I've been an amateur student of the war between reason and superstition ever since I read Thomas Paine's "Age of Reason" in college. It's amazing how little the debate has changed since that book was first published. Like Paine before him, Dr. Dawkins has done a great job of expunging the tenets of supernaturalism from his mind. But, he also fails to rise above the very same evolved tendencies that lead to the hegemonic (a.k.a., "viral") mindset of the supernaturalists he claims to oppose. Any rationalist can see that humans are either touched by the hand of god or evolved with a strong pre-disposition to thinks so. No rational fundamentalist can fill the god-shaped hole in us. Just because the primordially-derived religions of today can't be redeemed doesn't mean we shouldn't dedicate ourselves to inventing a humane religion for tomorrow. It's either that or an anti-superstition pill.
Chris DixonLexington, KY
