"All the most prominent Darwinists proclaim naturalistic philosophy when they think it safe to do so"
- Phillip E. Johnson
About this Quote
This quote by Phillip E. Johnson suggests that lots of prominent Darwinists, or those who support the theory of development, are in fact supporters of naturalistic approach, which is the belief that nature is all that exists which there is no supernatural or spiritual realm. However, Johnson implies that these Darwinists are not open about their naturalistic beliefs, just declaring them when they feel it is safe to do so. This might mean that they hesitate of the possible reaction from those who do not agree with their views, or that they are trying to avoid angering those who do not share their beliefs. Johnson's quote indicates that lots of Darwinists are not as open about their beliefs as they might be, and that they are only going to reveal them when they feel it is safe to do so.
"I think philosophers can do things akin to theoretical scientists, in that, having read about empirical data, they too can think of what hypotheses and theories might account for that data. So there's a continuity between philosophy and science in that way"
"What I mean by photographing as a participant rather than observer is that I'm not only involved directly with some of the activities that I photograph, such as mountain climbing, but even when I'm not I have the philosophy that my mind and body are part of the natural world"