produce I pity those people who say they do not read for lack of time. In some cases it is probably true, but most use this pretext to conceal his lack of interest in reading. The amazing thing is that many people with good university majors lost interest in books when they completed their studies. It is as if at the time of their lives they were forced to look to carve out a good economic future, and since then they have hives produce a book in their hands. Poor! There's nothing like the curiosity to learn, the pleasure of being know new things, broaden the knowledge that one possesses, comparing data and ideas, and manage rich intellectually credible information. Read a book should be as essential as eating or breathing. It is without doubt the best medicine for your brain. A good daily dose is highly recommended reading, and also contains no contraindications. It is true that the Internet now offers us a great opportunity to be fairly knowledgeable about any subject, but should never replace a good reading of scientific, philosophical, historical or literary. I say this not just because I am an avid reader-who I am and I'm proud of it, and experience the pleasure of being a good read for those of us curious about every day a little more, but because a good book becomes a loyal friend for life. When one concludes the reading of a book that is worth it, will know it in their hands more than once and will not be destined to occupy a forgotten corner of the library from home. I consulted several times. And that happens to me with the works listed in this blog and many more, of course. The list would be endless.
Indeed, the January 10 finished reading one of those books that leave a deep impression. Its title: THE CHIMERA OF THE GODS (Vision Books, 2010). Author: Francisco Aguilar Pinal (Sevilla, 1931). In his impressive resume, we note that a doctorate in Philosophy and Literature (Department of Romance Philology), Professor at the Faculty of Arts of the Complutense University of Madrid (1967-70), Research and Research Professor until his retirement in Instituto Cervantes, the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), based in Madrid, Dr. 'connected ad honorem' at the new Institute English Language and Literature, Academician of the Academy of Sciences, Fine Arts and Fine Arts of Cordoba (1968), the English-American Science and Arts of Cadiz (1969), Science, Fine Arts and Belles Lettres 'Vélez de Guevara' Ecija (1970), Board member (1973) and Honor (2001) Feijoo Institute of Eighteenth Century Studies, University of Oviedo, Full member (1990) and Honor (2002) of the English Society for the Study of eighteenth century, and has also been awarded the Commendation of Alfonso X the Wise, granted by HM King Juan Carlos I, has contributed to numerous journals in the humanities, has participated in several conferences organized by the CSIC has been a lecturer, speaker and author of dozens of articles, essays, monographs, books, etc.
But there is something that is not on his vast 68-page curriculum. And Francisco Aguilar Pinal is a convinced rationalist and atheist. It has not always been, as he confesses in The chimera of the gods . It was his passion for scientific knowledge and its particular search for truth that led him gradually to discard the religious memes inherited from our earliest childhood. Not so simple. And I know what you mean, because I've been through the same process deconstructor and I realize the difficulty of shed so many false beliefs to lead finally to atheism. But that does not end the problem, because even today, to say openly that you are an atheist and that religions are a hoax, not just surf against the tide, but in turn become misunderstood for family and friends, and gain the confidence and enmity of many people. I know from personal experience. But does it matter? The happiness that provides shed so many fallacies and walk himself solely in the light of reason is immense. "There is no greater happiness than loyalty to one's identity, the discovery of error, deception and false truth, the release of 'memes' religious influence our lives, especially the absurd notion of sin, to intimidate us of the good preachers, hypocrites almost always ", Aguilar Pinal says in the preface to his excellent book, of which five hundred pages offers a fascinating journey by current scientific theories in fields such as neurology, biology and cosmology, which left in doubt any animist and theological postulate. "When science is discovering one after another, with uncompromising toughness, the mysterious secrets of life, it is unnecessary to resort to supernatural solutions" he said.
I have been lucky to have friendship with the author, although it has carved through the cold email, as we do not have the pleasure to meet in person. Still, sharing the same intellectual interests, reading the same authors, feel the same predilection for the Enlightenment philosophers (especially by Baron d'Holbach) and defend the same ideas atheists, secular humanists and has served for the friendship from the distance to fruition and my party has been rewarded very well when he had the courtesy to send a signed copy of The chimera of the gods . The result of this budding friendship is also the interview I suggested a few days and has graciously accepted. In these Currently writing and soon will be released in this blog.
