Solitary Man

'My own conviction, nevertheless, is that there can be no single and comprehensive theory of myths--except, perhaps, the theory that all such theories are necessarily wrong.'

--G.S. Kirk, The Nature of Greek Myths (or via: amazon.co.uk), p. 38

Found at Campus Mawrtius today. Good to remember.

aa5874

Therefore Jesus existed. Total BS.

Toto

aa5874 - not everyone here has only one interest.

One of those intriguing British obits: Obituary for Kirk

neilgodfrey

The Nature of Greek Myths was published 1975.

Who knows, maybe a single explanation will be possible from neurology. Research on how myths originate and the structural forms they take has already been taken up by D'Aquili (Zygon, 13, 21, 28, 33; and summarized in "Why God Won't Go Away", 2002) and since then elaborated by studies of Lewis-Williams (The Mind in the Cave, 2002) et al. Heaven, hell, spirit, travel to the underworld and return from the dead, mystical experiences -- they are all plausibly explained in biological-neurological terms.

Maybe one day. Never say never.

Solitary Man

Heaven/Hell/Return from the Dead being neurological is simply debunked with comparative mythologies.

neilgodfrey

You have read the neurological/state of consciousness arguments??

Or are you assuming I am limiting my terms to their modern Christian/Western adaptations? No one disputes cultural modifications -- but modern science does offer some powerful explanations for the general -- and universal -- ideas and beliefs underlying what we understand by these concepts. One might imagine that no-one could possibly have conceived of a "single and comprehensive theory" of earthquakes and thunderstorms before the beginnings of science. If something is pretty much universal I'd guess there's a pretty good chance it's going to have a comprehensive theory to explain it one day, no??

But maybe the terms heaven/hell/return from the dead too brief in a short-hand exchange like this. But it was a demonstration of the neurological/altered state-of-consciousness underpinning of these concepts (even experiences) that enabled a comprehensive theory for Paleolithic cave art. So I'm prepared to not close my mind to the eventual possibility.

Solitary Man

Some cultures lack(ed) these concepts altogether.

With all due respect to the complexity of plate tectonics, the brain I think is a bit more complicated.

Heaven/hell/rising from the dead is not universal.

I'd be interested in citations you have for this.

neilgodfrey

My first question remains open:

You mention exceptions. The fact that some women are taller than some men does not invalidate the rule that women are generally shorter than men. But you should read the arguments that you dispute and you will know this.

but in response to your post here . . .

. . . . The citations were cited in my original post. (The one where I asked if you had read the arguments.) One of them was "The Mind in the Cave" by David Lewis-Williams.

I am pinching myself. I don't believe I am being challenged over not closing my mind to an eventual possibility.

Solitary Man

If you were to believe it, you'd be woefully mistaken.

neilgodfrey

That's good then. I really do appreciate it when I learn I've been mistaken.