tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post6075782021415242197..comments2023-10-26T22:06:11.166+11:00Comments on Metamagician3000: Currently reading: Atheism: A Guide for the Perplexed by Kerry WaltersRussell Blackfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12431324430596809958noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-39450270579329647962010-12-07T18:19:51.571+11:002010-12-07T18:19:51.571+11:00It should also be mentioned that Daniel Dennett ex...It should also be mentioned that Daniel Dennett explicitly denied the implication of religious people being dim. He proposed that their "pet name" could be the 'Supers' as a way to point to their supernatural beliefs. Maybe it was a vain hope that anyone would buy Dennett's claim or that the opponents of atheism wouldn't attribute the intention of an insulting implication of the word 'Bright' to atheists no matter what. I say that the term was probably a poor tactic from the start.godskesennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-25128683073474572662010-12-07T13:42:33.375+11:002010-12-07T13:42:33.375+11:00By the time I had heard of the "bright" ...By the time I had heard of the "bright" idea, it had already fizzled.Blake Staceyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13977394981287067289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-50316375915257395132010-12-07T12:52:18.706+11:002010-12-07T12:52:18.706+11:00Most people who were in the target demographic for...Most people who were in the target demographic for calling themselves "brights" (such as me) just thought it sounded lame and pathetic and ignored it. That was years ago. I can't believe anyone can say this with a straight face in 2010.<br /><br />Maybe this Kerry Walters just discovered Sam Harris's first book at a used book store and thought, "Hey, this is an interesting new phenomenon! I should jump in and add my two cents; I'm sure everyone will be really interested in my insightful and up-to-date commentary."Hamilton Jacobinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-78756310120391955402010-12-07T09:33:18.266+11:002010-12-07T09:33:18.266+11:00Yes, it was Paul Geisert and his people. Dawkins e...Yes, it was Paul Geisert and his people. Dawkins expressed some initial enthusiasm, as did Dennett, but neither originated it. <br /><br />But the point is this: first, it's on the public record that Dennett and Dawkins expressed some approval of the idea several years ago. But it's another thing for a book published in 2010 to make the wild - and false - inference that there is now a convention among Gnu Atheists to use the term "bright".<br /><br />The latter is conjecture, not established fact - Walters can't possibly know any such thing because it's not actually true. It's a false conjecture, as a minute's checking around would have shown. As Richard W says, the idea (largely) faded away after its first brief luminescence. <br /><br />Now, however, another claim about Gnu Atheists is out there in what is generally a reputable book, so lots of people will, understandably, believe it. Sigh.Russell Blackfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12431324430596809958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-40791580081080884012010-12-07T07:25:35.233+11:002010-12-07T07:25:35.233+11:00For some reason that ridiculous "brights"...For some reason that ridiculous "brights" idea gravitated in my mind to Daniel Dennett, but <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brights" rel="nofollow">wikipedia attributes it to Paul Geisert</a>.<br /><br />It seems that Dennett took to the title <a href="http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/bright/bright_index.html" rel="nofollow">rather enthusiastically</a> for a little while at least, though Dawkins' response was a little more reserved.strangebeastyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17923942326244143108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-66759550284876727922010-12-07T05:40:28.011+11:002010-12-07T05:40:28.011+11:00Actually, I think Richard Dawkins was one of those...Actually, I think Richard Dawkins was one of those promoting the word "Bright":<br />http://richarddawkins.net/articles/121-now-here-39-s-a-bright-idea<br /><br />The idea seems to have faded away after a brief flash.Richard Weinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18095903892283146064noreply@blogger.com