I’m a bit of a definition junkie. I think it comes from studying philosophy. It seems that most of the big questions are difficult to answer because the terms involved turn out to be so ill-defined. Thus much of the efforts in philosophy is not really aimed at answering the big questions, but precisely defining the words and concepts in the question. If that is achieved the answer usually falls right out.

So I’ve recently been thinking about the term “Godless” – often used as a derogatory term for agnostics and atheists. Literally it means “without god” but carries with it a very negative connotation. It suggests non-believers lack something or are missing something desirable. Think of the term ‘penniless’ for comparison.

That doesn’t accurately describe an atheist’s feeling on the matter at all. We do not feel like we are lacking anything for we don’t desire a god at all (such would be pointless as they are almost certainly fiction). I wanted a better term and found it in an unlikely place.

It turns out, couples who do not want children are in a similar situation. They are often described as being ‘childless’ though they don’t feel they are lacking anything. Thus they’ve adopted the term ‘childfree‘. Similarly, I’ve been using the term ‘godfree’.

Strictly speaking, ‘Godless’ and ‘godfree’ mean the same thing: “without god(s)”; though the capital ‘G’ implies monotheism and the lowercase is exclusive of polytheistic deities as well. Yet they have different connotations. Being something-less means one is without something desired. Being something-free means one is without something undesired. People who do not want caffeine in their soda will drink ‘caffeine-free’ soda, those who want children but are unable to have them are ‘childless’. Atheists, by and large, do not want any gods and do not have any. Thus the term ‘godfree’ is more appropriate.

It has occurred to me that precisely defining these terms in this way has a very interesting consequence. To understand it, you’ll have to adopt my point of view for a moment. Go ahead, it won’t hurt… There! A little uncomfortable, I’m sure, but you won’t have to wear it long. Now notice that there are no gods. Good. What’s that mean for religious people? They are without any gods for none exist but they desire a god (or gods). Which term, ‘Godless’ or ‘godfree’ is more appropriate? Using the definitions described above, you’ve guessed it….

…Religious people are the Godless ones!

Thanks for reading whether you’re godfree or Godless.

This is just too funny not to share. Thanks to Podblack Cat for sharing it with me.

The above comic is created and licensed by xkcd.com.

Though news media is in the business of selling ad spots and not in the business reporting honestly, it is dishonest in part due to the rampant innumeracy in America.

In Ayn Rand’s imagination, there is a perfect correlation between self-interest and moral goodness. This sentiment was expressed in her famous book Atlas Shrugged – required college reading for every budding libertarian. I read it and very much enjoyed it. I even flirted with libertarian political thought for a while. Then I actually thought critically about it and realized economic libertarianism results in the destruction of the middle class and all the political and social instability that comes with an economically polarized society. Rand was guilty of cherry-picking plots and characters so that in her fictional world, selfishness is virtuous.

In one sense Rand is correct; economic self-interest turns out to be the best system we’ve ever created to spread general wealth and well being (we call that system capitalism). She simply took that idea to the extreme and claimed that un-checked, excessive self-interest (aka ‘greed’) must be the greatest good. To demonstrate the folly of this, Jeremiah Tucker has written a humorous update to Atlas Shrugged based on the current economic crisis. I admit that if you haven’t read the original, the update will probably not be all that funny, but if you have, you’re in for a treat (assuming you’re not a Randroid).

Here are a couple of excerpts:

With your advanced alloy and my high-tech railroad, we’ll revitalize our country’s failing infrastructure and make big, virtuous profits.”

“Oh, no, I got out of that suckers’ game. I now run my own hedge-fund firm, Rearden Capital Management.”

“We who live by the mind could’ve been engineers, scientists, doctors, extreme-sports enthusiasts, but there is no purer pursuit than the pursuit of money. A is A. Money begets more money, and …”

Galt went on like this for what seemed to Dagny like hours, until, finally, something he said piqued her interest.

I’m hoping the recent economic collapse will fatally injure the libertarian movement that’s been gaining steam in the last few decades. There’s been a repeated pattern in recent economic history – deregulation within a sector reaches critical mass resulting in exploitative greed then economic collapse. It happened with savings and loans crisis in the late ’80s, the California energy crisis at the turn of the millennium, and last year with the mortgage and derivatives market. Throughout that whole time, the middle class has been shrinking and economic disparity has increased.

Economic libertarianism may sound good in theory and even better in a great work of fiction, but has repeatedly failed in practice.

Damn, this is funny.

Nor should straight men who like to have sex apply.

Apparently, beggars can’t be that choosy.

I ran across this blog on the Freakonomics Blog this morning and had to share this particular post. Though the blog states clearly that a strong causation or correlation exist, it is still particularly funny. I would also like to see the sale numbers for beer and cigarettes around May and a comparison to the past few years. I think you would have similar numbers. I have a feeling that the administration didn’t have this particular field in mind when they issued the checks to stimulate growth (and yes I know, I chose that phrasing on purpose!)

This priceless gem (language warning) was brought to my attention by shaze. It’s olde-timey religion set to olde-timey music and a must-hear.

The above comic is created and licensed by xkcd.com.

Thanks to Shaze for bringing this great comic to my attention.

Hi All,

In case anyone was feeling like this blog was getting a bit too philosophical and intellectual here’s something for those animal lovers out there.

This is from The Museum of Life and Science in Raleigh, NC and it is their MUNCHCAM!

I could tell you more about it but you should see for yourself – I have given you a preview with the exceptionally cute tobacco hornworm but be sure to check out all 9 MUNCHCAM! “episodes”.

Bunnies4Buddha