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Norms as Hypothetical Imperatives

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Note: This may be a tad technical for some readers. In my postings here at SO I recognize that many readers are not academic philosophers, so I try to walk a line that balances philosophical accuracy with accessibility. Here I go into somewhat greater detail and depth on an issue that non-philosophers may regard as … Norms as Hypothetical Imperatives

Violence Against Religion?

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Victor Reppert posted this on his Dangerous Idea blog under the title “Why Not?”: “OK, suppose you think that religion really does harm, and we really have to do what we can to stamp it out. Most of us don’t have the opportunity to help establish or eliminate religion by the use of violence. But … Violence Against Religion?

Jesus End: The Formal Possibilities

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There is often discussion of the resurrection apologetic here at SO. Some newcomers to the conversation may be put off by the complexity of it all. In hopes of providing a user-friendly introduction to the context of the debates, I offer the following: Innumerable scenarios could be and have been advanced about the fate of … Jesus End: The Formal Possibilities

Moses and Myth

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I got a correspondence this morning from a reader who identified himself as having been raised in a strictly orthodox Jewish environment. One argument that he had often heard concerned the historicity of the stories about Moses, the Exodus, and the delivery of the Law at Mt. Sinai. I cannot reproduce these arguments here since … Moses and Myth

Wikipedia Article on ‘Religion’ of $cientology’s Founder, L. Ron Hubbard

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Here. I vaguely remember an atheist once joking that if you wanted to get really rich you should start a religion. While certain televangelists might seem to give that idea some credibility, I doubt that most religious founders can be explained that way. But I don’t really want to focus on that topic generally. Instead, I … Wikipedia Article on ‘Religion’ of $cientology’s Founder, L. Ron Hubbard

Is Extremism Political, Religious, or Political/Religious?

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Atheist author and blogger Dan Arel as recently written that he was wrong in his previous response to the critiques of Islam by “new atheists” such as Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/danthropology/2015/10/i-was-wrong-about-new-atheism-sam-harris-and-islam/?ref_widget=popular&ref_blog=secularfrontier&ref_post=six-findings-from-experimental-science-which-disconfirm-theism To admit in public that one was wrong requires a greater commitment to honesty and truth than to ego, and this is rare. … Is Extremism Political, Religious, or Political/Religious?

Does the Brain Construct Reality?

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PBS is hosting a series on the brain, appropriately titled The Brain hosted by Rice University Neuroscientist David Eagleman. I watched the first episode last week and found it highly informative and entertaining. People have wondered what scientific achievements of the 21st Century could rival those of the 20th Century—relativity theory, quantum physics, DNA and … Does the Brain Construct Reality?

Guest Post by Angra Mainyu: Determinism and Compatibilism: A Reply to Jerry Coyne

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Note: The following post is a guest post by SO commenter Angra Mainyu.In this post, Jerry Coyne made a some ethical and metaethical claims, as well as some claims about compatibilists. In this post, I would like to address some of his claims about compatibilists. I think the failure of many compatibilists to give explicit … Guest Post by Angra Mainyu: Determinism and Compatibilism: A Reply to Jerry Coyne

Darwin the Philosopher

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I have noted several unfortunate statements by scientists, some of whom I deeply respect, expressing disdain for philosophy. Their view, apparently, is that if you have science you have no need for philosophy. This attitude is doubly unfortunate. First, it betrays considerable ignorance, and, second, when scientists reject philosophy, they really, really should avoid philosophical … Darwin the Philosopher