Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 20:54:56 -0600
Subject: Re: Ataraxia


Steve:

I agree with you about Darwin. But isn't the problem, from a Darwinian
perspective, simply to explain why the religious meme is so strong. 

I certainly didn't mean to imply that religion is all sweetness and
light. Simply, I meant that there must be positive elements or the meme
wouldn't have replicated itself this long.

What I am attempting to say is that I think religion has a positive
element that can be reconstructed in a material way and thereby offer
something to us of value. The buddha wasn't necessarily a fascist.

I am not proposing this in place of politics or saying that the economic
situation is not paramount. I agree with you on both counts.

It may be the residual existentialist in me, but I think that even in a
just, equal, democratic society there would still be the question of how
am I to live?  and that ultimately, no political or economic system can
answer that question.  

I agree that a better political or economic system will allow for more
human flourishing, but I don't think it is enough.

I would also say the same things about art and literature as well. there
seem to be things in this world politics can't explain, even though
today there is certainly a need for politics.

eric