Monthly Archives: April 2010
Larson on FAPP
Ed Larson, an excellent historian of biology, takes Fodor and Piattelli- Palmarini to task for their ahistorical setting up of a strawman “Darwinism” in the Wilson Quarterly. Recommended reading.
Filed under Evolution, History, Philosophy
Two almost bear patterns from a partial Symocyon of a sesamoid “thumb”
I’m really sorry for that pun. I’ve been waiting for years… Anyway, Laelaps (Brian Switek) has a lovely report on the panda’s “thumb” (actually, the sesamoid wrist bone being independently used by a bear lineage and a lineage closer to … Continue reading
Filed under Evolution
Two almost bear patterns from a partial Symocyon of a sesamoid "thumb"
I’m really sorry for that pun. I’ve been waiting for years… Anyway, Laelaps (Brian Switek) has a lovely report on the panda’s “thumb” (actually, the sesamoid wrist bone being independently used by a bear lineage and a lineage closer to … Continue reading
Filed under Evolution
*Real* doctor?!
Real doctor!? You just keep on thinking that mate. I took the equivalent of 11 years to get my doctorate… Yeah, I know you can prescribe drugs! But can you understand Kant?
Peter Jensen – religious bigot
Archbishop Peter Jensen is living proof of the old saw that religion should be a private matter. Every time he opens his mouth in public, he just exposes his bigotry against the nonreligious even further. Now he is saying that … Continue reading
Filed under Ethics and Moral Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics, Religion
Reminiscences of one who was there
Early on, when I thought I would be an intellectual, a dilettante but still an intellectual, at the age of 17 or so, I read several books that I found at a second hand bookstore (my usual place of recreation). … Continue reading
Filed under History, Philosophy
On the straits of philosophy
My recent post on “Mammals” led one commentator at Panda’s Thumb to reiterate the old joke about philosophy being like mathematicians but without erasers and rubbish bins, and more serious comments about philosophy having a GIGO problem. Coincidentally, Jason Stanley … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
Wilkins in UK
Just a general alert for civilisation and sanity: I will be in the UK briefly in late May, and wandering around the south of England for a few days. Anyone who may want to guard their country against colonial incursion … Continue reading
Filed under Administrative
