Post by hchang on Jan 18, 2015 7:45:55 GMT
1. Why was Socrates sentenced to death?
Socrates was sentenced to death because he was accused of not believing in the gods, for Socrates had been pursuing knowledge which people during his time were unfamiliar with. Socrates was also accused of corrupting the Athenian youths by spreading his thoughts and wisdom to the citizens. This is shown when Socrates was defending himself in court, the book writes: “‘Socrates,’ it says, ‘acts un- justly in corrupting the youth, and in not believing in those gods in whom the city believes, but in other strange divinities.’” However, I believe this is only an excuse for his accusers to punish Socrates, for Socrates had humiliated them by saying that they possess no wisdom. Therefore, the real reason that Socrates was sentence to death is because he had offended too many people. Those who had been offended by Socrates pretended that they know everything while in fact they know nothing, and Socrates simply pointed out the truth. In the book, Socrates says: “For they[the accusers] would not, I think, be willing to tell the truth that they have been detected in pretending to possess knowledge, whereas they know nothing.” Even though the accusers has no right to sentence Socrates to death, they had been brainwashing the citizens with the idea that Socrates is guilty. The false rumors possibly affected the judges’ votes, so Socrates was sentenced to death as his accusers wished. Thus, the reason Socrates was sentenced to death was that his truthful words had offended others and those people wanted revenge.
2. Why is there a conflict (for some) between science and religion?
For some people, there is a conflict between science and religion possibly because they think that the scientific explanations make their spiritual experiences less significant. As the book explains eliminative materialism: “…we ‘eliminate’ the gods or spirits in favor of more precise and accurate physiological explanations.” This suggests that we try to analyze phenomenons with scientific measures. In other words, spiritual explanations that can not be physically interpreted are not being considered. The book also writes: “…the fundamentalist he or she is not trained to severely doubt interior revelations of truth, primarily because they appear so real when they occur.” This indicates that the inner experience they had gone through should not be challenge of its truthfulness, and that the experience is only subjected to them. The conflict between science and religion that some may feel occurs when they believe that their spiritual experience caused by their beliefs is far more complicated and important to be explained with neuroscience. However, I believe that the example of Feynman mentioned in the book can resolve the conflict: “…a physicist’s understanding of a flower doesn’t detract from its beauty, but only adds to it…” I think if spiritual experiences are view respectively with scientific and religious methods the conflict would not exist, for changing the perspective of examining a matter can only add meaning to it.
Socrates was sentenced to death because he was accused of not believing in the gods, for Socrates had been pursuing knowledge which people during his time were unfamiliar with. Socrates was also accused of corrupting the Athenian youths by spreading his thoughts and wisdom to the citizens. This is shown when Socrates was defending himself in court, the book writes: “‘Socrates,’ it says, ‘acts un- justly in corrupting the youth, and in not believing in those gods in whom the city believes, but in other strange divinities.’” However, I believe this is only an excuse for his accusers to punish Socrates, for Socrates had humiliated them by saying that they possess no wisdom. Therefore, the real reason that Socrates was sentence to death is because he had offended too many people. Those who had been offended by Socrates pretended that they know everything while in fact they know nothing, and Socrates simply pointed out the truth. In the book, Socrates says: “For they[the accusers] would not, I think, be willing to tell the truth that they have been detected in pretending to possess knowledge, whereas they know nothing.” Even though the accusers has no right to sentence Socrates to death, they had been brainwashing the citizens with the idea that Socrates is guilty. The false rumors possibly affected the judges’ votes, so Socrates was sentenced to death as his accusers wished. Thus, the reason Socrates was sentenced to death was that his truthful words had offended others and those people wanted revenge.
2. Why is there a conflict (for some) between science and religion?
For some people, there is a conflict between science and religion possibly because they think that the scientific explanations make their spiritual experiences less significant. As the book explains eliminative materialism: “…we ‘eliminate’ the gods or spirits in favor of more precise and accurate physiological explanations.” This suggests that we try to analyze phenomenons with scientific measures. In other words, spiritual explanations that can not be physically interpreted are not being considered. The book also writes: “…the fundamentalist he or she is not trained to severely doubt interior revelations of truth, primarily because they appear so real when they occur.” This indicates that the inner experience they had gone through should not be challenge of its truthfulness, and that the experience is only subjected to them. The conflict between science and religion that some may feel occurs when they believe that their spiritual experience caused by their beliefs is far more complicated and important to be explained with neuroscience. However, I believe that the example of Feynman mentioned in the book can resolve the conflict: “…a physicist’s understanding of a flower doesn’t detract from its beauty, but only adds to it…” I think if spiritual experiences are view respectively with scientific and religious methods the conflict would not exist, for changing the perspective of examining a matter can only add meaning to it.