On reasons and what they do
This post is something of a follow-up to my recent post about Sean Carroll’s views concerning meaning and purpose. As I indicated at the end of that post, I used some concepts and made some claims that require development and defense and I promised that I would provide that development and defense in a future … On reasons and what they do
Can humans create meaning? Can God?
Sean Carroll is an excellent scientist and philosopher. One of his greatest virtues is that he understands both the important role that philosophy must play in the scientific enterprise and that there are some questions that science is not situated to answer and that are the province of philosophy. It is always worthwhile to listen … Can humans create meaning? Can God?
ATHEISM 101
The words “atheism” and “atheist” are used as insults to denigrate people. These words are used like “liberal” and “communist” are used by right-wing blowholes on AM radio, who don’t have a clue about the actual meanings of those words. They use those words indiscriminately in order to blur the distinctions between them, in order … ATHEISM 101
A moral argument against the resurrection
I don’t think that there is anything particularly original about the argument I will provide here. I had a brief conversation about this argument with some friends yesterday, including Greg Cavin. Greg was inclined to think that the argument could come across as too subjective, that is, based on subjective value judgments. I am not … A moral argument against the resurrection
God, Guns, and School Shootings
Ten dead and ten injured in a high school shooting, but Texas Governor Greg Abbott believes “the problem is not guns, it’s hearts without God.” The problem with Governor Abbott’s theory is that it doesn’t fit the facts. For example, California has a larger population (39.5 million) than Texas does (28.3 million), so one would … God, Guns, and School Shootings
Can you know what it is like to be a bat? Why not?
What sorts of arguments can substance dualists offer? What sorts of arguments would indicate that mind can exist independently of a physical basis? There is overwhelming evidence of the extremely sensitive dependence of every aspect of the mental on a physical basis, the brain in particular. The books of the late, great Oliver Sacks recount … Can you know what it is like to be a bat? Why not?
Conservative Pundit Ross Douthat Takes on Steven Pinker’s New Book
William F. Buckley Jr. died ten years ago last week. For decades, his polysyllabic punditry set the gold standard for conservative controversialists. As a true-blue liberal, I generally disagreed with him, often passionately, but I always admired and appreciated his trenchant intelligence. He might have described his own style as “Often mordant; occasionally vituperative; never … Conservative Pundit Ross Douthat Takes on Steven Pinker’s New Book
Tolerating the Intolerant: The Central Paradox of Liberal Democracy
Insofar as human happiness is achievable, the clear verdict of history is that it is most readily achievable in societies based on the principles of liberal democracy. That is, societies with democratically elected representative governments that respect individual liberties, and which maintain satisfactorily high standards of social justice and economic equity. Examples of liberal democracies … Tolerating the Intolerant: The Central Paradox of Liberal Democracy
Tim Crane on Religious Violence
In his new book, The Meaning of Belief, philosopher Tim Crane argues that much of the anti-religious animus of atheists is largely motivated by the spectacle of religious violence in our day, typified by the events of 9/11/2001. Atheists such as Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and Sam Harris passionately denounce the violence done in the … Tim Crane on Religious Violence
How Atheists get it Wrong, According to Tim Crane
Ever since Socrates said “follow the argument wherever it leads,” the practice of rational debate has been central to our intellectual culture. The ideal is that when qualified parties disagree you allow each side to adduce arguments and present its case in an open forum. The hope is that, once each position has been thoroughly … How Atheists get it Wrong, According to Tim Crane