Irish history of science 18 Sep 2009 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 win sport like Darwin discovering gravity, and sing in Eurovision like Newton inventing oxygen. I won’t make an Irish joke, I won’t make an Irish joke [I’m part Irish, so I can.] Where’s Lynch? History Humor Science
Education Phil Plait destroys the earth 23 Jul 2010 The Bad Astronomer has a TV show! Bad Universe: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiSJ73pckw4] I hope it gets to Australia before the Big One hits. [Why can’t we do a philosophy show like this? Oh, wait…] Read More
History Quote 17 May 2009 The custom of making abstract dogmatic assertions is not, certainly, derived from the teaching of Jesus, but has been a widespread weakness among religious teachers in subsequent centuries. I do not think that the word for the Christian virtue of faith should be prostituted to mean the credulous acceptance of… Read More
Evolution More on the Fodor and Piatelli-Palmerini thing 21 Mar 2010 FAPP have replied to Ned Block’s and Phillip Kitcher’s critique in the Boston Review, showing that the interpretation I gave before is the right one: they really do think that because we cannot say without ambiguity, a priori, what it is that natural selection is selecting, and therefore there is… Read More
Where’s Lynch? I think he’s presenting a talk in a History of Physics symposium. You must admit, though, it was innovative.
He’s not commenting, that’s what he’s doing. Except to say … Never underestimate the stupidity of (Irish) politicians.