workav any

imlicaon o civ u o mind nk cinc

a and umanii av a d, ong oo in uman

cuu and av ad o milnna Ganing briianc

o cinc a no ground o noon a in bi iory i a anomd uman concioun in

way Wilon dcib T narown o Wion' vw o

uman ory m a o ugg a arociam a

ollow om a bl n cinc a a knd o magc a i id aar om iory and culu, rar an bing in

objcv u and nvably i oduc

Fo aon i in i ooal imlici aum-on a cinc in i rn a i l dy und unac

knowdgd cuural inlunc an i a bn ocally

a i r w no a ory bind i own wold vw on

a dly inom wrng Ganing a Won qual

icaon vay cd Snc and o o many wrir

in gnr, c om nomoogy o uman naur

i ong noug, and aiuln o aracinic convn-

on i co noug, a I l no aion in lacing On

Humn Nu and Conilin in am comany w

Th Dt of hi and Th Dn of Mn ar an wi


75/180

Te Ste ty f Atm

say Discorse on Method or The Origin of Specie. T cul-

tura contamnaton to wc scnc s most vnrabl s

t nd tat sms to t wt not to b cultural at al to

b nstad commonsnsca or nstanc t vry Wstn,

vry modn xcuson o subjctvty om t account to b

mad o uman natu.

Wlam ams poposd an opn pstmoogy usngt nd o languag avaabl to psycoogy bor t pos-

tvst pug, appalng to xprnc, to subctvty. H sad

Woso pataks o a tng noys s sar and comsnto contact wt t tng and ts otr partakrs. But

cams no mo Hs sa n no ws ngats t tng or

tr sar no dos t prcud s posssson o r-

srvd and prvat powrs wt wc ty av notngto do, and wc a not a absobd n t m unc-

ton o sang Wy may not t wold b a sort o

pubcan banqut o ts sort w a t quats o

bng rspct on anotrs prsona sacrdnss yt st att common tabl o spac and tm ngs cor

but t act o coson ts mps but w condtons,

and lavs t st o tr quacatons ndtrmnat .

. pats actually nown o t unvs may com-

pot many day possbl compmnts But as t acts

ar not t compmnts, so t nowldg o on s not


76/180

Th tn ty Altum

nowdg o t ot n anying bu w nc

ay mnt o wic a mut arta in odr to b

tog at a

T i conint anguag too and awar ta i i.

Exiciy igou and oiica anguag o a nd ta

woud b ama to a nintntcnuy Amcan audi-nc a wigbaring mnt in actcu o x

nc oo H ay w now anying n t way and

o t dg ta w ncoun it and no owi To

cam mor i to tnc uon a dr idnty a unowab by u a ym o conngnci a inr in t

obc o ncountr and cannot b xcudd om it raty

and wic w no b acd by xtaoation om wa

w now about it oug ou xnc. Nor may tobv im b abobd ino i univ, a in ac-

cting dntion it mu ncay dn im Ti i

anguag at accod uncanniy w wt ida o ind-

rminacy n modrn yc in intgating wat w owabout aiy wt t awarn ta unowabiity i

rt ting about ay at mu b acnowdgd. Jam

ubid ay in wic aa in

In boo On Hman Nare ubd in E. 0.

Wion do a on oint acowdg t gat comxiy


77/180

The trne tory of Atuim

o human behavo. He ay Only technque beyond our

eent magnng could hoe to acheve even he hortterm

edcon o he deaed behavo o an ndvdua human

beng and uch an accomlhment mght be beyond the

caacy o any concevable nellgence.1 a enough

Thee comment on comexty have he mac o actua

cence about hem becaue hey acowledge the mac otaege o meauremen and o the neet a we a he

mere reence o an oberver. He n eor when he aoc-

ae hee thng wh the Heenbeg unceanty rnce

but or one aagrah he doe cnowledge the wod ocentc awarene we have ved n o the at centuy.

