Embracing meme theory is a bit like finding out that the Earth is really a supercomputer created by mice in order to calculate the ultimate question to Life, the Universe, and Everything (the answer, of course, being 42). In his new book,Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomena (Viking Books, 2006), Daniel C. Dennett strives to ease readers into the general principles of memetics and how contemporary religion may be rooted in what he calls a “Good Trick.”
“Many of us brights,” (that’s a Dennett neologism for a nonbeliever. See his essay entitled “The Bright Stuff”), “have devoted considerable time and energy at some point in our lives to looking at the arguments for and against the existence of God. . . But not I,” says Dennet. “I decided some time ago that diminishing returns had set in on the arguments about God’s existence, and I doubt that any breakthroughs are in the offing, from either side. . . So what, then, is the point of religion?”
Dennett believes it is “high time that we subject religion as a global phenomenon to the most intensive multidisciplinary research we can muster, calling on our best minds on the planet. Why? Because religion is too important for us to remain ignorant about.” Ironically, the Dalai Lama has spearheaded a somewhat similar campaign on the religious side. Last month he kicked off a series of religious teachings by ordering Buddhist monks to question superstition and learn more about science.
Though Dennett neglects to specifically address Buddhism in his book, he’ll have ample opportunity to probe it with Professor Robert A. F. Thurman in a public conversation this February 13th at the Miller Theatre on the campus of Columbia University. This event is part of the Theatre of Ideas Lecture Series and is one of many talks Dennett will be delivering during his 2006 book tour which begins next week.ༀ
Event Coverage:
• Click here to hear an MP3 of what was said at Columbia.
• Click here to read a transcription (thanks Rob Hogendoorn!)
• Click here to see images on flickr.
• The Columbia Spectator: “Questions of Faith.”
• Science & Theology News had this to say.
• “The Case Against Religion,” by Spiros Antonopoulos.
Book Reviews:
• Leon Wieseltier’s “The God Genome” in the NYTBR.
• Rubert Sheldrake’s “The Unbearable Brightness of Being Right.”
• George Johnson’s book review in Scientific American.
• The San Francisco Chronicle’s review.
• The Guardian’s“Should we treat religion as a science?”
• Eliot Fintushel’s “A Religious Inquiry: But who’s listening?”
Responses to Wieseltier’s Review
• Dennett’s March 5th “Letter to the Editor.”
• Owen Flanagan’s response to Wieseltier in his “Letter to the Editor.”
• “Responses to the Review of ‘Breaking the Spell’”
• “Still Breaking the Spell.”
• “The Meme’s Eye View.”
Related News:
• Dennett’s interview in the NY Times Magazine.
• Dennett’s essay “Common-Sense Religion” in The Chronical Review.
• Dennett’s interview on meaningoflife.tv
• Dennet’s interview with BBC’s Jonathan Miller
