evolution

racism

nationality

American

occupation / innovator as

philosopher

innovator in the field of

philosophy

university teacher

scientific organization

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

theologian

International Society for Science and Religion

religion

Protestantism

is an idol of the tribe which functions basically as a myth, which is to say, not just as an explanatory model, but as a theory around which an entire worldview is justified. As such its proponents are defensive, judgmental and, prone to overstatement and exaggeration of the theory's actual claims.

Plantinga argues that evolution is an 'idol of the tribe,' as he puts it, the foundation of a general worldview that many current academics share, especially philosophers, those in the hard sciences (particularly biology and physics), psychology, and some other areas of research. . . . . becomes, as Plantinga puts it, 'an idol of the contemporary tribe... it serves as a shibboleth, a litmus test distinguishing the ignorant and bigoted fundamentalist goats from the properly acculturated and scientifically receptive sheep . . . among the secularist evolution functions as a myth . . . a deep interpretation of ourselves to ourselves, a way of telling us why we are here, where we came from, and where we are going:' 12 evolution is no longer simply a scientific theory that explains a few natural processes and offers a few new facts about which we might have interesting discussions regarding the evidential support, and future research. It is now a theory around which may try to justify their whole worldview, and so Plantinga claims these thinkers tend to hold it as an ideology. This means that they are prone to overstating the evidence for evolution, prone to claiming more for the theory than it claims for itself, prone to co-opt it and press it into the service of atheistic naturalism. They are therefore also strongly tempted to ridicule anyone who questions the theory, not because it cannot be questioned, but because they have so much invested in it that they cannot allow an honest discussion of the larger questions (such as whether evolution shows that there is no design). According to Plantinga, they are likely to suppress or discourage an open discussion of the theory, likely even to exaggerate the evidence for the theory, or exaggerate what the theory can explain, because there is so much at stake. It is in this sense, Plantinga argues, that evolution is an ideology.

 tears down one's insides so that no matter what one achieves, one's not quite up to snuff.

Racism tears down your insides so that no matter what you achieve, you're not quite up to snuff.Alvin Ailey

Alvin Plantinga

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Alvin Plantinga