In False Truths, Edward C. Mendler contends that many of the beliefs, tenets, conclusions, and understandings that are widely accepted as "truths" are, in fact, not valid at all. Such dubious and false concepts arise not only in philosophy and theology but also under the rubrics of cosmology, quantum physics, democracy, freedom, economics, and various aspects of "human nature" and evolution. We accept and absorb these false ideas because they were and are propounded by "authorities," both ancient and modern. Mendler asserts that we should challenge them all - from Plato on to contemporary theorists in all of those fields - and question and analyze every element of their conclusions.

Auteur

By Edward C. Mendler

Contenu

List of Illustrations
Preface

CHAPTER ONE: RELIANCE ON AUTHORITY
Origins
Consequences

CHAPTER TWO: THE STORY OF BELIEFS
How the Ancient Greeks Misled Us
The Middle Ages Muddle
We Were Not Enlightened

CHAPTER THREE: THE PERSISTENCE OF OLD IDEAS
Old and New
Jacques Maritain
Pope John Paul II
John Polkinghorne

CHAPTER FOUR: THE ERROR OF DUALISM
Causation
Epistemology

CHAPTER FIVE: FAITH AND ANTI-FAITH
Faith
Antifaith - Fair and Foul

CHAPTER SIX: PHYSICS AND MYSTERY
Cosmology
Waves, Particles, Quanta

CHAPTER SEVEN: BIOLOGY AND MYSTERY
The Basics of Evolution
The Burgess Shale
Consciousness
Humans and Animals
The Origin of Life

CHAPTER EIGHT: MIND
The Awesome Brain
Free Will and Foolishness
Neuroscience - New Understandings