Australian stuff Australians and science 7 Dec 2010 A new poll has shown, they say, that Australians are more interested in science than sport, and think politicians should pay attention to the scientists (are you listening, Tony Abbott?). At least half think we should rely more on science than faith. This is good, and better than some, but… Continue Reading
Administrative My present work 10 Oct 2010 Life can be … interesting, for Chinese values thereof. No, I don’t mean the Nobel Prize, although good choice. I mean that I’m presently undergoing some kind of curse. I think it’s called “work” . Work!? So what I’m doing doesn’t translate to meaningful blog posts. Not always (but eventually,… Continue Reading
Academe In practice, theory and practice are… defunded 9 Oct 201024 Nov 2022 How come Bill Benzon gets his own comic? Continue Reading
Education The Scientist’s Operating Manual 18 Sep 2010 As you may know I suggested that we should produce this text as a group. So I thought that I’d add some structure, and use this post to link in existing material as suggested. If you think you’d like to contribute, write and let me know. Post it on your… Continue Reading
Education How scientists think, a book proposal 17 Sep 2010 I’m too busy at the moment to blog, write, think or maintain my personal hygiene, so I thought I’d add content by getting my readers to provide it for me. So I’m going to propose a little project. First, a bit of background. I often try to explain to students… Continue Reading
Education If only he had used his science for niceness, instead of evil 11 Sep 2010 In the Great Tone Debate, it seems to me that we have been overlooking some of the crucial elements of mixed strategies. Something that works in one case may not work in another, and so general arguments that one should be nice or dickish all the time are going to… Continue Reading
Education Crowdsourcing question: scientific method book? 8 Sep 2010 I need a recommendation of a short simple book that provides a good, but not simplistic, outline of how it is that scientists reach their conclusions. Failing that, a good paper. Targeted at non-philosophy undergraduate students. I have been looking rather hard and nothing much of worth since the 1930s,… Continue Reading
Education Dicks, niceness and evil: a rant 29 Aug 2010 The ongoing blogbattle over whether to be nice or a dick skeptic continues. Phil Plait gave a speech suggesting that niceness works better. There was blowback, of course, which he discusses here and here. The Great Tone Debate seems to resolve down to those who think that minds are changed… Continue Reading
Education On non-cohort based education 8 Aug 2010 I’m going to rant for a bit; it’s Sunday here, so my Inner Preacher gets to play. Everyone is decrying the state of education, and how students know less and are unable to think, excel and so forth. Teachers, governments, and culture are all to blame, etc. It seems to… Continue Reading