The author hopes to give us the tools to avoid being fooled by ‘pseudo-news’ and pseudo-experts.… Read the rest
Monbiot on Wilson on Booker on Asbestos 
Oct 12th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Since 2002, [Booker] has published 38 articles on this topic, and every one of them is wrong.’… Read the rest
Are You Right-on Enough to Teach Here?
Oct 12th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Which of your achievements in the area of equity for (____) gives you the most satisfaction?… Read the rest
Religion v Science Round 4,857
Oct 11th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Strident secularists, fanatical fundamentalists, Dawkins, Beattie, Reiss, Baggini, etc.… Read the rest
Maclean’s Wins ‘Hate Speech’ Case
Oct 11th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
BC rights tribunal dismissed the case as did Ontario and Canadian HRC.… Read the rest
Responses to Sam Fleischacker’s Series
Oct 11th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘The alternative to ethnic nationalism is civic nationalism and a regime of equal rights for all citizens.’… Read the rest
Anthony Appiah at Philosophy Bites
Oct 11th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
One on experiments in ethics, another on cosmopolitanism.… Read the rest
Stephen Law’s ‘The God Delusion’ Book Club
Oct 11th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Dawkins marshals empirical work on the evolutionary roots of morality to defend godless morality.… Read the rest
Jesus and Mo Solve the Problem of Evil
Oct 11th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Free will; appreciation; character formation; mystery. My shout.… Read the rest
Christians, Buddhist ‘Offended’ by Cartoon
Oct 11th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Cartoon seen as mockery of Pentecostals. (And Palin, and McCain, and God.)… Read the rest
Reiki “cannot do harm” – or can it?
Oct 11th, 2008 | By Christopher A. MoyerWhat would it be like to have world-class athletic ability, and to spend years of intensive training honing that ability, only to suddenly lose it all in the instant it takes your physician to utter a few words?
Hayden Roulston, a professional cyclist from New Zealand, has experienced this. After several seasons competing for the top-flight professional teams Cofidis and United States Postal Service, Roulston was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD), a rare and incurable heart disease known to cause sudden death in athletes. Notably, the prognosis is good for ARVD patients who refrain from exercise early in the course of the disease, which is why medical experts advise ARVD patients that they “should not do vigorous exercise.”[1] … Read the rest
Sudan to Chair Millennium Development Program
Oct 10th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
With support of Group of 77, China, and the OIC, Sudan government is chosen to head anti-poverty program.… Read the rest
Vatican Rejects Proposed French Ambassador
Oct 10th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He’s gay. Previous candidate refused because he was divorced. Is France teasing Ratzinger?… Read the rest
Lead Prosecutor on Ayers and Obama
Oct 10th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Amazed and outraged that Obama is being linked to Ayers’s actions; pleased that Ayers is a good citizen.… Read the rest
Malalai Joya Receives Human Rights Award
Oct 10th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
She publicly denounces war criminals, stands up for women’s rights, campaigns on behalf of rape victims.… Read the rest
Sarah Palin and Conservative ‘Feminism’
Oct 10th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Feminists are being challenged by national organizations that are antifeminist but claim to represent women’s interests. … Read the rest
Rolling Stone on the Make-believe Maverick
Oct 10th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘McCain has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to taking whatever position will advance his own career.’… Read the rest
Degradation
Oct 10th, 2008 11:51 am | By Ophelia BensonYou may (or may not) have noticed that I’ve been posting more parochial US-political stuff than usual, lately, and you may (or may not) have wondered why. I mostly ignored the subject in 2004, and during the endlessly long primary process from 2006 on; why have I stopped ignoring it now?
Well, partly, frankly, just because I find Obama more interesting – more worth paying attention to – than any Dem candidate in decades. I think Obama is better than McCain on several dimensions – a better human being, a better candidate, a better potential president. A lot better. To that extent my posting could just reflect plain old political bias. But another part has to do with the flagrant … Read the rest
Christian ‘Boot Camp’ That ‘Cures’ Homosexuality
Oct 9th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘It makes more sense to listen to the God who created the Universe than to my puny human emotions.’… Read the rest
‘Culture’ Minister: Libraries Should be Noisier
Oct 9th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Libraries not places for reading and thinking, libraries places ‘for families and joy and chatter.’… Read the rest
