If you replace “love” in this article with “theistic spirituality”—another aspect of the human psychology which many, if not most, humans consider deeply important and beautiful -- and likewise replace mutatis mutandis other parts of the dialog, would it not just as well argue for the propagation of religion to our descendants?
Not necessarily, depending on the boundaries you trace on the concept “Love”. It is perfectly reasonable that a mind would value itself loving other things or minds, but nothing else. This would mean that whether other things love said mind is irrelevant to the mind in question.
would it not just as well argue for the propagation of religion to our descendants?
Yes, but only to someone who believes the religion.
Someone who disbelieves the religion but nonetheless finds something valuable in “spirituality”, should try to find that thing elsewhere rather than collude in at best a noble lie.
If you replace “love” in this article with “theistic spirituality”—another aspect of the human psychology which many, if not most, humans consider deeply important and beautiful -- and likewise replace mutatis mutandis other parts of the dialog, would it not just as well argue for the propagation of religion to our descendants?
If you value love, then you would value passing it on. This equally applies to theistic spirituality, or torture for that matter.
That does not seem to follow. If I value love why can’t I be entirely selfish with respect to it? I might prefer to get more love than everyone else!
If you are selfish in respect to it, that means that you value yourself having love.
When I say “value love”, I mean prefer a universe with love to one without.
Hoarding it is going to be especially counterproductive in that case.
Not necessarily, depending on the boundaries you trace on the concept “Love”. It is perfectly reasonable that a mind would value itself loving other things or minds, but nothing else. This would mean that whether other things love said mind is irrelevant to the mind in question.
Yes, but only to someone who believes the religion.
Someone who disbelieves the religion but nonetheless finds something valuable in “spirituality”, should try to find that thing elsewhere rather than collude in at best a noble lie.