"Or there's this parable, which [Adams] told with huge enjoyment, whose moral leaps out with no further explanation. A man didn't understand how televisions work, and was convinced that there must be lots of little men inside the box, manipulating images at high speed. An engineer explained about high-frequency modulations of the electromagnetic spectrum, transmitters and receivers, amplifiers and cathode ray tubes, scan lines moving across and down a phosphorescent screen. The man listened to the engineer with careful attention, nodding his head at every step of the argument. At the end he pronounced himself satisfied. He really did now understand how televisions work. "But I expect there are just a few little men in there, aren't there?"
2006-07-17 09:57:58 · 10 answers · asked by Minh 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It's almost impossible to argue logic with superstition.
edit: Salmon of Doubt, eh! Love that book! =0)
2006-07-17 10:00:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
But what if Douglas Adams and Richard Dawkins are wrong in thinking God is merely a magical little man?
2006-07-17 17:06:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No matter how convincing the argument, some people will never see the truth. We want to be right, and it's very painful to be proven wrong. People will look for ways they can accept new information and still be right.
2006-07-17 17:03:56 · answer #3 · answered by Tim 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hmm, reminds me of intelligent design. The man still didn't quite understand and filled in the spots he didn't get with "little men" the same way intelligent design fills in the spots that we haven't figured out yet with "god".
2006-07-17 17:05:35 · answer #4 · answered by The Resurrectionist 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's hard to take Adams seriously though. ..when this is what he is parodying.
To the extent I am wrong in this case. . .he is pointing out the feebleness of men in seeking knowledge (or wisdom) from the standpoint of improving (exchanging) one's belief. . .you never quite get to being spot on! Why can't folks just accept what is. . .as it is. . .without getting their beliefs in the way of complete and unconditional acceptance of what is.
2006-07-17 17:10:50 · answer #5 · answered by MIKEBAYAREA 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can explain the mechanics of how things work until you're blue in the face, but if the other person has irrational pre-conceived ideas about it, you're not going to get anywhere with them.
2006-07-17 17:03:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moral is that people want to believe what they have believed and it takes great effort to change their mind.
2006-07-17 17:02:33 · answer #7 · answered by rickthewonderalgae 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some people won't take any answer that doesn't fit into their preconceived notions.
2006-07-17 17:01:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sweet! I like that one.
2006-07-17 17:01:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
belief or faith can not be changed with fact.
2006-07-17 17:02:27 · answer #10 · answered by Raymond 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