In December, a couple of letters to the editor mentioned two legally recognized atheistic religions: scientology and humanism. If a religion can be atheistic, then what is meant by religion? This problem of understanding words perplexed Socrates.
The growing confusion we find as we examine things closely is seen in physics, where we go from the determined universe of Newton to the undetermined one of quantum physics.
Consider the mathematical concept of the real number line. The line is an infinite sequence of points, and between any two points there is an infinite sequence of points. The concept implies that any segment of the line is equal in length to the entire line. It also implies that no point on the line can be next to another point. We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.
We keep trying to pin nature down, but it keeps oozing away. Because of this, a ban on the teaching of intelligent design is to make a legal decision on matters beyond the scope of human understanding.
Donald E. Corder
Baxter Springs, Kan.
Opinion
Voices: Beyond our understanding
- Opinion
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Our View: Are school loans next 'debt bomb'?
The late American middle class struggled for decades to keep pace with an American dream slipping from its grasp.
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Our View: A better way of limit terms
A Missouri House committee on Tuesday endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers to serve 16 years in the state Legislature, either the House or the Senate.
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Your View: Is it our fault?
When did coveting things and money take over character? What happened?
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Your View: No way to run a school
All throughout the state of Missouri, you’ll hear much discussion about teacher tenure and the indefinite contracts that go along with that. Most — if not nearly all — jobs in the private and public sectors have no such career protection.
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Your View: Prime suspects
If it’s too cool in the house, you can turn up the heat if you think you can afford it.
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Our View: Worldwide concern
There is growing concern worldwide that Israel might launch an attack on Iranian nuclear plants.
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Other Views: FAA deal up in air five years
The Federal Aviation Administration bill was delayed 23 times, but the agency finally has a law giving it $63 billion and full operating authority for the next four years.
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Don Ray, columnist: Obama's pipeline excuse an election-year cop-out
On Jan. 18, President Barack Obama announced he was rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline project — a project that had its beginnings some 40 months ago (September 2008).
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James Whitford, guest columnist: Broken people or broken system?
Are the people broken or is the system broken? If you walk into Watered Gardens, our rescue mission, it may seem the people are broken. But it’s a rescue mission. It just feels that way. And sometimes, it just looks that way.
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Our View: Meaningless in Missouri
Missourians have an opinion about who should be the Republican candidate to run against Barack Obama in November. Too bad it won’t matter.
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