Sl here how he nteet a ecc nd o behavor

he call ocoe" ltum tha he nd whoe bene

edound to the atu and nea n athe han to h trbeor naon. Tha he chooe o gve h ubjec a chater n a

boo on human naue te a cuual choce one made

by Sencer beoe hm nce the obty o ruly ee

behavo ha been a ont o dute n h gene nce well

beore Augute Comte Won ay Socore arum . . .

ultmaey elh. The atut exect ecocaon rom

ocety o hme or h cloet elatve H good behavor

cacuang oen n a wholy concou way and h ma-

neuver are ochetated by the excucatngly ntcae anc

ton and demand o ocety The caacty o ocore


78/180

6 Te tn y f Atm

altrui can b xctd o hav vovd rariy by c

tion of ndividual and to b dy nuncd by th va

gari of cutura voution ychoogcal vhic a

lyng rtn, and dci including fdci bcau h

acor or convncing who bliv ha hi rfoanc

al" Mcha Gazzaniga ha anlatd hi inight nto

ohoorak: Evyon xc for of cou) i ahyoci I aarny i ju air to fro th outid

than th nid. A w jut and, to ull hi o t h

no o conciouy know tha you a uing a fat on,

bcau hn you w hav anxty and hu l chancof gtng butd." Svn Pnk tak a din viw Th

i a book h ay tha coain hat if au accodng

o biologt i ju hing kn o xchangng favor, both of

which v h ntr of on gn i woud no ral baltui ar all but o knd of hyocriy Thi oo a

xu . . . Gn a a ay wihn a lay, no th ntro

onoogu of th layr. So for h ou conciou ov

a ny diinct fo th biologcal raiy hat acualy

ot bhavor. Thi i a high c o ay for xcuaion,

in i way h ula atn of th odrnit iul to

dicdit h win of h ind.

or Wion di h ntion of anuvr and x

crucaingy intrica anction and vagar of cuua vo

uon colxty i a forgottn. It a ociobioogi


79/180

Th Ste Hty f Aum 57

can brng h rcv to bar on hyohtca acton o a

arcuar knd wthout rrnc o th crcumtanc n

whch hy mght occur and wthout what n th crcum

anc mu b calld th obrvr rudcng th ru o

h hyohtcal obrvaton No on nqurng o an al

tru hould om ndvdual nanc o h gnral h

nomnon b ound. Should h rort ohr motv han hocobologt obrvd n hm w hav arady bn cau

tond agant th yng rtn dct and dct to

whch h kndh world ovr aarntlyar ron

Evry mngy ll ac ray a mattr o qud ro quowhthr t occur n ancnt Mootama or modrn Jaan

W mut al know th nc accordng to Won w a u

tratg o dcton o conca our tru motv rom on

anothr. But w do a know t how can t b hat w xco dcv on anohr? What account or th mul o

conca a cacuu ar xchangh gnrou act and t

ocally dtrmnd rwardaumng th wha atrum

raly amoun o?Hrbrt Sncr had arrvd at th concuon a cntury

arlr that arum ha t rward Yt h concd th

obly o truly bhavorwhch h ay a-

tndd by mor han mr rcrocty Tho [acton

whch brng mor han quvaln ar tho not romd

by any hough o quvalnt For obvouy t th on


80/180

8 The Srane ty fAlrum

tan o otow of good nat not n t largr act of if

only bt n all it dta wic gnat in to arond t

attacmnt romting ntind bnvonc." Sncr

otr i vry bit a ca a Wilon'. H vry bit a

caab of ndtanding tat atrm bring t rtn

blic at form k coa at bayand yt can

ao allow for tr gnoity Hi litt otrait of good na-tr m amot Dicknian in t contt frank notic of

t fact of man commnity and t lar of it a

conidration raby miing fom t ociobiological rck

onng of motv and bavio. Ti may imy b a conqnc of i writing mo tan a cnty bfo Wam

Hamilton mad cotbnt anayi x b < r-

ortng to ow tat kini atim cold b bogt n

dr t agi of lfintrt by t ndrtandng tat tnancd t likliood of rvival of on' gn t fo

ma by wic t monm wa acivd. Ovr t yar

old altrim t caton of t Comtan oitvit ytm

ad volvd into an inbodnat datm in t gand

cm of ationa lfintrt darng to trob vn Da

win imlf wo fond it among b inay by man of a

matmatical formla t trt wa rvald and t

t of t ytm cod

I nd it ard to biv tat kini atrim wa wr

t al myty ay owv inc t w to liv on in on'


81/180

The re Hry f Arum

dndan no nal, vn if t wod in w t

xrd av ad imprimatr Hamilton' foma may

av mad gnroiy of fam oward ti mmbr

omnibl to t Dawnian mind, b only an

t robm of rang altrim wi do on aa

wn a nd ab to l i mad nown Mot of

av ngagd at om tim in imagnativ at of idnaon wit t mrid o ing W a t on

nog in balad and novl and lm rmably nng

o aaty fo lfdon od not ta at r

ar alid gam oy to obm of tangraltim and word og roblm o t own a-

fation Ty d t on dlmma w, o

oor man m liabl to av jdd otom,

in t givn of ta gam a a lay ri o nd aoion lat amfl o mot bnal to imlf. 3

Wilon o yng n, d and, iay

fdt o xlan ralty bnd manf bavo

an imortan at n wi Won a tan on an inon of modn ta no yt aarn in Snr A

nal tn of t modn wold vw ta w do not

now or own mnd, o own motiv or own dr.