Indeed, the January 10 finished reading one of those books that leave a deep impression. Its title: THE CHIMERA OF THE GODS (Vision Books, 2010). Author: Francisco Aguilar Pinal (Sevilla, 1931). In his impressive resume, we note that a doctorate in Philosophy and Literature (Department of Romance Philology), Professor at the Faculty of Arts of the Complutense University of Madrid (1967-70), Research and Research Professor until his retirement in Instituto Cervantes, the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), based in Madrid, Dr. 'connected ad honorem' at the new Institute English Language and Literature, Academician of the Academy of Sciences, Fine Arts and Fine Arts of Cordoba (1968), the English-American Science and Arts of Cadiz (1969), Science, Fine Arts and Belles Lettres 'Vélez de Guevara' Ecija (1970), Board member (1973) and Honor (2001) Feijoo Institute of Eighteenth Century Studies, University of Oviedo, Full member (1990) and Honor (2002) of the English Society for the Study of eighteenth century, and has also been awarded the Commendation of Alfonso X the Wise, granted by HM King Juan Carlos I, has contributed to numerous journals in the humanities, has participated in several conferences organized by the CSIC has been a lecturer, speaker and author of dozens of articles, essays, monographs, books, etc.
But there is something that is not on his vast 68-page curriculum. And Francisco Aguilar Pinal is a convinced rationalist and atheist. It has not always been, as he confesses in The chimera of the gods . It was his passion for scientific knowledge and its particular search for truth that led him gradually to discard the religious memes inherited from our earliest childhood. Not so simple. And I know what you mean, because I've been through the same process deconstructor and I realize the difficulty of shed so many false beliefs to lead finally to atheism. But that does not end the problem, because even today, to say openly that you are an atheist and that religions are a hoax, not just surf against the tide, but in turn become misunderstood for family and friends, and gain the confidence and enmity of many people. I know from personal experience. But does it matter? The happiness that provides shed so many fallacies and walk himself solely in the light of reason is immense. "There is no greater happiness than loyalty to one's identity, the discovery of error, deception and false truth, the release of 'memes' religious influence our lives, especially the absurd notion of sin, to intimidate us of the good preachers, hypocrites almost always ", Aguilar Pinal says in the preface to his excellent book, of which five hundred pages offers a fascinating journey by current scientific theories in fields such as neurology, biology and cosmology, which left in doubt any animist and theological postulate. "When science is discovering one after another, with uncompromising toughness, the mysterious secrets of life, it is unnecessary to resort to supernatural solutions" he said.
I have been lucky to have friendship with the author, although it has carved through the cold email, as we do not have the pleasure to meet in person. Still, sharing the same intellectual interests, reading the same authors, feel the same predilection for the Enlightenment philosophers (especially by Baron d'Holbach) and defend the same ideas atheists, secular humanists and has served for the friendship from the distance to fruition and my party has been rewarded very well when he had the courtesy to send a signed copy of The chimera of the gods . The result of this budding friendship is also the interview I suggested a few days and has graciously accepted. In these Currently writing and soon will be released in this blog.
SCIENCE, THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD
Reading The chimera of the gods is essential for all restless seeker truth. If anything characterizes this work is that it leaves out of its pages anything that has to do with science, philosophy, theology and religions, especially Christianity. It is a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge, focused at all times from the right, which on the other hand demonstrates the intellectual ability of the author, in addition to his extensive knowledge in a multitude of complex and reflexive acuity when assessing sensitive issues such as religious beliefs. The extensive documentation is handled very well proven by the numerous references including over its content.
The work is structured in three parts. The first focuses on the mystery of life. The author reviews the knowledge acquired so far about the universe and human consciousness. Y is categorical when he says: "The scientific advances of the last half century the traditional religions become something quite incompatible with scientific truth" . No there is more to enter the paths of evolutionary biology, molecular genetics and neuroscience to realize the fragility that is the idea of \u200b\u200ba creator god. The same is true if we approach the problem in modern cosmology, which suggests a universe without beginning or end. All these matters are dealt with extensively in this first part, which also clarifies that consciousness is a purely material and reduces the activity of our brain. There is no soul, unless we call in this way to consciousness. Ortega y Gasset used to say that "the soul is a metaphysical hypothesis, but brain activity" .
