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Articles

Santa Lives?: The Challenge for Philosophy

by Les Reid

One of the most important tasks for philosophy today is to challenge religion. Ancient religious myths are still current in most societies around the world and have perpetuated deep social divisions and traditional animosities. Fictions that were, perhaps, a source of comfort, hope and community spirit in primitive societies that faced a harsh environment and hostile neighbours, have been preserved and inculcated in technological, industrial societies which face very different problems. The natural environment is now more threatened than threatening and is overpopulated by our human species to such an extent that we are driving other species to extinction and polluting the whole planet with our waste. Hostile neighbours are still around, of course, but local conflicts do not remain local for long in an age of hi-tech warfare.

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