2400 years of progress

[johnhuey]

Twenty four hundred years ago Aristophanes wrote ‘The Clouds’, where he has Socrates says “There’s no such being as Zeus.” And Strepsiades is aghast and asks “Then who brings on the rain? First answer that.”

 

Today, Dawkins says “There’s no such being as God.” And the religious are aghast and ask “Then who brought on the Universe? First answer that.”

 

Socrates really didn't know what caused rain and Dawkins (because cosmologists don't really know) really doesn't know what caused the Big Bang (it is also questionable if the word 'cause' has any meaning in this context). So, why is there such a tendency to put a deity into the gaps of our knowledge - what is so horrible about just not knowing?

[Tormod]

Good question. Although I think there is no good answer to it. I guess a lot of people just assume that their religion explains it (that's sort of one the points of religion). As for me, I'm happy not understanding things like the origin of the universe - although I love thinking about it. B)