In the entry about Peter Hitchens in Wikipedia, I found the phrase "profound shallowness", which is rather nice. I also found the following text, which I will reproduce as the chances are it won't be there in ten minutes:
On Darwinism
Hitchens' position on the theory of evolution is that the theory of evolution, unlike other scientific theories cannot be tested because it cannot be and has not been observed, and remains a theory about the distant past. Those who adhere to it are therefore embracing a faith, just as theists (whose beliefs also cannot be tested) are. His use of expressions such as 'fundamentalist' and 'ayatollah' to describe the intolerant, dogmatic advocates of evolution is mockery intended to provoke thought - applying to them the epithets they aim at others. He opposes dogmatism of any kind on this subject, pointing out that neither he nor anyone else has any idea how the realm of nature took its present shape, or how the universe began. Views on this, theist or atheist, remain a matter of free choice.
As to why I seem to be obsessed by the Hitchens boys at the moment, it's just that I seem to keep running into both of them. Peter was on Radio Four last Saturday explaining why women should stay in the home while being very careful not to actually say that.
Both Hitchens brothers are clearly very articulate, bright, and capable of some excellent insight. I have the sense, though, that they are each equally happy using rhetorical slights of hand to support poor reasoning when it supports their prejudices as they are making truly well-argued cases. While both celebrate their reason, they are both idealogues; if you watch Peter for long enough, he will start talking about "real" conservatives, which is a Platonic ideal too far for me. Similarly, Christopher just loves his newfound neoconservatism nearly as much as he still loves his Trotskyist identity (see - or rather hear - him on this program, if it's still up). He's right about God, though. And this here, which I've mentioned before, is very entertaining and worth your time. However! this is not what I originally intended to talk about, so I will wrap it up and start again.
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