Sunday, February 7, 2010

A Voice in the Wilderness

Judging by the trailer, Spanish English-language film Agora (already released in Spain, to be released in the U.S. in the first half of 2010) is definitely worth watching. It tells the story of Hypatia, perhaps the last person who stood for reason and freedom in the Greco-Roman world. As the Roman Empire was being plunged into the Dark Ages, she sought to revive the noble heritage of Hellenic science and philosophy in a way reminiscent of Ayn Rand’s efforts to put an end to the modern civilization’s decline. She was killed by Christian fanatics, who entrenched irrationality and tyranny in Rome. Does the same fate await Ayn Rand’s followers? 

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am curious what the religious background of most libertarians is; are most agnostic?

Reaganx said...

It depends on the definition of libertarian. I wound't claim statistical veracity but I think most US libertarians (if "libertarian conservatives" are included) in the broadest sense believe in God, though I don't think most of them are profoundly religious. Some of them, however, are too religious for my taste (such as "paleolibertarians" and idiots like Christian reconstructionist Gary North), which is one of the main problems with libertarianism nowadays.
Using a narrower definition, Libertarian Party members and fellow-travellers are generally less religious, they're often agnostic or atheistic.
Objectivists like me are hardline atheists.

Richard Thornton said...

I tend to agree with your comments regarding religion.