The Disenchantment of Secular Discourse - Steven D. Smith

I agree that secular discourse can be challenging in a pluralistic society, but I don't think it's more challenging than religious discourse in a pluralistic society.

And as for paucity of things to talk about, I think it's quite the reverse. The more pluralism the more there is to discuss and the more perspectives from which to discuss it.

I'm not impressed. That

Furthermore, because we cannot defend our normative positions without resorting to convictions that secular discourse deems inadmissible, we are frequently forced to smuggle in those convictions under the guise of benign notions such as freedom or equality.

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Makes it sound like the guy just doesn't have a clue what he's writing about. Arguments from ignorance are never, ever convincing.

Lhun said:

I'm not impressed. That Makes it sound like the guy just doesn't have a clue what he's writing about. Arguments from ignorance are never, ever convincing.

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Sounds like the religious right in borrowed clothes again.

I don't see a reason that secular discourse must exclude statements of religious preference. But what it does exclude is some dogmatic argument that one's own religious preferences are superior or the only correct ones. 'Freedom' and 'equality' allow us to express anything about our beliefs except our belief in others' inferiority.

I think Smith's problem isn't really secularity. It's the tolerance required to support religious pluralism.