Sterling Terrell

smart ideas from books (mostly)

  • Home
  • About
    • My CV
    • Books
    • Series
  • Newsletter
  • Advertising
  • Tools
You are here: Home / Potpourri / Nature And Destiny Of Man

Nature And Destiny Of Man

Nature And Destiny Of Man

It should seem obvious that science cannot speak about anything in metaphysics.

Right?

One can perform the scientific method on an atom under conditions X and Y, etc.

But that line of investigation can never answer for us why the atom exists in the first place.

Does that atom have objective worth? Does it matter? And how do we know it matters?

It makes you think though…

What precisely is the role of education in modern western culture (bankrupt of foundational ethics/meaning)?

Therefore, he says, in thinking about education, we must choose between the two generally possible pictures of Man, that offered by science and that offered by religion, more particularly Christianity. And if we opt for the scientific picture, we shall soon find ourselves at sea, since “to ask what is the nature and the destiny of man”—I assume that the invocation of Niebuhr’s recent book of that title is deliberate—is to attempt “to draw from [science] a kind of metaphysics,” which runs contrary to the nature of science. The theoretical result would be “a spurious metaphysics disguised as science and yet deprived of any really philosophical insight”—that is, a metaphysics that claimed a scientific warrant without the power to justify itself scientifically. Even worse would be the practical result: “a denial or misconception of those very realities and values without which education loses all human sense or becomes the training of an animal for the utility of the state.”

-Alan Jacobs, The Year Of Our Lord 1943 (Amazon)

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: PotpourriTagged With: #Education, #Philosophy

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy Policy

Connect

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Free Weekly Newsletter:

Search

Top Posts

  • The Tricky Lily Pad Riddle (You Probably Can't Solve)
    The Tricky Lily Pad Riddle (You Probably Can't Solve)
  • Hyatt Hill Country Sunday House
    Hyatt Hill Country Sunday House
  • Can You Solve The Bat And Ball Riddle?
    Can You Solve The Bat And Ball Riddle?
  • The Week In Review - 298
    The Week In Review - 298
  • Another Great Riddle For You To Try
    Another Great Riddle For You To Try
  • 31 Persuasion Tips That I Learned From Scott Adams
    31 Persuasion Tips That I Learned From Scott Adams
  • The Tragedy Of Gina "Bronco" Bouza (1932-1957)
    The Tragedy Of Gina "Bronco" Bouza (1932-1957)
  • The Week In Review – 295
    The Week In Review – 295
  • The Week In Review – 297
    The Week In Review – 297
  • Not Offering Punchlines
    Not Offering Punchlines

Supporting = Loving

Recent Posts

  • Random Thoughts – 339
  • The 1999 Caedmon’s Call Guild Concert
  • Finally Making It
  • Thankful You Are Here To Chat
  • 2022 Kentucky Derby
  • Random Thoughts – 338
  • Cafe Energy
  • Instabooks 362
  • Overwhelming and Stressful
  • Oblique Humor Is Better Than Anonymity
  • Random Thoughts – 337
  • With You Watching Tinker Bell
  • This Celebrity Grew Up With John McEuen
  • The Magic Of Comedic Confidence
  • Random Thoughts – 336
  • Not Offering Punchlines
  • A Needle In A Haystack, Not A Haystack
  • Living Closer To All Of
  • Instabooks 361
  • Random Thoughts – 335
  • My Mad Money Stash
  • Where I Sit 22
  • Of Farming But It’s Mostly
  • Unique Comedy
  • Bathrooms I Despise

Copyright © 2022 · Generate Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in