Monthly Archives: September 2009
Unscientific Australia
The other night I was watching TV when on came a piece about Chris Mooney’s and Sheril Kirshenbaum’s book Unscientific America. I haven’t said anything about it because Chris promised me he’d send me a copy, and I haven’t yet … Continue reading
A review at Arnhart
and a fair one I think. Not that I agree with him about Darwin, but there’s room for honest disagreement.
Filed under Species concept
The hate that dare not speak its name
It’s self-evident that a movement that calls the president a lying, socialist, Nazi eugenicist with a fake birth certificate is about something more than deficit spending. People don’t brandish automatic weapons and pray for the president’s death because they want … Continue reading
Filed under Politics, Race and politics
Irish history of science
The deputy prime minister, or Tanaiste, of Ireland, has made a slight gaffe: She said the IDA would be marketing Ireland as the innovation island — “like Einstein explaining his theory of evolution”. After that, she said that Ireland would … Continue reading
Some more on that snake leg
Lanclet, discussing a Jerry Coyne comment on a Pharyngula post, suggests that the snake actually had ingested a lizard, and the lizard’s leg had punctured the snake. It doesn’t change the point about atavisms, but it does make the case … Continue reading
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Filed under Evolution
I will not read Dan Brown’s latest
He’s a pap writer. Nicely chewed and digested screenplays for filming. Nothing deep, nothing that might stretch a reader. Obvious plot turns. So the reviewer at First Post UK suggests some other reading. I add this: I am surprised that … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy, Pop culture
Can Christianity be rescued from the crazies?
Asks Frankie Schaeffer, son of Francis J. Schaeffer, the famous evangelical leader who is in part responsible for this mess, in this excellent piece by Rachel Maddow. Schaeffer starts around 6 minutes, but the entire piece is worth watching. Can’t … Continue reading
They’re both here
So go buy them now (see links at right). This new book on the left is both a collection of source materials for the historical study of the species concept, but also a commentary of each piece and its context. … Continue reading
Filed under Biology, Evolution, History, Philosophy, Science, Species and systematics, Species concept, Systematics
Veerryyy interesting, but so sad
Another icon from my youth, Henry Gibson, has died. *sigh* If there is a heaven, I hope he gets a good audience for his poems.
Filed under Philosophy, Pop culture
Facts of Evolution: a video series for school students
I’m not going to watch the whole series, and some of the statements may be quibble-worthy, but it looks pretty good. HT metspitzer on talk.origins
