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Even if we allow the dubious luxury of arbitrarily…

“Even if we allow the dubious luxury of arbitrarily conjuring up a terminator to an infinite regress and giving it a name, simply because we need one, there is absolutely no reason to endow that terminator with any of the properties normally ascribed to God: omnipotence, omniscience, goodness…” quote by Richard Dawkins
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““Even if we allow the dubious luxury of arbitrarily conjuring up a terminator to an infinite regress and giving it a name, simply because we need one, there is absolutely no reason to endow that terminator with any of the properties normally ascribed to God: omnipotence, omniscience, goodness, creativity of design, to say nothing of such human attributes as listening to prayers, forgiving sins and reading innermost thoughts.””

Richard Dawkins

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Assigning divine attributes to a hypothetical terminator is unwarranted; such beings lack the qualities of a deity.

In simple terms: God‑like traits don’t apply to arbitrary constructs.

Key Takeaway

Avoid anthropomorphizing abstract concepts.

Themes

philosophy theology logic

Mood

analytical inquisitive

Type

philosophical critical

When to use this quote

  • debates on AI
  • theological arguments
  • philosophical discourse

Key Concepts

anthropomorphism infinite regress ontology

Questions to Reflect On

  • What limits do we face when using divine metaphors?
  • How does this affect scientific discourse?
A Different Perspective

Even if useful, such analogies can mislead understanding.

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