Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Normal · 08-11-2003, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by phaedrus
You may well be a bright. If not, you certainly deal with brights daily. That's because we are all around you: we're doctors, nurses, police officers, schoolteachers, crossing guards and men and women serving in the military. We are your sons and daughters, your brothers and sisters.

That reminds me a lot of Fight Club, in a kind of theatening, "CAN'T MESS WITH US" kind of way.

excreationist · 08-12-2003, 12:52 AM

ex-xian:

Quote:

....Yes, I believe in god.....

In the opening post, the quote says:
"We brights don't believe in ghosts or elves or the Easter Bunny � or God".

Also http://www.the-brights.net/backtalk.htm

Quote:

What if I like this idea but believe there are some forces that science can't measure which have an effect on our lives?
.......
Simply put, you aren't a Bright.

Brights are individuals who have a naturalistic worldview, free from supernatural and mystical forces. You are describing mystical forces.

Though you said:

Quote:

No, I don't believe god intervenes in the universe.

How do you know god even exists then? Anyway, Brights are people with a naturalistic worldview.

Quote:

See? It'd be much easier just say, "I'm a [whatever]."

So you could say "I'm a Bright" - and that would be synonymous with saying "I'm a metaphysical naturalist" or "I have a naturalistic worldview"... it's meant to be an "umbrella term"... it isn't very specific though and wouldn't fully summarize you...

ex-xian · 08-12-2003, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by copernicus
Give it time, ex-xian. Word usages are acquired tastes.

True. I didn't like geek and nerd at one time either.

Quote:

Originally posted by excreationsit
How do you know god even exists then? Anyway, Brights are people with a naturalistic worldview.

I don't know god exists. Epistemologically I'm agnostic. Also, from the way the terms are uses in this article, At the Intersection of "Metaphysical Naturalism?", I am a metaphysical naturalist.

Would the objectors to the brights like it better if it had a different name, or does the very idea of general umbrella term turn people off?

excreationist · 08-12-2003, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ex-xian
True. I didn't like geek and nerd at one time either.

You're not supposed to! They're meant to be insult words! Oh well.

Quote:

....Would the objectors to the brights like it better if it had a different name, or does the very idea of general umbrella term turn people off?

Well you're sort of an objector yourself. Anyway, I think having an umbrella term is a good idea. BTW, the official "Brights' Network" always capitalizes the term at the start (like "Christian" and "Moslem") - though in the opening post Daniel Dennett didn't seem to, and same with Richard Dawkins. (BTW is he dead? or maybe I'm mixing him up with Stephen Gould....)

Viti · 08-12-2003, 09:18 AM

I am moving this thread as well. The Brights movement is a Secular Activism issue and any future threads discussing it should be posted in Church�State Separation & Secular Activism

Thank you
LadyShea

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08-12-2003, 09:18 AM	#105
Viti Contributor Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Down South Posts: 12,879	I am moving this thread as well. The Brights movement is a Secular Activism issue and any future threads discussing it should be posted in Church�State Separation & Secular Activism Thank you LadyShea

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