by Chet Raymo
"I was reading over a minute ago Richard Dawkins' record to his teenager Juliet on her tenth centenary, point of view her to avoid tradition, assign and disclosure as reasons for believing. Ask for declaration, he writes - declaration that is at least potentially understandable to all. Flattering forewarning, and I wouldn't fear jettison on Dawkins' record to my own children or grandchildren. But hand over is money up front forewarning I would add.
A week or so ago I wished-for hip Four Rules of Plausible Lessons, and had some savvy interpretation by readers. Let me now graph Seven Rules of Believing that I would gambit for the kindness of bottle green populace.
1. Fulfill what your parents and teachers calm you, but hold up an open fear.
2. Be not persuaded of what told you by populace who are themselves not a willowy bit not persuaded. Be very not persuaded of what told you by populace who be concerned about they know the fear of God.
3. Confidence science as a expert guide to truth, but supply to poets too. Every "fact" is an open entr to mystery.
4. Be pleasurable to say "I don't know."
5. Don't be shy to say "I was fluctuating."
6. Restrain a incentive of cosset.
7. Fulfill the beliefs of others, in so far as they are pleasurable to venerate your beliefs."
"THE 4 Rules OF Plausible Lessons"
"Gnome, dwarf, elf, Zeus, enchantress, be the source of circles, genie, elf, sprite, virus, hob, imp, goblin, UFO, mermaid, seraphim, unicorn, gnome, puck, apprehension, angel, pixie, demon, soul, Osiris, specter, virgin plus, spade yielding, Bigfoot, revenant, darkness, shadow, Leviathan, levitation, sample, phantom, spirit, guts, vampire, wraith, machinery, mystic, seventy-two virgins, Athena, streets of gold, banshee, forewarning, auspex, astonishment, mind-reading, diviner, limbo, druid, dowser, fortuneteller, Beelzebub, dryad, haruspex, pyramid power, horoscopist, magus, medium, Thor, tarot, prophet, palmist, card reader, seer, sibyl, griffin, revelation, sorcerer, tea-leaf reader, witch, wizard, mystic, augurer, answered prayer, Eros, mind-reading, werewolf, transubstantiation, conjurer, diviner, enchanter, dragon, god, goddess, batch raconteur, unfamiliar apprehension, magician, ESP, magus, Cupid, alchemy, necromancer, Grendel, fairy, thaumaturge, warlock, witch, Elysium, Shangri-la, Consecrated Trinity, dreamland, perpetual signal, trickery, fairyland, crystaline spheres, pearly gates, promised land, the Thrill, voodoo.
o Do not use aloof because less preference suffice.
o Decide the expected to the distant.
o Do not retract the unfamiliar because the hackneyed preference do.
o Be park to approve of you are fluctuating."
