Mythical questions

May 22, 2008

Simon Blackburn contemplates a number of "myths" in his article on ten modern myths ("Reality check", 24 April). I mostly agree with Blackburn, especially on the issue of "the myth of the scientist" and partly on "the myth of meaning". But how can he dismiss religious belief? If religious belief is "about things" beyond possible human knowledge then it cannot be falsified, so how can he know for sure that such kind of belief is a myth? A myth by definition is a narrative or a line of thought that is admitted by rational people to be untrue, at least in this universe. And by the way, what is the meaning of the word "myth" if meaning by itself is a myth?

Hans Götzsche, Director, Center for Linguistics, Aalborg University, Denmark.

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