tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post6374435812293027852..comments2024-03-26T03:46:04.937-07:00Comments on Books in Northport: Ideas and Memory as Writer’s RefugeP. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post-36736877514281029442012-04-01T15:57:36.648-07:002012-04-01T15:57:36.648-07:00I'm glad you picked up on that, dmarks, becaus...I'm glad you picked up on that, dmarks, because I was regretting not having included another thing Judt says of Marxism and Christianity, which is that loss of faith brings not only a terrible sense of loss of meaning and purpose but also a loss of community, something very strong for believers--as long as they believe.<br /><br />I want to think more about science. True, it does not demand faith in dogma or creeds, and skepticism and doubt are very much at home in scientific work (which cannot proceed without them), but it seems to me that some people have a strong belief that science is the highest possible human calling, pure in its search for truth, objective in its evaluations, with results that can only contribute to the betterment of human life. What is the reality of a working scientist's life? Funding? Publication? Rivalry? Seems there could be some big disappointments there, too.P. J. Grathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post-36594035047285420182012-04-01T13:23:57.003-07:002012-04-01T13:23:57.003-07:00Re: "Both the Christian and the Marxist, he s...Re: "Both the Christian and the Marxist, he said, can justify inflicting suffering in the present for the sake of a future they believe the suffering will bring"<br /><br />That's an interesting observation, and does point out the fact that Marxism is indeed faith-based. And like other religions, it has eschatology. That's common to religions, but not science.dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post-89745601276365185182012-03-30T14:25:45.841-07:002012-03-30T14:25:45.841-07:00His was indeed an extraordinary mind. We are so fo...His was indeed an extraordinary mind. We are so fortunate that he left so many thoughts behind.P. J. Grathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post-58770116988448673742012-03-30T10:23:04.917-07:002012-03-30T10:23:04.917-07:00Oh my. Such a lot this man gave us for thoughtful...Oh my. Such a lot this man gave us for thoughtful consideration.Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00824027366993286152noreply@blogger.com