Andan motan oollaytain wlad or

d now tm av on of ron of t tt-

mony of indvdal onon and xrin among ,


82/180

Th Sang Hoy ofAlruism

nd this s one eson i hs fen silent. We he een

pesuded h it is perued wness. This s h re pont

of coneence on the ey dierse schoos Freudins

nd ehois fo exple ht he een clled od-

ern nd s conseuences he een ey e If see to

conrdic ysef syin n he rst pce ht sujece

experience is excluded fo hs eture nd then ht spuned n t ths contrdcton s itsef fetue of he

enre. Wson nds n he expeience of the lust lyn,

pretense nd decei" Grnin ht he hs sid one thin

hee iesfor ephss supposehe hs neeheessdescried he inense nd clcultin nterior ste of one

who entures eneous c ste which since includes

een sefdeceit disules he or h fo repoin n

other set of ntenions. h eidence does Wson oer forthe uh of wh he sys? None ll. He ony ipuns

conry eidence he pesstn deluson on us ht we

ouseles do soeies ct fo enerous otes nd e

lee tht we see ohes ct fo the. Ths is lso ypcl of

prscienic uent.

ruis hs een nd s s n ssue ecuse Dwns

eouiony heoy hs consideed t to e one. Why woud

lrus persst s i when eoluion would necessly

seec nst the conferin of ene o nohe cos to

oneself? Hlton's rule is houh o he esoed the ssue


83/180

The Sane ty fAum 6

y the powe o costenet anayss A scenaro noln

the escue o a drownn chld deonstates atheat-

cay wthout the shtest refeence to anythn that has

happened o ht happen n the eal wold that a paent

woud e kely to rescue a chd o hs own snce that chld s

presuay the eae o ha hs parents enetc nhertance

possly ncudn the enetc predsposton to altus.To uote ee an Duatkn andchlden ae n need o

rescue the net enet eceed y the atust s cut n half

and so on as the deee o consanunty dnshes. 4 Note

the possy naow set o actors n pay hee. The potental cost () s not the aueeen enetc aluenested n

the chld y the escuer and potentally lost y h ut only

the sk to the escues own physca wellen. No s the

potenta enet () the eotona one of recoern thechd or een of feen adequate to a ctcal stuaton ut

only ofenhancn the kehood that a ene w sure nto

another eneraton

ths s plausle the eperence and testony o

huanknd s not to e credted electon and eoton

ae ony the eans y whch the enes that hae colonzed us

anpuate us fo ther purposes. ow ae we to e ocated

n al ths? What ae we f we ust e ed and seduced

y usory sensatons we ca loe or couae or eneoence?

Why need ou enes conue these ette anels when pre


84/180

6 Th Sag Hsy f Alum

suby the species o tods nd butteries whose wys e

sid to deonstrte the power o Hiltons ue oush

whout the? Wht re we" i our hopes o ousees re

hiher thn or contrry to the rety by which we re in

ct oened? these eens re so stron or us tht our

true otes wted the con o sociobooy n orde to

be reeled to us ht not the hope o these usory re-wrds he beun t soe pont to unction s ou true

otie one tht woud tend to express itsel (ien the n

tue o the decepton) in wys tht were ltruistc in the

odinry sense o the word? And ssuin tht terites rewthout iuson does ths possbility not crete probe

or Hitons rue nsor s it is tken to be description

o both terte nd hun behior? these inrttn

deceits nd delusons wee clled by kinder nes theyiht see to rue or the knd o hin theoloy cs

ensouent. The socled illusions deusons deceptions

nd seldeceptions bout which pscience s project is

so nclined to et ke up et prt o the rin be

tween ourseles nd the othe cretues ht we cll ou

hunity. And wi ue they re the ipicit subject o

tht proect So cley they he n potnt reity They

e whteer ese the wokins o ou species erkble

brn To excude the o considertion n n ccount o

hun nture kes no sense t ll.


