On one level, Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens reads as a fairly standard retelling of the commonly accepted version of human history from its earliest appearance in the paleontological record up to the present day.
This is an EXCELLENT review of this troubling book. Wow. I agree with 100% of what Carl says here, and he has pointed out many things about Harari's book that I "felt" but could not put into words. If anyone chooses to read "Sapiens" they must read this review as well.
Yes, it is cool you caught that. I didn't, but you are absolutely right. You must read Homo Deus and write a review of that. You are an EXCELLENT writer!! I didn't know that!!
Harari's sweeping statements bring to mind a quote from On Liberty by John Stuart Mill:
"All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility."
Perhaps we need to think of Harari as a myth. He has many god-like attitudes for someone who doesn't believe in God, just like other dangerous megalomaniacs who came before him .
The reason for this kind of inane, odious, childish and superficial philosophy is to justify, to give intellectual gloss, to the "logic" of Darwinism. The strong, the powerful and uber wealthy, will do as they please since they consider themselves above everyone else. They are the self-declared gods and can do as they please.
What a great statement. It is so true that Darwinism and thus atheism is held onto by the elite because the entirety of creation can then be dominated by their "science" through materialism. They can then "get away with murder."
I don't think the true practice of atheism exists. Followed to its natural conclusion it's nihilism which in the end denies the existence of everything.
The atheists I know tend to live normal law-abiding lives. They even submit themselves to the natural law written on the hearts they don't believe they have.
Yes, it is truly remarkable that Harari actually provides an extremely powerful argument against his own philosophy, seemingly without consciously realizing he has done so.
I recently read "The Meaning of Human Existence" by E.O. Wilson who I have always admired as a scientist and materialist philosopher. Wilson did the same thing...this book made an extremely powerful argument against his intended point of the book. Even brilliant atheists are extremely stupid in this regard. They just don't get it.
The purpose of evil, through the metaphor of Satan (with every day that passes I wonder if Satan is indeed a metaphor), is to destroy God's creation. Even if seen strictly as "metaphor" evil is the opposing force to the manifestation of God as nature on earth (or throughout the universe). Atheism is the religion of the Devil, and its prime directive is to destroy God's creation (not God Himself, just His creation). When the creation is gone, then the Devil/evil/atheism is gone. As you say, it is nihilism.
Atheist humans are led astray, they are told to believe that the material world is all there is, and that their body is all they will know, and when it dies they are gone. So, again as you say, "in the end they deny the existence of everything." Material manifestation is impermanent, the soul/spirit/God is permanent, and, as "believers" believe, the material world is infused with spirit/God. They are one and the same.
This is an EXCELLENT review of this troubling book. Wow. I agree with 100% of what Carl says here, and he has pointed out many things about Harari's book that I "felt" but could not put into words. If anyone chooses to read "Sapiens" they must read this review as well.
Thank you Todd. I was amazed at how Harari so clearly stated the inevitable nihilism of his own philosophy.
Yes, it is cool you caught that. I didn't, but you are absolutely right. You must read Homo Deus and write a review of that. You are an EXCELLENT writer!! I didn't know that!!
Harari's sweeping statements bring to mind a quote from On Liberty by John Stuart Mill:
"All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility."
Perhaps we need to think of Harari as a myth. He has many god-like attitudes for someone who doesn't believe in God, just like other dangerous megalomaniacs who came before him .
The reason for this kind of inane, odious, childish and superficial philosophy is to justify, to give intellectual gloss, to the "logic" of Darwinism. The strong, the powerful and uber wealthy, will do as they please since they consider themselves above everyone else. They are the self-declared gods and can do as they please.
Period.
What a great statement. It is so true that Darwinism and thus atheism is held onto by the elite because the entirety of creation can then be dominated by their "science" through materialism. They can then "get away with murder."
It shows that humanity, without a sense of the Divine in their lives, is barren/doomed
I don't think the true practice of atheism exists. Followed to its natural conclusion it's nihilism which in the end denies the existence of everything.
The atheists I know tend to live normal law-abiding lives. They even submit themselves to the natural law written on the hearts they don't believe they have.
And--wonderful review! I know a lot of people who read the book and thought it was "groundbreaking" and "thought-provoking."
I'm all for thought-provoking and love the response it engendered in your review.
Sometimes atheism provides the best argument against itself.
Yes, it is truly remarkable that Harari actually provides an extremely powerful argument against his own philosophy, seemingly without consciously realizing he has done so.
I recently read "The Meaning of Human Existence" by E.O. Wilson who I have always admired as a scientist and materialist philosopher. Wilson did the same thing...this book made an extremely powerful argument against his intended point of the book. Even brilliant atheists are extremely stupid in this regard. They just don't get it.
The purpose of evil, through the metaphor of Satan (with every day that passes I wonder if Satan is indeed a metaphor), is to destroy God's creation. Even if seen strictly as "metaphor" evil is the opposing force to the manifestation of God as nature on earth (or throughout the universe). Atheism is the religion of the Devil, and its prime directive is to destroy God's creation (not God Himself, just His creation). When the creation is gone, then the Devil/evil/atheism is gone. As you say, it is nihilism.
Atheist humans are led astray, they are told to believe that the material world is all there is, and that their body is all they will know, and when it dies they are gone. So, again as you say, "in the end they deny the existence of everything." Material manifestation is impermanent, the soul/spirit/God is permanent, and, as "believers" believe, the material world is infused with spirit/God. They are one and the same.
As an English Major with only a shaky handle on math, I should not use it as evidence of God but: it remains
not invented but discovered
true no matter when, no matter where
Symmetrical
Beautiful
not limited to human intellect but rather transcends it
And exists, with laws. Try not following them when you build a house, or a rocket or a microscope or sonata.
Best thing about math—it’s out there for all to see if they would open their eyes.
I don’t know what an atheist would make of math because it’s the ultimate abstraction yet affects the material world.