The second part deals with the invention of spirits. I particularly emphasize this central block of the work because I consider it essential to understand the goal that marked the author to develop The chimera of the gods . It is in this section where we review in depth the myths of divinity, the soul, of immortality, angels and demons, as well as the revelations. His warning is clear: "Any person who attempts to assert his right and the constant findings in Science on the vagaries of the imagination, above feelings and beliefs, will engage in a titanic struggle against the rest of society is believe in gods, angels, devils, souls and other spirits created by human imagination ".
The third and final part of the chimera leads to damaging religions, carrying out a detailed review of the polytheistic religions and their evolution towards monotheism which are still in force, the role played by the biblical God and what Jesus has meant of Nazareth and Christianity throughout history (as well as Judaism and Islam). The author can not fail to mention the horrors of the Crusades and the Inquisition, the persecutions and religious wars, the tyranny of the popes, etc. "The Catholic intransigence consistent with his belief that the God you preach is the only real- ha sido la causante de los más sangrientos hechos en la historia de nuestra civilización. Ha desencadenado guerras teológicas, ha perseguido con saña a los disidentes, ha combatido a los infieles en las Cruzadas medievales, en la moderna Inquisición y en las guerras civiles de nuestro tiempo” , nos recuerda.
The work is structured in three parts. The first focuses on the mystery of life. The author reviews the knowledge acquired so far about the universe and human consciousness. Y is categorical when he says: "The scientific advances of the last half century the traditional religions become something quite incompatible with scientific truth" . No there is more to enter the paths of evolutionary biology, molecular genetics and neuroscience to realize the fragility that is the idea of \u200b\u200ba creator god. The same is true if we approach the problem in modern cosmology, which suggests a universe without beginning or end. All these matters are dealt with extensively in this first part, which also clarifies that consciousness is a purely material and reduces the activity of our brain. There is no soul, unless we call in this way to consciousness. Ortega y Gasset used to say that "the soul is a metaphysical hypothesis, but brain activity" .
The second part deals with the invention of spirits. I particularly emphasize this central block of the work because I consider it essential to understand the goal that marked the author to develop The chimera of the gods . It is in this section where we review in depth the myths of divinity, the soul, of immortality, angels and demons, as well as the revelations. His warning is clear: "Any person who attempts to assert his right and the constant findings in Science on the vagaries of the imagination, above feelings and beliefs, will engage in a titanic struggle against the rest of society is believe in gods, angels, devils, souls and other spirits created by human imagination ".
The third and final part of the chimera leads to damaging religions, carrying out a detailed review of the polytheistic religions and their evolution towards monotheism which are still in force, the role played by the biblical God and what Jesus has meant of Nazareth and Christianity throughout history (as well as Judaism and Islam). The author can not fail to mention the horrors of the Crusades and the Inquisition, the persecutions and religious wars, the tyranny of the popes, etc. "The Catholic intransigence consistent with his belief that the God you preach is the only real- ha sido la causante de los más sangrientos hechos en la historia de nuestra civilización. Ha desencadenado guerras teológicas, ha perseguido con saña a los disidentes, ha combatido a los infieles en las Cruzadas medievales, en la moderna Inquisición y en las guerras civiles de nuestro tiempo” , nos recuerda.
LAS RELIGIONES PROVOCAN COMPORTAMIENTOS IRRACIONALES
No es mi propósito seguir desmenuzando el contenido de la obra, sino sencillamente animarles a que la lean porque verdaderamente merece la pena. Lástima que no haya tenido el eco mediático que requiere un libro de esta categoría. Maybe that makes it more special than those who become overly commercial. The point is that we have many books critical of rationalists and religious writings by foreign authors, fortunately, translated into Castilian years. Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Michel Onfray, Daniel C. Dennett, Christopher Hitchens and Michael Shermer are some of them. But here in Spain do not have such distinguished writers in this field, except Ojea Gonzalo Puente, Pepe Rodriguez and a few others. Thus, Francisco Aguilar Pinal enters through the front door of the authors with English atheists The chimera of the gods . And for that reason, a server supports him unconditionally from this blog.
the chimera of God in the House of the Book:
http://www.casadellibro.com/libro-la-quimera-de-los-dioses-ojos-que-no -ven-corazon-que-no-quiebra/1798625/2900001399412
CURRICULUM VITAE of Francisco Aguilar Pinal:
http://www.siglo18.org/pdfs/francisco_aguilar.pdf
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