I'm not entirely sure what to think of this news item. But it seems that Discworld author Terry Pratchett's views on the gods or God have mellowed somewhat:
"...in an interview with a Sunday newspaper, he said: "It is just possible that once you have got past all the gods that we have created with big beards and many human traits, just beyond all that, on the other side of physics, they just may be the ordered structure from which everything flows. That is both a kind of philosophy and totally useless - it doesn't take you anywhere. But it fills a hole."
These comments are apparently linked to a recent experience which Pratchett describes. However, last year he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, so I'm sure many people will dismiss any new opinion because of that.
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4 comments:
"...once you have got past all the gods that we have created with big beards and many human traits, just beyond all that, on the other side of physics, they just may be the ordered structure from which everything flows..."
Which is, as I understand it, a pretty orthodox religious tenet, at least according to the mystics. Also, Pterry builds this musing on a real experience of his own, not someone else's unsupported thread of reasoning (theological or otherwise).
"It is just possible that once you have got past all the gods that we have created with big beards and many human traits, just beyond all that, on the other side of physics, they just may be the ordered structure from which everything flows."
I almost like and agree. And yet he still doesn't seem able to get past the fact that "the gods we have created with big beards" are just that - creations, anthropomorphic ones. He seems on the brink of realizing and yet then says "it doesn't take you anywhere" - but I think when you realize what is human fantasy, it definitely does free you to think beyond it.
Or maybe I've just had too much caffeine. ;)
"However, last year he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, so I'm sure many people will dismiss any new opinion because of that."
That's horrible... but probably true. :(
P.S. I'm using my blog again. Drop by sometime. I don't promise much though! Still, there will be tea.
Anactoria: Not sure if I quite understand what you're saying. Here's my guess at what Pratchett means: He always did just think the gods were human creations. He was a fairly staunch atheist. Now he suspects that maybe there really is some deeper truth to the whole concept, even IF most of our theological ideas are far too limited and human. Just a guess.
Oh, yeah, yeah! I get that he's an atheist. But it seems - to me - that he's still just *barely* able to get *past* the whole "god-is-a-bearded-old-man" straw-man, and see that there could be a more... transcendent(?) possibility.
I think you and I are in agreement about understanding what he says. Except I'm criticizing him for still being only at the barely suspecting stage. :)
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