Justices voted 6-3; ruling could free other states to pass laws like Oregon’s.… Read the rest
Ian Bell Reviews ‘Root of all Evil?’
Jan 17th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAgrees that ‘Atheism is life-affirming in a way that religion can never be.’… Read the rest
Bishop of Motherwell Talks Dangerous Crap
Jan 17th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSays Church needs to stop cowering before government’s politically approved doctrines.… Read the rest
Carlin Romano on Differing Views of Ben Franklin
Jan 17th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWave of hagiography in Franklin biography marginalizes issues like slave-trade activities.… Read the rest
Parents Sue School District Over ID Course
Jan 16th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonCourse approved despite science, math teachers’ testimony it would undermine science curriculum.… Read the rest
Chutzpah is the Word That Comes to Mind
Jan 16th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonFor appeals not to silence dissenting views from people who work to silence dissenting views.… Read the rest
Morrissey ‘Understands’ Animal Rights Violence
Jan 16th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘I understand why fur farmers and so-called laboratory scientists are repaid with violence.’… Read the rest
Why Do People Want to Present Fiction as Fact?
Jan 16th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘The answer might be that truth sells.’… Read the rest
Does Truth Matter in Memoirs?
Jan 16th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIf memoirs are distinct from fiction, then the distinction should matter.… Read the rest
Subtle Pressure to Assimilate to Dominant Norms
Jan 16th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonBias toward assimilation is in tension with protection of civil rights.… Read the rest
Hitchens on the Lord’s Resistance Army
Jan 16th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonA rolling Jonestown.… Read the rest
What’s on Philosophy Talk
Jan 16th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonDaniel Dennett on ‘Intelligent Design’ on January 17 and 19.… Read the rest
Art, Poetry, Religion, Uncertainty
Jan 16th, 2006 1:54 am | By Ophelia BensonGeorge Szirtes mentioned in a comment on that post Science and Religion that he has a blog, where he commented further on the subject we were discussing there. (It doesn’t have permalinks, so scroll down.) This subject interests me, and I agree with George on most of it. Especially some of it.
… Read the restMy contention is that the experience of listening to, say, Bach’s St Matthew’s Passion, strikes some people with the force of truth. It is not some verifiable truth about the existence or otherwise of God. The music doesn’t set itself out as proof of anything. The sense of truth arises because the music seems profoundly true to some element of human experience. In that sense
Notices
Jan 15th, 2006 10:10 pm | By Ophelia BensonSome brief notices. Daniel Dennett is going to be on Philosophy Talk on January 17 to discuss ‘Intelligent Design’.
Pharyngula has moved to here. Change your bookmarks!
David Luban has a terrific guestpost at Balkinization on what’s wrong (hint: everything) with an article in defense of broad executive power by Harvey Mansfield in the Weekly Standard.
The article is loaded with gravitas, and Mansfield obviously wants to sound deep. But the depth is all on the surface. Read with care, Mansfield’s arguments are profoundly silly.
There’s a lot of that about. People wanting to sound deep, and just being silly instead. A lesson for us all. (Except me, because I never want to sound deep. Rude, hostile, irritating, … Read the rest
Double, Triple, Quadruple Standards
Jan 15th, 2006 6:57 pm | By Ophelia BensonLet us now praise famous imams and representatives of various British Muslim organisations – every single one of them male, if I’m not mistaken. What a swell bunch – all two and twenty of them.
In light of the bizarre news that the Metropolitan Police is to “investigate” comments about homosexuality made by Sir Iqbal Sacranie, the secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, we, the undersigned, Imams and representatives of various British Muslim organisations, affirm that Sir Iqbal’s views faithfully reflected mainstream Islamic teachings…The practice of homosexuality is regarded as being sinful in Islam.
Yes, and in other religions too, as Ratzinger keeps anxiously pointing out, in case we might confuse him with someone else. So what? Who … Read the rest
In Poverty Begins Responsibility
Jan 15th, 2006 6:26 pm | By Ophelia BensonI know it’s obvious, but this kind of thing gets on my nerves. I know it’s obvious, I know this is The Economist, but still.
When IBM announced an overhaul of its pension plan for employees in America last week, it joined a parade of employers that are shifting more responsibility for saving for retirement on to workers.
Shifting more responsibility. As if those slacker employees have been just flopping around expecting employers to spoon-feed them, because they’re such babies. As if pensions were not simply part of the agreed compensation package, like, you know, wages. If IBM announced an overhaul of its payment plan for employees, which consisted of reducing their salaries by 100%, would that be shifting … Read the rest
Jerusalem Conference on Levinas
Jan 15th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonLevinas’ influence will be discussed and debated from France to Israel to Lithuania to China. … Read the rest
Streatham Eccentrics Attempt Coup in Pakistan
Jan 15th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Our leader Shahbaz Khan is Imam Mehdi’ said one, without a hint of irony, over a megaphone.… Read the rest
Pope Still Opposes Abortion and Gay Marriage
Jan 15th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonRatzinger insists on Vatican’s reactionary views, in case anyone thought it had improved.… Read the rest
Nick Cohen on Weirdness
Jan 15th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonGalloway’s Saddam-hugging was okay, but this Big Brother thing is just too much.… Read the rest