Forward into the Past
It looks like my home state of Jawja is going to follow Arizona’s “lead” and is trying to pass legislation that would broadly permit discrimination against gay people: Wow. This news definitely induces a sense of deja vu for me. When I was a kid growing up in the Atlanta area in the 1960’s there … Forward into the Past
Natural Selection in Action?
So that I’m not accused of attacking a strawman, let me say at the outset that I know this guy isn’t representative of most theists. With that said, it continues to amaze me whenever people are this stupid:http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/16/us/snake-salvation-pastor-bite/index.html?hpt=hp_t2And for some jaw-dropping video on this church, check this out:www.tennessean.com/videonetwork/2248175975001/Snake-handling-believers-find-joy-in-test-of-faithAnd another one: What a messed up belief … Natural Selection in Action?
Stirring the Pot
It has been quiet here at SO lately. A little TOO quiet—as they used to say in the old Western movies. Maybe we are not saying anything very controversial. Or maybe people are just too busy with real work to do. Anyway, I thought I would stir the pot with some claims that I would … Stirring the Pot
The Afterlife Broadcasting Company Presents
This is a portion of a dialogue I wrote for the benefit of students in my introductory ethics class. Since we have had some lively debates about ethical matters here at SO, I thought some readers might be interested. I imagined a discussion (in some sort of afterlife) between Aristotle, Locke, Mill, and Kant. Each … The Afterlife Broadcasting Company Presents
TV interview in Tehran
I was at a philosophy of religion conference in Tehran, Iran last week – invited as an atheist to speak to and engage with assembled philosophers, cleric. etc. I appeared briefly on TV – unfortunately the bit of the interview they chose to broadcast was misleading as they cut the “but”… Go here: I was … TV interview in Tehran
What is humanism?
What is Humanism? “Humanism” is a word that has had and continues to have a number of meanings. The focus here is on kind of atheistic world-view espoused by those who organize and campaign under that banner in the UK and abroad. We should acknowledge that there remain other uses of term. In … What is humanism?
I Seem to be Thinking about Alex Rosenberg
Here are some preliminary thoughts about Alex Rosenberg’s Atheist’s Guide to Reality, particularly his claim that we do not think about things (hence the snarky title to this post). Sorry for the inordinate length. Once again, the writing is meant for the general, educated reader rather than the professional philosopher, though, naturally, I want to … I Seem to be Thinking about Alex Rosenberg
Wielenberg’s Divine Lies, and McBrayer and Swenson’s response – my comments for feedback
Skeptical Theism and Divine Deception: The McBrayer/Swenson response to Wielenberg 1. Skeptical Theism Evidential arguments from evil often[i] take something like the following form: If God exists, gratuitous evil does not exist. Gratuitous evil exists. Therefore, God does not exist Gratuitous evil is evil for which there is no God-justifying reason. … Wielenberg’s Divine Lies, and McBrayer and Swenson’s response – my comments for feedback
Darwin Proofing
Students say the darndest things. In their exams, no less. In one of my classes students were required to read selections from Darwin’s Origin and Descent of Man. Here are some comments from one exam: “I found Darwin’s The Descent of Man hard to read and hard to understand. As a Christian I have always … Darwin Proofing
Pressing Your Buttons (from my book Believing Bullshit)
PRESSING YOUR BUTTONS One way in which we can shape the beliefs of others is by rational persuasion. Suppose, for example, that I want someone to believe that Buckingham Palace is in London (which it is). I could provide them with a great deal of evidence to support that belief. I could also just take … Pressing Your Buttons (from my book Believing Bullshit)