Evolution Species, framing, and stuff 24 Mar 2008 So here’s a neo-Thomist talking about species, and not getting it due to (i) prior metaphysical commitments, and (ii) not understanding Aristotle – dude, he never called anything a species, not in the biological sense. Eidos and genos were just ordinary words he coopted for the Metaphysics and Posterior Analytics…. Continue Reading
History Reality, academe and the liberal bias 21 Feb 2008 The Chronicle of Higher Education has an article discussing a study as to why there are so few conservative academics, in the light of the campaign by conservative activist David Horowitz to propose and “academic bill of rights”. The answer? John Stuart Mill put it best: What I stated was,… Continue Reading
Evolution Expectorated! 16 Feb 2008 A real journalist reviews a media conference held for the new pro-ID film Expelled: Freedom of expression is unseemly at an Expelled press conference. There was no give-and-take, no open marketplace of ideas, in fact, scarcely any questions at all. Ruloff and Stein batted one softball after another out of… Continue Reading
Politics The law, Sharia, and religious control 12 Feb 2008 Language Log recently took apart the speech and interview by the Archbishop of Canterbury that the media are, inaccurately, reporting as advocating the introduction of Sharia law into British and by implication other common law jurisdictions. Its conclusion was that Abp Rowan Williams did not advocate Sharia law, but instead… Continue Reading
Politics American politics and the available spectrum 3 Feb 2008 Martin Rundkvist, a Swede, has chastised the American body politick for being Right Wing and Even More Right Wing; that is, for lacking a Left in European terms. The American Body Politick, in the person of Chad Orzel, has hit back. Instead of saying that America lacks a Left, says… Continue Reading
Politics The Haneef washup 1 Feb 200818 Sep 2017 Readers will know that I got very angry about the Haneef Affair, in which a muslim Indian doctor was accused of being a terrorist and deported by the improper abuse of power by the minister for immigration of the previous government [here, here, here, here, here and here]. Now his… Continue Reading
Politics Who should be president? 27 Jan 2008 And why would an Australian care? It’s another country, so what business is it of mine? Well, apart from the fact that whoever is US president affects the rest of the world (and historically the best party for Australian benefit is Republican, as their anti-protectionism tends to help Australian exports),… Continue Reading
Evolution Images on evolution outreach 17 Jan 200818 Sep 2017 Colin Purrington has a nice set of publicly available images for use in pro-science talks. Go check ’em out. Continue Reading
History Harry Potter, you see, is the wrong kind of magician 15 Jan 2008 In an article on the Catholic or otherwise virtues of Harry Potter (didn’t we do all this a while back), L’Osservatore Romano has an article claiming that Harry Potter is the wrong kind of hero. Why is that? Not, as you might think, because there are wizards in it –… Continue Reading
Freedom Censureship 13 Jan 2008 Lawyers shouldn’t determine who gets to read what. Religions shouldn’t determine who gets to think what. But the worst combination is when religions use lawyers to stop criticism of their actions and beliefs. Scientology, the money making scam purveyed by the mentally deficient (I can’t think of a nicer way… Continue Reading