85/180

The te Hi fA

The Hmiton equion descries circumsnce ht s

eniely theoetc nd netly so. nstnces o this idel

test the drownin chld mined y B S Hldne no ess

he chid who is o e rescued or no y kin o strnes

would e too e mon possiy lrusc eents to

suppor enerlizton. Do eldey mohers o unrescued

ein pst their chiderin yes Do ehes un ntournin houses ookn o kih nd kin In how mny in-

snces woud hose dsposed o trusm de n he escue o

sners whose eneic procliies were entirely unkown

o them Then how likey would e th ene o ruismwould persis n populton en Hmiton's ccoun o

Whethe he omu cn e ppied o ees nd ermites

nd nked moe rs is judmen h cn e e ony to

speciiss houh the oserer eec mus e ssumed to en ply mon specilists oo. And eder n ths ierue

hs no moe chnce o tesn he ldty o thei ose

tions hn she hs o splitn phoon

We he een old o disllow he nense nd emoionsujectie consdeons humn uist is likely to pon-

der nd to do so n deeence o mthemcl ormu th

cn nee e mde sujec to ny es n humn popu-

ton t is consisten wih he enre o pscence howee

ht ths ormul s ppled wih ret condence to he

nture o ou speces Hmilon himsel sd he rezed


86/180

6 h Sg Hoy of Alum

fro coon experence tht uniersity people soeties

dont rect well to coon sense nd in ny cse ost of

the stened to it hrder if you rst intdte the wth

eutons" 5 If one y ude fro the ipct of his eu-

tion on his ed this is certiny true. Hilton's rule is

relly the trnsorction of stteent Thos Huxey

hd de century before hi If his foru is tken seriousy, t precudes ny other concusion thn tht truis,

where it occurs t l occurs within fiies on ccount of

the seshness" of ene. Tht s it occurs ony in crcu

stnces tht reduce s fr s possible the deree to which thebehor cn be ced truistic not n order to rene the

denition of the word but in order to ke the phenoe-

non see ssibe to theory

Spencers enton of the prent infusoriu," Freudsention of the stores of lbido by ens of which the ces

of the so re ttched to one nother," for tht tter

Auuste otes ponderin the physooy of the brn

such thins he ent uthoriy to phosophies tht in turn

deepy inuence the thouht of subseuent enertons. 6

And by dint of sheer historcl iportnce they he eit-

ized stye of ruentthe use of frents of wht in

the writers oent is tken to be scientic truthto eer

e the brodest stteents on the rest subjects.

Thinkers ike Rchrd Dwkns nd Dne Dennett t


87/180

Te g str f Alism 6

tute the unerse n ll ts omplety to dent In ths

ew dent denes oe tme the ne o the posse

euse rumstnes deelop whh rete n eet o op-

tmzton n enhned sutty o e oms o surl

nddul nd enet n whtee ondtons petn Not

surpsnly Dennett lkens ths poess to n lorthm

The nete tetons o ton on one hnd nd see-ton on the other he yeded ll tht ests or hs ee

ested. The humn mnd s one more ey splendd prod-

ut o these tetons O ourse Dennett ssumes tht the

humn mnd ws nd s pooundly won out ts onsnd ntue. Ths n e tue despte the unsentmentl

workns o ntu seleton euse new lyer hs een

superdded to ety y Dennett Dwkns nd others to

low or the nomlous hter o the rn/mnd. Thsentty o phenomenon s lled the meme y noy to the

ene It s selsh nolonzn peson o ultu

onept de o memory tht sues y prolertn m-

pntn tsel n othe rns Dwkns sys Empes omemes e tunes des thphses othes shons wys

o mkn pots or uldn rhes ust s enes popte

themseles n the ene pool y epn om ody to ody

spems or es so memes popte themseles n the meme

pool y epn om rn to rn poess whh n

the od sense n e ed mtton He uotes hs o


88/180

66 The nge Hioy of Alrim

leue N. Huphrey Mees should e rerded s i

n srucues not just etphoiclly u technicy When

you pln ferte ee n y nd you itery prsitze

y in turnin i ino ehicle for he ees prop

ion in just the wy h us y prsitze he enetic

echnis of hos ce And hs isnt just wy o kin

he ee for sy eef in ife er deth is cuyreized physicy illons of tes oer s strucue in

he nerous systes of ndidul en the word oer." 7

The ee is not notion I cn dsss ou of hnd. I

sees o e to descre s well s nyhin does the odu-e persisence nd inuence of the ene of writn I he

ced prscienc hs piece of edence for s reity

h not pese s orinors who wys see to ssue

their own unty fro the iusons nd dsrcons hplue he est of us Sil wre s I th Einsteins

