Wednesday, March 7, 2007
My First Book of Skepticism
Posted by Harold Henderson on Wed, Mar 7, 2007 at 7:25 AM
PZ Myers of Pharyngula performs a public service by collecting (in the comments) books for parents looking for "a primer on skeptical thinking, the scientific method, and religious criticism that was appropriate for early readers or junior high school kids."
It turns out there are several. But commenter Tristero didn't need to make another purchase. He just read some of the Bible to his six-year-old, who asked some good questions. He encouraged her to keep asking, adding, "By the way, what goes for the Bible, goes for all books. Always ask, 'why'? And if they can't explain it in a way you can understand, don't feel you have to believe it. You don't. And never accept 'Because the Bible says so' as an explanation. And that goes for other books, and for people, too."
"'Including you and Mom?' my precocious daughter said.
"'Especially Mom and I,' I replied."
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What a heartwarming tale (sarc)! So tossing aside 2000 years of interpretative reading of the Bible, and just telling a 6 year old to chuck aside a belief because based on a sample size of 1, there isn't an easy answer, is good parenting? Not all answers are simple. Perhaps encouraging further research would hold the door open to some intellecutal growth. JBP
Indeed, not all answers are simple, and taking one of the dozens of widely believed sacred books as an unquestioned authority is about as simple as they come. Good parenting gives kids good values and space to grow.
You bet Harold, So why not look further into the matter rather than dismissing it? I am sure there is someone more contemplative than PZ Myers, like, St. Thomas Aquinas that actually looks at Scripture from a 360 degree persprective rather than trashing it because it is complicated (and yes unituitive, illogical, contradictory and the host of other issues that the Scholastics stayed up nights to understand)? JBP
Actually, I consider PZ Myers quite superficial -- a cheerleader for his side, not a thinker. (I think I've slagged him before; if not, I sure meant to!) But in this case I thought he performed a public service in gathering resources for parents who value independent thought. I agree with you that I hope that independent thought goes beyond both superficial skepticism and superficial religiosity.
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