Academe My article in Times Higher Education Magazine 16 Jun 2011 Is here (scroll down), based on a prior post on this blog. In it I make the somewhat radical suggestion that medial and legal degrees should be removed from universities also. One of the commentators there took issue: I worry about Wilkins’ views about medicine and law. As he rightly… Continue Reading
General Science Quote: Eddington’s two tables 20 May 201120 May 2011 Arthur Stanley Eddington was an Englishman, a physicist, a pacifist and a clever writer: I have settled down to the task of writing these lectures and have drawn up my chairs to my two tables. Two tables! Yes; there are duplicates of every object about me — two tables, two… Continue Reading
General Science Ah, look at all the lonely planets 19 May 2011 Epsilon Cygni Picked up a spin from a passing hot Jove Expelled from its star Wanders the galaxy Cooling its surface to 273 below Floats very far All the lonely planets Where do they all come from? All the lonely planets Where do they all belong? Ahhh, look at all… Continue Reading
Epistemology The undergraduate effect and the gravity wells of knowledge 7 May 201122 Jun 2018 As usual, Randall Munroe nails it (although if I were playing with that metaphor, I’d say that density distorts the sheet). But I like metaphors, because unfortunately I have the mathematical ability and skills of a drunken frog. So I am going to use a metaphor as a metaphor, if… Continue Reading
Creationism and Intelligent Design The heuristics of antiscience 25 Feb 2011 I’m crowdsourcing here, to ensure that I don’t say anything more stupid than usual. I’m writing a piece for a forthcoming book on antiscience, edited by Massimo Pigliucci. I want to consider the heuristics of antiscientific thinking, but, not being a psychologist or cognitive researcher, may be missing some obvious… Continue Reading
Biology Darwin Day: Enough already 18 Feb 2011 I love studying about Darwin and his life and times. I have read enormous amounts, and taught Darwinian history. I’m teaching it again this semester. But enough already. Can we talk about modern biology now? I get a strong impression ( and that’s all this is, as I can’t find… Continue Reading
Creationism and Intelligent Design Evolution and its rivals – special issue of Synthese 16 Dec 2010 A special issue of the philosophical journal Synthese covers the topic “Evolution and its rivals”. It is open access until the end of this month, so you can get the papers now. The major discussions centre around intelligent design, which is the nearest to intellectual adequacy that creationism gets. There… Continue Reading
General Science Geegate 10 Dec 2010 Another science blogging network folds! Well, it hasn’t exactly folded. Nature Network continues, but a few of the bloggers have left, following Henry Gee, who is clearly the ringleader of this revolt. They must be protesting something: Pepsi, lack of civility, the baggage retrieval system at Heathrow. But no, they… Continue Reading
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
Biology The Velvet Underground of… 8 Oct 2010 Recently there have been a couple of “Velvet Underground” posts, of the kind that the VU were a very unknown but amazingly influential group. As Chad Orzel says, “only of order a thousand people bought the first Velvet Underground record, but every one of them went on to start a… Continue Reading