Brilliant Quote by PZ Myers
“Many of the religious apologists out there are not stupid people, they are often brilliant. People working in the field of theology and philosophy smart people everywhere. What they are those religious apologists are smart poeple who can build these amazingly intricate rationalizations for whatever weird practice they favor. Whether it's ritual cannibalism, or praying to spirits, or treating women as chattel. And they always building this on terrible shaky foundation of false premises.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Skeptical Inquirer, PZ Myers, 2010
Religious apologists are intelligent but construct rationalizations for questionable practices on shaky premises.
In simple terms: Smart people can justify odd beliefs with flawed logic.
Key Takeaway
Question the foundations of arguments.
Themes
religion
apologetics
logic
critical thinking
ethics
Mood
skeptical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- debate
- education
- public discourse
- media analysis
Key Concepts
philosophy
cognitive bias
argumentation
Questions to Reflect On
- What premises underlie controversial beliefs?
- How can we detect flawed reasoning?
A Different Perspective
Intelligent defenses can be persuasive despite weak evidence.