cosooic consn ws s of sort of fude n his

iew lunder I wiln o concede h this de cnnot

e whoy disceded y s oious usefuness to those whohe poposed i It does rse quesions wihn he es of

her conceptu uniese howeer. Fo eple e us sy

truis s ee inepcy perssten s other rs

ssocted wih elon re so. hen is here ny need o

ke enec o socioiooicl ccoun o i? If s pupose

is to he p in susinin eted ees y whch it


89/180

The Stra1g Hisory f Alm 6

woud lo be uned, u ly o elou o-

uny woud be dependen on e poe o Dwnn

eleon epeened n e eoe eue/noneue o

e downn ld

To pu e queon n oe enel e e ole o e

ee n ool o ou o oun o e un

nd nd e pouou elne o u nd eo, ene nd yoloy, bde n nd oen , oe

e poon nd oee wn e be nee

o e on nd e pee. en wy ue ene

b o ny un beo Mee would ppe o epun ee o de dependeny on ou ene, nd o be

be o do o poenlly wee ey e no ye done o n

f. And un Hoo pen e unque n

expeene o ee oonzon doe eoy no ep oen be ed un ue,

en qule o unknd e unque o u nd no

o be ouned fo by noe beween ouele nd e

yenope Sooboloy, w dependeny on du- neoDwn, du o eonle w ee no

poel, eeon, ly onou ee w, n e

oy e oeow ned o ow ou pyl bn o

oode e own ul nd popon. Only on-

de e pyoo nd oel onequene o oe b

ed of ou n e o enl nd nn oly e


90/180

68 T Sang Hiy Aluim

heplessness of infnts, nd the iportnce to us of cuture

on other thins. Does not this theory iplicitly rin

ze enesed ccounts of hun ehior?

Mees nd Hitonin enes do resee ech other,

thouh ony s stone reseles n oyster. They dier n tht

the rst hs sttus tht is soethin ess thn hypothetic,

whie, of course enes re ctul nd re thorouhy ppednd studed. The trits of this notion ee n nicey

with the Hitonin ide of seshness tht is, the de

tht ke the ene the ee ipcts the orniss functon

nd ehor to perpetute its own exstence throuh enertions. Grntin tht such n entity s ee woud he n

interest n the sur of the one speces tht cn sere s the

ehice of its spred nd perpetution in inddu cses ths

is cery t odds with the person surl of hun einsTo choose n illustrtion of the point t rndothe Horst

Wesse Lied, son written in ceerton of fen cordes

y youn n who ws hisef ssssinted ws, o to

spek n iportnt odern crrier of tht ncient ee

nd kier ofyoun en, dulce et decorum estpro patria mori

think it is enerlly eieed tht the rtyrdos of ery

hristins dd uch to nchor ther reion n the culture of

the Mediterrnen word The est cse to e de for the

correctness of the noton tht there re indeed ees nd

tht they do ndeed perpetute thesees in hun cuture


91/180

Th Sag Hisy f Am 9

oer e woud e he poency hey cqure in he ery c

o he desrucon o he youn nd sron. Wen cons or

nions urn on ech oher hose who win lose ro he poin

oiew o he speces n desroyn he eneic welh oher

dersres nd no selshness howeer eered y equ-

ions inerenes o lii he losses we s species suer.

My pon is h despie superci resence eween he hypoheic ee nd he hypoheiclly se-

ish ene owed no dou o heir shred neecu per-

ny ech heory oies he oher or es crees ny

nuer o dspued oundres eween he This woulde neresin nd nohin ore hn neresn he neo-

Drwnis o Hion Dwkins Denne nd ohers did

no oer isel s onis s he one hin needu he one

sucien ccoun or iery eeryhn rus hsseeed o e he red ede o Drwnis worry o T. H

Huey nly ucked ou o sih y Hions oru

why shoud hey e so unperured y he c h hese

ihy ees rnn heir esence here or he pur-

poses o ruen proide n lerne ccoun or he

whole o hun ehor? Wy wr? Dc dcrm s

Why uis? is ore essed o e hn o receie.

Wence he onds o iy? oe he der siler h

shines in her hir d he row h s wrnked nd ur-

rowed wih cre


92/180

0 Th Sang Hsoy o Alm

A, ut wht is the oriin of these ees? Once sh-

n ws ht out where e ws to e found nd

eiion ws up nd unnn But ood ny hun e

hos nd cutu pttens run counter to eon or he

no cler source in it n ny c

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Absence of Mind: the Dispelling of Inwardn - Marilynne Robinson