: If we accept Darwin’s theory of natural selection, we must accept that the human mind evolved for survival, not for the pursuit of abstract "truth" or "freedom".
John Gray’s Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals is a provocative work of political philosophy that systematically dismantles the central myths of modern secular civilization. Written in a series of sharp, aphoristic essays, Gray argues that our belief in "progress" and human specialness is merely a secularized version of Christian faith—one that is fundamentally at odds with the reality of our biological nature. The Illusion of Progress Straw Dogs by John Gray.epub
: Modern humanism is a "secular religion" built on the ruins of Christian myth, specifically the idea of universal salvation rebranded as "progress". : If we accept Darwin’s theory of natural
: Gray refers to humans as Homo rapiens , a highly destructive species whose expansion inevitably leads to environmental despoliation and the mass extinction of other life forms. "Straw Dogs" and the Indifference of the Universe The Illusion of Progress : Modern humanism is
The core of Gray’s argument is that while scientific knowledge accumulates, human ethics and politics do not. He contends that:
The book's title is derived from the Tao Te Ching , where "straw dogs" were ritual objects used in ancient Chinese ceremonies—honored during the rite but discarded and trampled immediately after. Your Problems Aren't Real - Nat's Notes