Schools, if not conservative Christians, can learn from experience 27 Aug 2009 The Des Moines Register reports that local schools are dropping elective Bible classes and critiques of evolutionary theory to avoid being sued (like in Dover PS). Spencer school officials will throw out a Bible class and discard a critique of evolutionary theory to avoid being sued over the district’s proposed “religious liberties” policy. Creationism and Intelligent Design Education Religion
Biology Couple of my recent papers 7 Aug 2009 These are under review, so any useful comments will be helpful still. What is it to be an atheist? [Revision 5.2] Essentialism and natural kinds in biology Read More
Administrative Off to the wilds of Oxfordshire 14 May 2010 So, tomorrow I fly to Oxford (well, to Heathrow, and bus to Oxford) to this conference on religion and toleration. It looks to be an interesting conference, and I am commenting on a paper by one of my favourite anthropologist/psychologists, Ara Norenzayan from UBC. It includes such luminaries as Amartya… Read More
Metaphysics Why am I not speaking at 2012 Global Atheism? 28 Oct 201128 Oct 2011 Next year, in Melbourne, where I live and 2 hours from where I have been living over the past several years, the Global Atheism Convention will be held. I am an Australian practical atheist (and philosophical Agnostic, which will become significant in a minute), who has published in The Australian… Read More
Heh. “Religious liberties” policies are almost never that, unless by “liberty” one means the right to jam one’s own religion down everybody’s throat. However, I would think a Bible studies class would be ok, if they’re actually studying the Bible. Sadly, I think the class was probably more like an hour of church than studying the Bible.
Hey, that’s right in Tara Smith’s back yard, right? Too bad her blog has gone silent. I bet she probably has something interesting things to say about this. In fact: Instead, it drew complaints from interfaith and nonreligious advocates, a university professor and an attorney from Americans United for Separation of Church and State in Washington, D.C., among others. I wouldn’t be shocked if that “university professor” is Dr. Smith (or possibly Hector Avalos).
…a Bible studies class would be ok, if they’re actually studying the Bible. hmm. And maybe a critique of evolutionary theory would be valuable, too, if done “critically”, but it’s unlikely at a high school level.