Eric Raymond sees some paradigm problems.… Read the rest
Just How Hard-wired Is It?
Aug 4th, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAre male promiscuity and female choosiness cultural or biological? Yes.… Read the rest
Scholar Demands Special Treatment for Catholicism
Aug 4th, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonDisagreeing with the Catholic church is ‘prejudice’and ‘venom’. Because…?… Read the rest
Getting it out of proportion
Aug 4th, 2003 | By Julian Baggini"Drinking around three litres of pure still filtered water a day makes
a vital contribution to health."
Emma Mitchell, the Guardian, 7 September 2002
Emma Mitchell is a "natural health therapist" who, in her column
for the Guardian, "Ask Emma", gives advice on how to live a healthier
life. Emma is usually pretty sensible, and her advice to drink more water is
in line with recommendations from most health experts.
Emma, however, has a thing about the need for water to be filtered. No mention
of H2O is complete without the qualifying word "filtered" attached.
So, in her 5 July column, she advises someone who suffers from acne that it
is likely she does "not drink enough filtered water". … Read the rest
Ibn Warraq
Aug 3rd, 2003 11:43 pm | By Ophelia BensonI’m pleased to see that the well-known blog burchismo has nice things to say about both David Stanway’s article about the Three Gorges and Ibn Warraq’s deconstruction of Edward Said (July 31 and August 1). Not that I comment every time someone mentions us, in fact I never do, but it seems worth mentioning Ibn Warraq (and David too of course!). If you haven’t already you should take a look at Ibn Warraq’s remarkable site, the Institute for the Secularisation of Islamic Society. Read this article on ‘honour killings’ for example, or this one, a witty and irritated look at Muslim-American intellectual life, which asks the probing question, ‘what school of Islamic jurisprudence holds that pork is haram (impermissible) … Read the rest
One Thought too Many
Aug 3rd, 2003 9:46 pm | By Ophelia BensonAbdication of thought department, not to mention argument by innuendo department. Here is an opinion piece about a supposed conflict between two values, between inclusiveness and humane treatment of animals, between multiculturalism and banning cruel methods of slaughter.
But now a government-funded committee is expected to conclude that traditional Jewish and Islamic methods of slaughter are inhumane. The timing could not be better because, clearly, Britain’s Muslims are nowhere near alienated enough at the moment…This moral conundrum goes right to the heart of what it means to live in a multicultural society.
When you don’t have much of an argument, resort to sarcasm. What’s his point? That findings about which methods of slaughter are humane and which are not should … Read the rest
The Name of the Rose It Ain’t
Aug 3rd, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonA best-seller about Leonardo, the Holy Grail and ‘the Goddess’ is a tad shaky on the facts.… Read the rest
Revolting Drivel
Aug 3rd, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe serpent stands for rationalist mischief, says godbothering ethicist Leon Kass.… Read the rest
A Degree in Sleeping and Not Washing
Aug 3rd, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonDegrees in surfing, watching tv, games – vocational training or a waste of time and money?… Read the rest
When in Doubt, Pontificate
Aug 3rd, 2003 1:51 am | By Ophelia BensonWhat was that we were saying about certainty, and religion, and the Vatican? There just keeps on being more to say. There is for instance this lovely story about a Calgary bishop who announced that the Canadian Prime Minister’s eternal salvation is in jeopardy and that he could burn in hell. Oh well I suppose I could look on the bright side, couldn’t I. He didn’t say ‘The Prime Minister is definitely without question going to burn in hell,’ he said that he could. He said his salvation is in jeopardy, not that it’s already lost. Quite admirably flexible and latitudinarian, really! Or perhaps he is just (as we vulgar Yanks like to put it) covering his ass. Hedging … Read the rest
Canadian PM Could Burn in Hell
Aug 2nd, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonCalgary bishop declares Chrétien’s eternal salvation is in jeopardy.… Read the rest
Edward Said on the Importance of Edward Said
Aug 2nd, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHow odd – his book came out 25 years ago, and yet people still aren’t obeying it.… Read the rest
Ann Widdecombe Approves, Anyway
Aug 2nd, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe Telegraph doesn’t mention any other MPs who like the Vatican’s statement on marriage.… Read the rest
The Vatican is Being Gravely Silly
Aug 2nd, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonShocking, cruel language, not open to argument – the Catholic church is being another Soapy Sam.… Read the rest
Funnier Than Anything Hope Ever Said
Aug 2nd, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonChristopher Hitchens’ loving tribute to a comedian whose only fault was total absence of humour.… Read the rest
Certainty
Aug 1st, 2003 8:20 pm | By Ophelia BensonWe’ve been talking about certainty…haven’t we? Oh yes, I remember, it was in the comments on Comments (Notes and) last week, the ones that got tragically swept away in the server mishap. But then in some sense B and W is always talking about things like certainty; about skepticism and doubt, relativism and foundations, truth and truth claims, accuracy and error, and how to know the difference. So I always pay extra attention when people talk about certainty. Mind you, that’s been true for years, since long before B and W was even a half-formed idea in its founder’s mind.
A rather frightening Tory politician by the name of Ann Widdecombe was on Start the Week the other day talking … Read the rest
A Bigoted, Misanthropic Elitist
Aug 1st, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHow we miss him! Wendy Kaminer reviews a book on Mencken and religion.… Read the rest
How Are False Memories Formed?
Aug 1st, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonStudy suggests how to increase memory without also increasing corresponding false memories.… Read the rest
Why Books Level the Playing Field
Aug 1st, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonStudents prefer prettier professors, and may learn more from them.… Read the rest
The Vatican Clears Things Up
Aug 1st, 2003 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHomosexual marriage not analogous to God’s plan for marriage and family. Oh.… Read the rest