Richard Dawkins in his second debate with Prof. John Lennox at Oxford's Natural History Museum makes the following amazing statement:
A serious case could be made for a deistic God.
Former Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan testifying before the House Committee for Oversight and Government Reform:
To exist, you need an ideology. The question is whether it is accurate or not. And what I'm saying to you is that I found a flaw - I don't know how significant or permanent it is - but I've been very distressed by that fact...I found a flaw in the model that I perceived is the critical functioning structure that defines how the world works.
I, like Tyler Cowen, am not quite sure what Greenspan conceded here. However, he leaves open the possibility of people interpreting his words as a requiem for capitalism.
The ideological champion of new atheism and the ideological champion of free markets have given the impression that they have serious reservations about their ideologies.
"The question is whether [your ideology] is accurate or not". I remain convinced that laissez-faire is the best model for economics and theism the best model for belief and life. The current financial market perturbations, pace Greenspan's comments, does not shake my belief in the former. However, Dawkins' Concession is one more (minor) data point for belief in the latter.
We are living in times where governing ideologies are coming under sustained attack. Change we can believe in?
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