On my desk there is a slightly messy and seemingly bottomless pile of paper. The individual sheets are not pure white and blank, devoid of content. Rather, the pile consists of recent science findings in the form of select news releases spit from my printer. A few years back the title to one began with …
Category Archive: Science
Jan
05
Freethought Musing: “God’s Will” Gets in the Way
To the news of a peer’s death in an automobile accident, one interviewed teenager said, “It’s fate. When your time comes, it comes.” Another tearily added, “God called him home.” Apparently, as far as you know, your time could be up at any moment. Nothing you can do about it. This is sloppy and dangerous …
Nov
01
Is God Redundant?
In his latest book, The Grand Design, Stephen Hawking examines this question. Professor Hawking says that a new series of theories makes a creator of the Universe redundant. This conclusion has led to full-throated outrage and denial from many in the religious community. But there is no reason for believers to be at all surprised …
Oct
21
The Moral Landscape: The Lows
To my mind, Sam Harris’s otherwise fine new book, The Moral Landscape, has three weaknesses. First, much like his blockbuster, The End of Faith, this books starts blazingly strong, then peters as the page numbers go into triple digits, particularly post page 150. Harris seems to include previously written filler to bring the book to …
Oct
20
The Moral Landscape: The Highs
Sam Harris’s new book, The Moral Landscape, is a thought-provoking read. I recommend it. My highest praise is reflected in this note I scribbled while reading: “One of the most important and clear-minded books I have ever read.” I wrote that? Yes, though my overall enthusiasm did wane somewhat toward the end (as my next …
Oct
18
What Science Says about Morality
Many people believe that science is strictly the domain of mute facts. What is. And it consequently has nothing to say about values and morality. About what should be. Many religious folks, or simply thinkers friendly to religion, will claim that values and morality are a special category addressed best or exclusively by religion. I …
Aug
06
Scientific Evidence on Homosexuality
The Bible’s appraisal of male homosexuality is clear. Leviticus 20:13 states: “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” It is not surprising that this sort of pronouncement sometimes leads …
May
22
Dubious Medical Alternatives
In all ages, the public has clamored for magical cures, many of which are now recognized in retrospect as irrational or even comical. Many people are unaware, however, that even in this age of effective scientific medicine they are embracing pseudo-scientific therapy that in the future will be looked back on in the same way. …
Feb
27
Are Religion and Science Reconciling?
According to the drumbeat from religious leaders and the media, religion and science are heading for a profound reconciliation and synthesis that will benefit all humanity. The purpose of this discussion is to expose the irrationality of this contention and state the proper relationship of the two. Let’s deal first with the claims that religion …
Jul
29
Bad Journalism, Not Vaccines, Kills Kids
I was riding along on the flotsam and jetsam of topical hyperlinks from website to website, when I came across an article at ezinesarticles.com titled, “Thimerosal: Autism and Mercury Poisoning Side Effects?” by Margaret Wommack. I have had about enough of misleading journalism, pop culture, and con artists who are victimizing the public at large. …